Product Fact Sheet 134

Philip Morris International (PMI) –Marlboro Mint Stream 5

mg and 1 mg in Japan: PMI´s Second Product with Micro
Granules comes with an Innovative Window Filter

October 2013/ Global Lead Centre for Competitor Intelligence PRODUCT CENTRE / EUROPE
 Product Fact Sheet 117
Philip Morris International (PMI) –Marlboro Mint Stream 5
mg and 1 mg in Japan: PMI´s Second Product with Micro
Granules comes with an Innovative Window Filter

October 2013/ Global Lead Centre for Competitor Intelligence PRODUCT CENTRE / EUROPE
Global Lead Centre for Product Competitor Intelligence

For further information please contact

Sina Kasper
Product Centre Europe (PC-E)
Mail: sina_kasper@bat.com
Phone: +49 921 291 5554
Mobile: +49 172 45 16 18 8

© British American Tobacco Limited 2013. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced in any form or
by any means without the prior written consent of British American Tobacco (Investments) Limited.
This document is proprietary to British American Tobacco (Investments) Limited and is provided to employees during the
course of their employment and for no other purposes. Unauthorized possession or use of this material or dis-closure of the
proprietary information may result in legal action.

October 2013/ Global Lead Centre for Competitor Intelligence PRODUCT CENTRE / EUROPE
Marlboro Mint Stream in Japan - Pictures
Marlboro Mint Stream 5 Marlboro Mint Stream 1
Tar: 5 mg, Nic: 0.4 mg, CO: x mg Tar: 1 mg, Nic: 0.1 mg, CO: x mg

Relief varnish

Embossed Elements

Front Back Front Back

See and experience!

Fresh mint after taste
from the new micro
mint within the filter

Open Pack Open Pack

October 2013/ Global Lead Centre for Competitor Intelligence PRODUCT CENTRE / EUROPE
Marlboro Mint Stream in Japan - Pictures
Marlboro Mint Stream 5 Marlboro Mint Stream 1
Cigarette Cigarette
Triple filter
(Acetate/cavity/acetate) with
a
Window filter with Micro
Granules

Experience
without crushing!

See and
experience!
Fresh mint after taste
from the new micro mint
within the filter

Pack Insert

October 2013/ Global Lead Centre for Competitor Intelligence PRODUCT CENTRE / EUROPE
Marlboro Mint Stream in Japan - Pictures

Transparent plug wrap

Open Filter

Tipping paper with glued transparent plug wrap

October 2013/ Global Lead Centre for Competitor Intelligence PRODUCT CENTRE / EUROPE
Marlboro Mint Stream in Japan– Conclusion I

Philip Morris International launched the Marlboro Mint Stream 5 mg and the Marlboro Mint Stream 1 mg in Japan in July 2013. It is PMI´s second product with micro
capsules:

 Marlboro Mint Stream 5 Tar: 5 [mg/cig], Nic: 0.4 [mg/cig], CO: x [mg/cig]

Marlboro Mint Stream 1 Tar: 1 [mg/cig], Nic: 0.1 [mg/cig], CO: x [mg/cig]

Price per pack: JP￥440 (comparable to core range)

