UAE. Dubai-based ANDS (Alternative Nicotine Delivery Solutions) has become a member of MEADFA (the Middle East & Africa Duty Free Association) as the company seeks to grow its international travel retail footprint.
ANDS, founded in 2020, specialises in electronic nicotine delivery solutions and heated tobacco technology. Its pledge is to “lead the evolution of a new era of a cigarette-free Middle East & Africa”.
News of its MEADFA membership comes just days before the trade association’s annual conference, hosted by Bahrain Duty Free and managed by TFWA, which takes place in Bahrain from 27-29 November. The Moodie Davitt Report President Dermot Davitt will be co-moderating the event alongside TFWA Managing Director John Rimmer.
The company, founded in Dubai in 2020, is committed to the mission of providing adult smokers with better alternatives than continuing to smoke conventional cigarettes. This mission is aligned with the aim to reach 140 million adult smokers in the MENA region.
Its products can be found in a wide array of domestic markets in the wider Middle East and Africa region, including the UAE, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan, Egypt and Lebanon.
In duty free ANDS enjoys a presence in airport and border shops in several markets, including Jordan, Egypt, Dubai, Bahrain, Muscat and Sharjah.
The company recently launched its Sentinel programme, designed to protect minors and non-smokers from being exposed to or sold nicotine products, by monitoring trade and social media activities and by managing product compliance and flavour use.
ANDS MEA Head Travel Retail & Emerging Markets Arnaud Piorkowski said: “We are proud to be a corporate member of MEADFA in the alternate nicotine delivery products industry, underscoring our commitment to continue expanding to new markets to grow our existing customer base of adult travellers.
“We look forward to increasing our reach through working with travel retail operators to professionally launch electronic nicotine delivery solutions.”
ANDS Managing Director Jamal Bashir said: “Our membership with MEADFA underlines our commitment to offering adult travellers best-in-class alternative nicotine delivery products while respecting local regulations and adapting to the latest consumer trends.
“We will continue to support travel retail operators with proper category management and scientifically backed products that are compliant with technical standards and regulations accredited by the best research centers in the world, with the right margins and pricing.”
ANDS’ vision is to put the safest and most credible nicotine delivery systems within reach of the 144 million adult smokers across the Middle East & Africa, while respecting local regulations and adapting to the latest trends and technologies.
ALSO IN THE ANDS PORTFOLIO
