6 Key Highlights of InterTabac 2025
1. A Double Anniversary:
2025 marks the 45th edition of InterTabac and the 100th anniversary of the Westfalenhallen venue—making this year’s event especially significant.
2. Record Exhibition Scale:
InterTabac and InterSupply will span 11 halls and are expected to welcome over 800 exhibitors across both traditional and novel nicotine sectors.
3. Surge in NGP Exhibitors:
A wave of new companies will debut in the NGP segment, including Dojo, ALIBARBAR (vape/nicotine pouches/hookahs), and Koken, LONO (heat-not-burn).
4. High-Caliber Conferences and Speakers:
- Major panels will cover regulatory and product innovation topics, such as:
- GINN’s sessions on oral nicotine;
- Imperial Brands’ panels on pouches and filters;
- A masterclass by Nordic NPA and pouchforum.eu;
- Fraunhofer ITEM’s presentation on e-liquid emissions.
5. Expanded Networking Opportunities:
Including:
- The inaugural Cigar Culture Summit;
- The second edition of PouchXchange;
- The InterTabac World Alternative Awards;
- The popular Get Together networking event.
6. New Hybrid Component:
Tobacco Europe will host a hybrid policy forum titled “Eyes on Brussels,” offering insights into EU regulatory developments and industry implications.
[By 2Firsts, Taco Tuinstra] From Sept. 18-20, the global nicotine sector will gather in Dortmund, Germany, for the 45th edition of InterTabac, one of the industry’s largest trade exhibitions. Originally intended to take place every other year, the event debuted in 1978 with 78 exhibitors showcasing products such as cigarettes, cigars, pipes and fine cut tobaccos, along with accessories. As interest grew, the organizer switched to the annual frequency that persists today.
After the turn of the millennium, the range of products expanded to include new nicotine products, such as e-cigarettes and tobacco heating devices. In 2015, the organizer launched InterSupply to complement InterTabac as a trade fair for the manufacturing side of the business. To accommodate the growing demand for exhibition space, the event in 2018 expanded into the famous Westfalenhalle event arena.
Over the years, the trade fairs’ supporting events gained prominence. In addition to a platform for exhibitors to present their products and services, InterTabac and InterSupply now offer numerous presentations, workshops and panel discussions focused on the latest regulatory and market developments.
The Covid-19 pandemic was a challenging time for the event business, characterized by cancelations, postponements and frequently changing rules on public gatherings. But it also presented an opportunity to develop new digital offerings, including business insights distributed through videos and podcasts.
After the pandemic receded, many were concerned about the future of exhibitions: Would people return to in-person events? Would trade fairs still be seen as a unique opportunity to present products? Demonstrating the continued importance that people—particularly in the tobacco industry—assign to face-to-face contacts, InterTabac and InterSupply quickly regained their popularity. In 2024, the Dortmund events together attracted more than 800 exhibitors spread over 11 halls.
Since 2022, 2Firsts has been committed to covering InterTabac and has continuously served as one of its official media partners.
Since 2022, 2Firsts has been actively engaged in InterTabac as one of its official media partners, with a continued focus on the event’s core themes and industry developments. This year, 2Firsts will send a reporting team to the show for the fourth time, covering key highlights, brand movements, emerging trends, and global regulatory updates. Coverage will be published simultaneously on both its Chinese and international platforms, promoting the efficient exchange of information and in-depth dialogue across the global next-generation tobacco industry.
A Double Anniversary
2Firsts: InterTabac and InterSupply have made a remarkable comeback after the end of the pandemic. What are your expectations for this year’s event?
Sabine Loos: This year’s InterTabac will be the 45th edition of the trade show. At the same time, we celebrate 100 years of Westfalenhallen. So, it definitely is a special edition that I am really looking forward to. I can’t talk about numbers at such an early stage but of course we are hoping to continue last year’s success. We will definitely have 11 halls filled with top exhibitors and an interested trade audience—that’s for sure.
Speaking about products, we see that on the one hand the classic cigar segment is very strong, even in these dynamic times. We already count more than 160 exhibitors in this segment, including longstanding exhibitors, but also innovative new ones. And of course, there will also be a strong focus on everything that has to do with next-generation products [NGP] including the important topic of modern oral nicotine.
Notable Newcomers
2Firsts: Will there be many first-time exhibitors this year?
Loos: We do have a lot of first-time exhibitors this year, and they come from all sectors of the industry. We have Selected Tobacco and ArtHabanos from the cigar segment, for example, and also Notorious Cigars, a brand founded by MMA [Mixed Martial Arts]-Star Conor McGregor. In the NGP-sector there are several new exhibitors like Koken International and LONO International Co. (heat-not-burn products), Heartbeat Technology and HRJ Production (nicotine pouches) as well as Dojo (e-cigarettes) and ALIBARBAR (vaping, nicotine pouches, hookahs). At InterSupply we have HERMOS and Dynamic Tools, among others.
Conference Highlights
2Firsts: What keynote speeches or panels can attendees look forward to?
Loos: InterTabac is known for its high-class conference program, and this year’s edition is packed with big names and the most relevant topics. Visitors will be able to view the whole program online but of course I want to give you some highlights in advance. Our partner GINN—the Global Institute for Novel Nicotine—for example will host two panels that will focus on regulations, product development and trends in the field of oral nicotine.