Segmentation: Premium

Share of market: no data available yet

Share of market Marlboro Family: Jul 2013: 12.9 %

Philip Morris launched with the Marlboro Mint Stream in Japan their second product with micro granules in the filter. The first product was the Green
Disco Mints, launched in October 2010 in Columbia*. Both products feature a triple filter (mono acetate, cavity , mono acetate) and the cavity in the
middle is filled with granules made out of polysaccharide. By shaking the cigarette a rattling noise can be perceived.
The granules of the Green Disco Mints are green whereas the Mint Stream variants feature blue ones. For both
product s only small amounts of menthol or other flavour compounds can be found on the micro capsules therefore
no real functionality is delivered by this material.
Nevertheless the Marlboro Mint Stream variants features one innovative element: the window filter.
It is definitely attractive for the consumer because he can see the blue micro capsules in the filter.
From a cigarette designer view this feature is really complicated and needed most likely a lot of development work. The two mono acetate segments are
glued on a transparent cellophane. Afterwards the granules are filed in the cavity . After gluing the transparent filter rod is ready for the cigarette maker.
The filter is wrapped with a tipping paper where the window is cut out. Tipping paper and transparent filter plug wrap are glued together most likely by skip
tip. Of course the window area is also kept free of glue. What makes this feature so complicated is the need for finding a proper glue/material combination.
As cellophane is hygroscopic, a normal glue will contain too much moisture which results in a distortion of the filter. Also the normal humidity from the air
or the chewing of the filter as especially smoker in Japan do, could cause a distortion. As standard cellophane is not heat sealable PMI has most likely used
a special treated cellophane (“coated”) in combination with a special glue. No Mint Stream cigarette showed any distortion or similar effects.
The Green Disco Mints was not successful in Colombia. Perhaps the window filter is the feature that will help the Marlboro Mint Stream to become a
success in Japan.
* Product Fact Sheet 28: Philip Morris International: Green Disco Mints in Colombia –An Example How PMI Copied BAT’s Concept for Cigarette Filter Containing Granules

October 2013/ Global Lead Centre for Competitor Intelligence PRODUCT CENTRE / EUROPE
Marlboro Mint Stream in Japan – Conclusion II

The Marlboro Mint Stream 5 and the Marlboro Mint Stream 1 are cased (light casing) and flavoured. 0.4 % Glycerine and 0.6% Propylene
glycol are used as humectants. Unlike many other Marlboro offers, the Marlboro Mint Stream variants have no liquorice or cacao as casing.
The applied cigarette flavour contains besides menthol, peppermint, spearmint and eucalyptol sweet and smoothening substances. A high
amount of ethylvanillin is detectable. The menthol amount on the granules is rather low and most likely related due to diffusion, furthermore
no special flavour can be detected on the micro capsules. This leads to the conclusion that the granules have no special taste effect.
The smoke taste of the Marlboro Mint Stream 5 mg is medium to high cooling with greenish/herbal mint notes ( peppermint). No special
addition taste, compared against other MB menthol products in Japan is recognisable. The after taste is medium but as normal of MB
products relatively clean and fresh. The Marlboro Mint Stream 1 mg , taste wise is the same as the 5 mg product but the menthol cooling is on
a lower level. less green and herbal notes are detectable.
Marlboro Mint Stream 5 and the Mint Stream 1 utilise the same blend- a HMV blend without CLD treated Burley. The blend nicotine is at 2.0
% and the proportion of Virginia/Burley and Oriental (including the expanded tobacco proportion) can be estimated as: FCV 74% / BUR 16%
/ OR 5% of the total blend. 14 % Expanded Tobacco is used (100% Virginia) and 5% Recon (PTR) can be found as well. No stems are used.

Both cigarettes are in a King Size format with a length of 83.8 mm and a circumference of 24.7 mm.
The triple filter (Acetate, cavity, Acetate) is of 27 mm length (11mm/5mm/11 mm) and is combined with a
32 mm tipping paper structured in white. The cavity is filled with 150 mg of blue granules or micro capsules. The open pressure drop of
the filter is at 97 mmWG for the 5 mg and at 119 mmWg for the 1 mg variant. The verge cigarette paper is a non LIP paper with a
permeability of 65 CU and a grammage of 26 gsm. The ventilation is 58 % for the Mint Stream 5 amd 80 % for the Mint Stream 1. Both
ventilation zones are applied via an online laser (1 line, 18 mm DME). The window is cut out of the tipping paper and the filter rod is encased
by a transparent plug wrap made out of a special cellophane.

