Rizla's ready to rock and roll Imperial Tobacco PO Box 244 Southville Bristol BS99 1LQ Tel: 0117 963 6636 Fax: 0117 966 7405 Website: www.imperial-tobacco.com KEY PERSONNEL Sales director UK Division Geoffrey Couchman Trade marketing controller Lisa Davies-Evans National accounts controller Roger Batty KEY BRANDS RYO tobacco · Golden Virginia · Drum RYO accessories · Rizla More than one million cigarette paper booklets are sold every day in the UK ­ that's more unit sales than The Daily Telegraph ­ and the market is still growing. Among them, number one brand Rizla accounts for over 77% of sales (RAL: April 2000) and in the King Size papers market Rizla holds a massive 91% share. This summer, brand owners Imperial Tobacco will endorse the brand with a series of innovative marketing activities, including the recently launched and revamped Rizla Lounge, which tours major festivals, including the Edinburgh Fringe, providing refreshments and top DJ entertainment. Rizla's successful quirky word plays will also feature again in an advertising drive through lifestyle magazines and national supplements. As the average profit margin on Rizla papers amounts to more than 50% [ITL price list Q5 terms], it is in the retailers' interest to stock up and capitalise on the growing trend towards RYO, says brand manager Paul Fallon. "Independents need to take full advantage of the trend towards RYO, plus the add on sales of RYO papers and accessories, which can seriously increase profits," says Fallon. "Just look at Rizla brand sales with a retail value of £71.4m, compared to Heinz Ketchup brands which account for £53.3m pa, and you can see the potential." In the booming RYO accessories market where Rizla holds over 60% share, sales are increasing by an annual 60%, while filter tip sales, offering moree than 50% margin to retailers, are also growing in sales value. Rizla showed a 90% sales increase year on year. To drive the sector still further Rizla recently embarked on a redesign for its RYO Accessories range, creating a cohesive Rizla RYO image for extra on-shelf impact. {{Z SUPPLEMENTS }}