Oldest Cigarette Brand in India

Have you always wondered about what the oldest cigarette brand in India is? If your answer was yes, then you’re in luck! In this article, we’re going to look more closely at the oldest cigarette brands in India. It’s worth noting that at the time of writing this article, we’re including as many brands as there are on record, and they may be subject to change. 

Still, we hope you find this list interesting as we take you back in time through a list of the oldest cigarette brands. 

5. Marlboro by Godfrey Phillips Ltd. 

Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons

Godfrey Phillips is one of India’s oldest and most well-known tobacco companies that manufactures Marlboro cigarettes.  This company was first established in the mid-1800s in London by Godfrey Phillips. As his sons grew older, they took over the family business. 

Later on, as the years went by, the company went on to expand and grow, and they began to set up factories and offices in other countries, one of which was India. In India, Godfrey Phillips has several factories and buying centres in places like Ghaziabad, Guntur, and Mumbai. 

Did you know? 

Godfrey Phillips India has a non-tobacco product range that includes vapes, candy, and pan masala.

4. VST Industries

Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons

VST Industries is one of the largest cigarette manufacturing companies in India. This company manufactures cigarettes for brands like Shaan and Special Extra Filter. It used to be called Vazir Sultan Tobacco Company and was named after Vazir Sultan. 

However, the company operates under various names today, like Charminar, Charms, Special, and Total. In 2011, the Bombay Stock exchange shared data that this company had some of the highest dividend-yielding stocks! 

Did you know? 

Hyderabad’s Nizam Osman Ali Khan, Asaf Jah VII smoked Charminar cigarettes. The company specially made his cigarettes used roasted tobacco.

3. Wills Navy Cut

Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons

Wills Navy Cut was originally called Wills Filter, because it was the first type of cigarette to be launched in India with a filter. This brand of cigarettes is manufactured by ITC, or the Imperial Tobacco Company. Although the company was started in 1910, these cigarettes were first launched in the early 1960s.

When ITC launched this cigarette brand, it was faced with the unique challenge of convincing its consumers to try smoking cigarettes that had filters in them. At the time, cigarettes were sold without filters, and consumers were used to a particular flavor. However, Wills Navy Cut was successful, and has remained in the market ever since. 

Did you know? 

Wills Navy Cut was the first Indian cigarette brand to feature women in its ad campaigns.

2. Gold Flake by ITC

Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons

Gold Flake is one of the oldest cigarette brands in India, if not the oldest brand! These cigarettes were introduced by the Imperial Tobacco Company of India LTD, or ITC, as the company is more commonly known. The name ‘Gold Flake’ is a reference to cigarettes that were made from golden, rich, and bright tobacco. 

ITC sells a few versions of Gold Flake cigarettes. These include Gold Flake Kings and Gold Flake Lights. When the brand was officially launched in India, Gold Flake launched a new product called Honeydew Smooth, using imagery like scarves, silk, satin, and feathers as their selling point. It’s worth noting that while this brand is very popular in India, it was first produced in Glasgow in the early 1900s. 

Did you know? 

Gold Flake cigarettes are sold primarily in India, but are exported to other Asian and European countries.

1. Classic by ITC

Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons

Classic is another, well, classic Indian cigarette brand! This brand is also owned by ITC, and has a wide range of cigarettes. When this brand was launched, there weren’t any flavored cigarettes or filter-tipped products. Since then, however, ITC has launched several new cigarette flavors. 

Ten years after this brand was launched, Classics’ image was altered to suit the global client. The cigarette’s dimensions were altered and its paper quality was drastically improved. The company also came up with a wider product range and new packaging. 

Did you know? 

Classis has ten brands in India.

Conclusion

In this article, we walked you through a list of the 5 oldest cigarette brands in India. Although cigarettes aren’t considered to be something that’s good for the human body, the tobacco industry is worth billions of dollars in sales. India produces millions of cigarettes every year, thanks to the various brands mentioned in this article. We hope we included your favorite brands, but if we didn’t, let us know which ones they were in the comments below.