Marlboro Mint Stream 5 and the Mint Stream 1 are in a hinge lid square corner format. The main colour is white and the relief varnish
results in a nice touch and feel experience. The board is printed via gravure and features spot embossing and hot foil stamping.
The square corner format in combination with a good SBB board (245 gsm and a thickness of 300 µm) result in a medium pack
stability. The white innerframe is a multi coloured SBB board (230 gsm and a thickness of 280 µm) which features a picture of the window
filter .The silver innerfoil is made out of a metallised innerliner with a pattern.

October 2013/ Global Lead Centre for Competitor Intelligence PRODUCT CENTRE / EUROPE
Marlboro Mint Stream in Japan – At a Glance I*
Product: Marlboro Mint Stream *) Abbreviations:
see last slide .
Additional analytical
Product Claim: Experience without Crushing data can be provided
upon request
End Market: Japan

Marlboro Mint Stream Marlboro Mint Stream

Smoke Deliveries
5 mg 1 mg

Tar 5 1

Imprint [mg/cig] Nicotine 0.4 0.1

CO x x

Tar 4.8 1.1

Smoke Deliveries
Nicotine 0.46 0.1
[mg/cig]

CO 4.3 1.4

Puff Count 7.4 7.1

Menthol in Smoke [mg/cig] 0.67 0.22

October 2013/ Global Lead Centre for Competitor Intelligence PRODUCT CENTRE / EUROPE
Marlboro Mint Stream in Japan – At a Glance II*
Product: Marlboro Mint Stream *) Abbreviations:
see last slide .
Product Claim: Experience without Crushing Additional analytical
data can be provided
End Market: Japan upon request

Marlboro Mint Stream Marlboro Mint Stream

Casing & Flavouring
5 mg 1 mg

Humectants Glycerine 0.4

[%] Propylene Glycol 0.6

Casing Components Liquorice n.d.

[%] Cacao n.d.
Menthol [mg/cig] 11.4 11.3
Menthone [mg/cig] 287.7 286.3
Isomenthone [mg/cig] 54.7 55.6
Menthol
Pulegon [µg/cig] 19.9 19

Carvon [µg/cig] 35.4 33.8

Menthol on micro granules [mg] 1.7 1.6

Flavour Profile Tobacco:
Menthol, peppermint, spearmint and eucalyptol is used as well as sweet and smoothening components (Ethyl palmitate,
Benzenemethanol). A high amount of Ethylvanillin is detectable

Flavour Profile Micro Capsules:

The menthol amount is rather low and most likely related due to diffusion, no special flavour can be detected on the micro
granules. No spearmint or peppermint is detectable
Flavour
Smoke Taste:
Marlboro Mint Stream 5 mg:
Medium to high cooling menthol product with greenish/herbal mint notes ( peppermint). No special additional taste. Compared to
other MB menthol products ( Japan) lower burning rate and higher draw effort, no tobacco taste, medium after taste but as normal
of MB products relatively clean and fresh
Marlboro Mint Stream 1 mg:
Same as the 5 mg product but menthol cooling at a lower level, less green/herbal notes
On both products there is no special taste effect coming from the filter/capsules in the filter.

October 2013/ Global Lead Centre for Competitor Intelligence PRODUCT CENTRE / EUROPE
Marlboro Mint Stream in Japan – At a Glance III*
Product: Marlboro Mint Stream *) Abbreviations:
see last slide .
Additional analytical
Product Claim: Experience without Crushing data can be provided
upon request
End Market: Japan

Marlboro Mint Stream 5 mg & 1 mg

Marlboro Mint Marlboro Mint

Blend Stream Stream
5 mg 1 mg
Blend Style HMV
Blend Nicotine [%] 1.97
CLD treated Burley no
Virginia 60
Burley 16 5% 74%
Oriental 5 0% 16%
ET (V%/B%) 14 (100/0)
Stems 0
Blend Composition [%]
Recon (PTR) 5
Recon (BCR) 0

Virginia incl ET 74

Burley incl ET 16
Tobacco Rod Weight [mg] 607 597

DIET 14%
By-Products - Stem 0%
By-Products - Non-Stem 5%
**) values <5 % can not be considered as a real blend component

