Attractive packaging is key to establishing a brand and having it stand out on the shelf or fixture. The cigarette category is no exception in fighting for attention amid disruptive brands and massive efforts from competitors and retailers. Many factors go into product packaging: everything from product conception and design, testing and focus groups, through manufacturing and sales. USTC can take your brand and make it award-winning.
USTC’s consumer products division, Premier Manufacturing, has been the recipient of several national awards for creative packaging and design.

In 2017 Premier Manufacturing won Convenience Store News’ Best New Product Award in the Tobacco – Cigarettes category for one of our brands. Judging was supervised by Past Times Marketing, a New York-based consumer research and product testing firm. Contest entries were rated and judged by a panel of consumers and awarded points by consumers based on the criteria of taste, value, convenience, healthfulness, ingredients, preparation requirements, appearance and packaging.

In 2019 Premier Manufacturing launched Manitou, a new super-premium cigarette brand that only contains 100% flue-cured tobacco and water. Convenience Store Decisions named Manitou its Best New Product for Tobacco – Cigarettes in 2019.

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