We will also have Dr. Erika Grandolfo, scientific affairs manager at Imperial Brands Science, talking about tobacco-free nicotine pouches and their benefits. In a masterclass, Jonas Lundqvist, CEO of the Nordic Nicotine Pouches Alliance and Robert Casigne, editor-in-chief at pouchforum.eu, will discuss regulatory and market developments in the field of pouches across the European Union.
Also addressing the NGP-sector will be a panel hosted by Die Tabak Zeitung and Tobacco Journal International on the future of nicotine technologies, a presentation by Dr. Stefanie Scheffler, chemist at the Fraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Experimental Medicine ITEM, about e-liquid-emissions, and a panel on developing HNB-products with participation of Filtrona and SWM International, among others.
The European Confederation of Tobacco Retailers will additionally give updates on NGP-retailing.
In the cigar sector, Joshua Habursky, executive director of the Premium Cigar Association and Scott Pearce, president of the Cigar Association of America, will talk about regulations and trends in the cigar market in their keynotes.
What’s more, Imperial Brands will host a panel on filters together with Filtrona.
Networking Opportunities
2Firsts: What are some key networking opportunities planned?
Loos: InterTabac is all about networking. It’s all about bringing the whole industry together in one place to set the course for the future. So, networking takes place in all the halls—at every stand, at every stage and every coffee point. But we also provide participants with special events in a more intimate setting focusing on different segments of this industry.
There is the premiere of the Cigar Culture Summit for example, which unites the leading figures in the cigar world: from legendary manufacturers and growers to influential media, importers and retailers. There are cigar pairing and blending workshops. There is the second edition of PouchXchange, a central platform for intensive exchange between industry experts, manufacturers, suppliers and distributors. Additionally, the award ceremony of the InterTabac World Alternative Awards will take place in an exclusive setting this year, honoring innovations in the NGP-sector.
And of course there is the popular Get Together Event, bringing together exhibitors, organizers, sponsors, associations and journalists.
Promoting Dialogue
2Firsts: How does InterTabac navigate showcasing products that are heavily regulated or restricted in many countries?
Loos: InterTabac as the leading trade show of the international tobacco industry of course is a platform showcasing all the innovations coming from this industry. So, what visitors can expect is an overview of the entire range of products.
Nevertheless, we are aware that many products are subject to different regulations—and that these sometimes vary from country to country. This is why we provide a broad platform for visitors and exhibitors alike that allows not only for an intense dialogue with other industry players, organizations and policymakers about the regulations and challenges in the various segments but also [includes] varied sources of information. Global regulations play a very important role in InterTabac’s supporting program. Every year, we strive to provide the latest information and insights to navigate the global status quo.
Virtual Components
2Firsts: Will there be a hybrid or virtual component for those unable to attend in person?
Loos: Of course, InterTabac focuses on the opportunities for interaction that only a trade fair can offer: It is a platform for personal contacts. For direct feedback from customers. For first-hand information from manufacturers. And, above all, for testing new products. This year, however, we are also breaking new ground in the supporting program and offering a hybrid event, the concept of which already proved its worth at EVO NXT in April: Tobacco Europe, the European umbrella organization for manufacturers of tobacco and nicotine products, is organizing the hybrid event called “Eyes on Brussels.”
Visitors can listen both on site and online. Tobacco Europe is committed to supporting responsible EU policymaking in advancing balanced and science-based regulation for tobacco and nicotine products. Thus, the discussion will provide participants with updates on key policy developments in Brussels and across the EU and their potential impact on the tobacco and nicotine industry. Speakers will include Secretary General Nathalie Darge and EU Affairs Expert Filip Haugland.
Adding Value
2First: InterTabac is one of the leading events in business. How do you explain its success?
Loos: It is certainly difficult to identify the one success factor. We are looking back on more than 40 years of InterTabac. That’s a long time. A time in which we have been able to precisely analyze our target group, their needs and the industry as a whole—both on the exhibitor and visitor side. Based on these observations, we strive to not only meet the needs and expectations of our target group every year, but to exceed them. For this reason, the team behind the trade fair comes up with new features every year and works hard to offer visitors and exhibitors the greatest possible added value for their companies. For example, with a constant stream of new exhibitors, a specialist program that addresses the latest topics and challenges, exciting events and a well-thought-out hall concept.
I see this constant development, in which we have never moved away from the original core of the trade fair—the classic segment—is an absolute success factor. There are also other aspects. These include, for example, the cooperation with important partners and associations who know the needs and concerns of the industry inside out and incorporate them into the planning of the trade fair.
Encouraging Curiosity
2Firsts: What advice do you have for first-time visitors?
Loos: My most important piece of advice: Allow enough time! Because there is so much to discover at InterTabac and InterSupply: the large number of exhibitors, so many new trends and products, exciting presentations and discussions on the most important topics and challenges, interactive event formats such as PouchXchange. In addition, there should always be room for intensive conversations with other industry members, colleagues and customers.
What I would also like to recommend to both visitors and exhibitors is openness: Be open and venture into halls that are not necessarily dedicated to your segment. Use the synergies that a trade fair creates. They can be absolutely inspiring.
In addition, 2Firsts has specially launched a brand promotion package for this exhibition. Click the image below to learn more.
InterTabac 2024 Special Report