October 2013/ Global Lead Centre for Competitor Intelligence PRODUCT CENTRE / EUROPE
 Marlboro Mint Stream in Japan – At a Glance IV*
Product: Marlboro Mint Stream *) Abbreviations:
see last slide .
Product Claim: Experience without Crushing Additional analytical
data can be provided
End Market: Japan upon request

Marlboro Mint Marlboro Mint Marlboro Mint Marlboro Mint

Cigarette Design Stream Stream Packaging Stream Stream
5 mg 1 mg 5 mg 1 mg
Format King Size King Size
Outer Polypropylene (22 µm)
Cigarette Length [mm] 83.8 83.8
Circumference [mm] 24.7 24.7 Format Hinge Lid, Square Corner
Triple Triple
Filter Type
Acetate, Cavity, Acetate Acetate, Cavity, Acetate Board SBB
Filter Length [mm] 27 (11/5/11) 27 (11/5/11)
Board Grammage
PD Open [mmWG] 97 119 [gsm] 245 245
PD Vent Blocked
[mmWG] 148.7 205.7 Board Thickness [µm] 300 300
Pack
Filter PD Filter Plug [mmWG] 101 157
Printing Technique Gravure
Ventilation [%] 58 80
Ventilation Technique Laser Online Laser Online Embossing Spot Embossing
Amount of Lines 1 1
Hot Foil Stamping
Specials
Position d.f.m.e. 18 17.85 Relief Varnishing
Granules Loading [mg] 150 150 Pack Stability Not measured
Tipping Width [mm] 32 32
Paper Material SBB (230 gsm, 280 µm)
Appearance Structured, White Structured, White

Verge Verge Innerframe

Marking
Appearance Multicoloured Multicoloured
Opacity 80 79

Cigarette Permeability [CU] 65 65

Paper Material Metallised Innerliner Metallised Innerliner
Grammage [gsm] 26 26
Innerliner
LIP Paper Non LIP Non LIP
Appearance Silver, Other Silver, Other
Burn Additive Citric Acid: 0.51 Citric Acid: 0.43

October 2013/ Global Lead Centre for Competitor Intelligence PRODUCT CENTRE / EUROPE
 Abbreviations

B I R
BAT: British American Tobacco IMP: Imperial/Reemtsma RCT: Reconstituted Tobacco
BY: Burley Tobacco ISO: International Standard Organisation
BCR: Band-cast reconstituted tobacco
J S
C JTI: Japan Tobacco International SBB: Solid Bleached Board
CRT: Cut Rag Tobacco
SS: Super Slim (format)
C&F: Casing and Flavouring K
CLD: Case Leaf Dried Burley KS: King Size (format)
CT: Clear Taste KSSS: King Size Super Slims (format) T
KT&G: Korean Tomorrow & Global T/N/CO: Tar/Nicotine/Carbon monoxide
D
D.F.M.E: Distance from mouth end TRD: Tobacco rod density
DS: Demi Slim (format) L TRF: Tobacco rod firmness
LMV: Lightly Modified Virginia Blend
TW: Tobacco weight
E LSS: Less Smoke Smell
ESS: Expanded Shredded Stems
ET: Expanded Tobacco U
M
USB: US Blend
F MSS: Main Stream Smoke
FBB: Folding Box Board
FCV: Flue cured Virginia
O
G OL: On-line laser (filter ventilation)
GLY: Glycerine (humectant) OT: Oriental Tobacco

H
HL: Hinge Lid (pack format)
HMV: Heavily Modified Virginia
HOP: High Opacity (cigarette) Paper
P
PD: Pressure drop (filter)
PG: Propylene Glycol (humectant)
PMI: Philip Morris International
PTR: Paper-type reconstituted tobacco

October 2013/ Global Lead Centre for Competitor Intelligence PRODUCT CENTRE / EUROPE