KT&G and PMI Partner to Expand E-Cigarette Market in Central and South America

PMI by 2FIRSTS.ai
May.09.2024
KT&G and PMI Partner to Expand E-Cigarette Market in Central and South America
KT&G and PMI partner to expand e-cigarette market in Central and South America, with PMI launching KT&G's "lil" globally.

According to a report by South Korean media outlet View.Nate on May 9, the South Korean company KT&G plans to enter the Central and South American market for its e-cigarette product "lil" through a partnership with Philip Morris International.

 

PMI will actively sell KT&G's e-cigarette products and will sell its "lil" product globally outside of South Korea.

 

According to reports, on the 2nd day, PMI successfully launched its new e-cigarette "IQOS Iluma" in Mexico. Following the new product launch in Mexico, PMI plans to introduce IQOS in Brazil. The company submitted an approval application for IQOS products to Brazil in March last year, aiming to further promote its non-combustible products in the Central and South American markets.

 

Thanks to the diversity in the non-combustible product market in Central and South America, this has also driven the demand for PMI's KT & Ge-cigarette product "lil".

 

Jorge Calleja, Marketing Director of PMI Mexico, stated, "After 5 months of preparation, we have finally launched 'IQOS Iluma' in the Mexican market. This is an important milestone in our push for smoke-free products in Mexico."

 

In January 2023, KT&G and PMI signed a new long-term contract for the international marketing of "lil," agreeing to a 15-year agreement that will last until 2038. PMI has promised to sell at least 16 billion units of KT&G e-cigarette products over the next year.

 

We welcome news tips, article submissions, interview requests, or comments on this piece.

Please contact us at info@2firsts.com, or reach out to Alan Zhao, CEO of 2Firsts, on LinkedIn


Notice

1.  This article is intended solely for professional research purposes related to industry, technology, and policy. Any references to brands or products are made purely for objective description and do not constitute any form of endorsement, recommendation, or promotion by 2Firsts.

2.  The use of nicotine-containing products — including, but not limited to, cigarettes, e-cigarettes, nicotine pouchand heated tobacco products — carries significant health risks. Users are responsible for complying with all applicable laws and regulations in their respective jurisdictions.

3.  This article is not intended to serve as the basis for any investment decisions or financial advice. 2Firsts assumes no direct or indirect liability for any inaccuracies or errors in the content.

4.  Access to this article is strictly prohibited for individuals below the legal age in their jurisdiction.

 

Copyright

 

This article is either an original work created by 2Firsts or a reproduction from third-party sources with proper attribution. All copyrights and usage rights belong to 2Firsts or the original content provider. Unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or any other form of unauthorized use by any individual or organization is strictly prohibited. Violators will be held legally accountable.

For copyright-related inquiries, please contact: info@2firsts.com

 

AI Assistance Disclaimer

 

This article may have been enhanced using AI tools to improve translation and editorial efficiency. However, due to technical limitations, inaccuracies may occur. Readers are encouraged to refer to the cited sources for the most accurate information.

We welcome any corrections or feedback. Please contact us at: info@2firsts.com

Tobacco-Free Kids Condemns PMI for Marketing Zyn to Youth via F1 Sponsorship
Tobacco-Free Kids Condemns PMI for Marketing Zyn to Youth via F1 Sponsorship
Yolonda C. Richardson, President and CEO of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, issued a statement on December 10, 2025, condemning Philip Morris International (PMI) for partnering with Ferrari to promote Zyn nicotine pouches on Formula 1 cars. She said PMI’s claim that the sponsorship targets adults is misleading, as F1’s audience has become increasingly young—with over 4 million children aged 8–12 now following the sport.
Dec.12 by 2FIRSTS.ai
Alan Zhao: What Altria’s on! PLUS Authorization Really Signals About FDA PMTA Enforcement
Alan Zhao: What Altria’s on! PLUS Authorization Really Signals About FDA PMTA Enforcement
In this in-depth commentary for 2Firsts, Alan Zhao examines what Altria’s on! PLUS authorization really signals about FDA PMTA enforcement. Beyond the headline approval, FDA’s language, process design and product choices offer rare insight into how nicotine pouch regulation is taking shape—and what it means for industry compliance, in one of the earliest expert reads of the decision.
Regulations
Dec.20 by 2Firsts Perspectives
France’s Top Administrative Court Suspends Nicotine Pouch Decree
France’s Top Administrative Court Suspends Nicotine Pouch Decree
France’s Council of State has suspended a government decree that was set to ban the manufacture, production and export of nicotine pouches from April 2026. The court ruled that companies were not given sufficient time to reorganise their operations. A final decision on the legality of the decree is expected by June 2026. The court noted that the commercial sale of nicotine pouches is already restricted under existing public health laws.
Dec.23 by 2FIRSTS.ai
Report Says Teen e-cigarette use on the rise, with majority of sales coming from disposable products
Report Says Teen e-cigarette use on the rise, with majority of sales coming from disposable products
Monitoring a Changing Tobacco Product Market in the United States is the second annual review from the Monitoring Tobacco Product Use project, analyzing retail scanner data from January 2019 to December 2024 and TEEN+ survey data.
Jan.07 by 2FIRSTS.ai
Tajikistan Weighs a Total Vape Ban as Upper House Chair Orders Draft Bill
Tajikistan Weighs a Total Vape Ban as Upper House Chair Orders Draft Bill
Tajikistan is preparing legislation that could impose a nationwide ban on e-cigarettes. Upper house chair Rustami Emomali (Рустами Эмомали) has ordered the drafting of a bill, which is still under development. Retailers have begun scaling back sales amid tightening signals, while existing tobacco-control rules already restrict smoking in many public places and set fines.
Jan.26 by 2FIRSTS.ai
New York directs Tax and Finance to build “Vapor Products” registry; products not listed deemed illegal
New York directs Tax and Finance to build “Vapor Products” registry; products not listed deemed illegal
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul says the state will crack down on illegal flavored vapes by creating a registry identifying which vapor products may be legally sold. The governor directed the state Department of Taxation and Finance to establish a “Vapor Products” registry, with products not on the list treated as illegal.
Jan.20 by 2FIRSTS.ai