This is a fact: a lot of people smoke cigarettes in Europe, more than you think. Recent research shows that more than 28 percent of Germany’s population constantly smokes cigarettes or vapes, making it a big market for many German cigarette brands.
In this post, we will learn more about the top 7 most popular cigarette brands made in Germany, a country that takes a quite lax approach to smoke.
Top 7 Best German Cigarette Brands
1. Batschari (1834)
In 1834, August Batscharis founded the Batschari cigar and cigarette manufacturer in Baden-Baden.
The brand developed from a modest high-quality handmade cigar in a rented house to a small factory that made 110,000 cigarettes per year. And in 1899, the Batschari increased its production to more than three million cigarettes.
Batschari famous cigarette brands like ABC cigarette and “Radium” radioactive cigarettes were world-acknowledged. The company was then acquired by the BAT Company in 1912 and then got a government subsidy due to the crisis in the late 1920s.
Later on, the Reemtsma Group acquired the Batschari holdings and continued making the “Mercedes” brand name cigarettes until 1965.
Nowadays, many people are into collecting vintage Batschari signs, cigarette boxes, and posters, and the Batchari large cigarette factory called Batscharifabrik, which was constructed from 1908 to 1909, is a landmark in Baden-Baden.
2. Dannemann (1872)
Geraldo Dannemann established Dannemann Cigarette in 1872 in Bremen, Germany. The 21-year-old young man started constructing his first cigar factory in São Félix to roll the finest cigar available in the market.
The brand collaborated with local farmers to create a seed to smoke business model that still applies to this day.
DANNEMANN has grown over the years to become an internationally famous tobacco group, with products available in over 60 countries.
Their product line includes MOODS- a unique, aromatic smoke, DANNEMANN-rich tastes and a balanced smoke for a traditional premium tobacco experience, and AL CAPONE – a mild smoking experience in a pocket-size.
3. Reemtsma (1910)
Bernhard Reemtsma founded Reemtsma in 1910 in Erfurt, Germany. Reemtsma pioneered the automatic production line and quickly became a market leader in the 20s.
The company then moved its factory and headquarters to the city of Hamburg, where Reemtsma’s heritage still remains today.
Later on, Tchibo- a German coffee company, bought the majority of Reemtsma and then sold it to Imperial Tobacco in 2002. Reemtsma is currently a subsidiary of Imperial Tobacco, which has been rebranded Imperial Brands, and it is one of the biggest tobacco and cigarette manufacturing companies in Europe.
Reemtsma now distributes cigarettes, loose tobacco, cigarillos, and is one of the most popular German e-cigarette brands.
Despite its main product distribution in Germany, some of Reemtsma tobaccos are available throughout Europe, including famous brand names like Cabinet, Davidoff, Gauloises, John Player Special (JPS), R1, and West.
4. Sturm Cigarette Company (1929)
Created by the Nazi Party’s Sturmabteilung (SA) to make cigarettes for its member, Sturm Cigarette Company was founded in 1929 with a deal between Arthur Dressler and the SA.
The Nazi party invested in the company start-up fund and got a percentage of the cigarette sales price. The sales of Sturm Cigarette gave the SA party operating budget and a good way to deliver political propaganda.
The factory mainly produced four brands: Trommler (Drummer), Alarm, Sturm (Storm), and Neue Front (New Front) in different price ranges.
The brand was advertised with Nazi party imagery and the political slogan and it was also used to make the prospect of serving in the German army more appealing.
According to reports, SA party members were not only expected but also obliged to consume Sturm Cigarette Company cigarettes exclusively. However, later on, with the replacement of Reemtsma producing the SA’s cigarettes, Sturm was not able to sell its cigarettes and finally filed for bankruptcy in 1935.
5. Waldorf-Astoria-Zigarettenfabrik (1906)
Emil Molt and his business partners founded Waldorf-Astoria-Zigarettenfabrik (Waldorf-Astoria Cigarette Factory) tobacco company in 1906 in Hamburg and Stuttgart.
Emil Molt built the Waldorf Astoria Cigarette Factory and turned it into a profitable business that employed nearly 1,000 people in 1919.
However, due to outmoded production methods and the worldwide economic environment in the second half of the 1920s, the company faced difficulties and in 1929, the company was liquidated.
The Waldorf-Astoria tobacco brand, which features a portrait of John Jacob Astor, was acquired by another company and is owned by Reemtsma since 2018.
6. HB (Haus Bergmann)
Haus Bergmann (HB) is a German cigarette brand that is currently owned and produced by British American Tobacco (BAT). Its brand name HB is from“Haus Bergmann”, the cigarette factory of Dresdner, which, in 1932, got acquired by BAT.
The “HB-Männchen” (“HB Man”) is a cartoon mascot that BAT used to promote HB cigarettes. The introduction of HB cigarettes to the West Germany market in 1955 increased and accelerated the consumption of filter cigarettes in the market, making HB cigarettes the popular choice for young smokers based on their simple, dynamic and youthful design.
Today, the HB cigarette family is still one of Germany’s most popular cigarette brands. However, their market share has decreased due to new EU cigarette package legislation, which requires prominent graphic warnings and limits manufacturers’ ability to advertise their brand.
Their cigarettes are widely sold in European and Asian countries.
7. F6 Cigarettenfabrik Dresden GmbH (1959)
The German cigarette brand F6 Cigarettenfabrik Dresden GmbH is owned by Philip Morris International.
The VEB Dresdner Zigarettenfabriken introduced the F6 in East Germany in 1959 and produced it until 1990. In 1990, F6 is acquired by PMG in Dresden.
After German reunification, the F6 marketing strategy highlighted its East German origin with familiar packaging and appropriate slogans. F6 cigarettes are made in Dresden, and except for the “f6 Original” brand, the cigarettes were removed from the market at the end of 2012 and replaced by the Chesterfield brand.
For its marketing and brand communication, the brand received a Golden Effie, Germany’s most prestigious marketing award.
Final Words
Like every country in the world, Germany has its habit of consuming cigarettes and deep, interesting history of its reputable tobacco brands.
The top German cigarette brands still offer great products for their customers via different sales channels, brand names, and forms of cigarettes to satisfy all the demands not only in Germany but also all over the world.