By Timothy S. Donahue
Top Takeaways:
- BAT is scaling glo Hilo beyond Japan, with launches planned in Italy, Poland, and Serbia following its September nationwide rollout.
- The June pilot in Sendai provided the launchpad, with consumer feedback highlighting design and flavor strengths but some concerns over price and first-puff quality.
- The Hilo platform is central to BAT’s 2030/2035 smokeless strategy, aiming for 50 million adult users and a predominantly non-combustible business.
British American Tobacco (BAT) launched its Glo Hilo heated tobacco platform nationwide in Japan this month, following a pilot launch in Sendai (Miyagi Prefecture) that began on June 9. The company has now announced the brand’s international expansion.
The lineup features glo Hilo, glo Hilo Plus, and Virto heated sticks. BAT announced on its official LinkedIn account that the Hilo series will soon launch in Italy, Poland, and Serbia, marking its first moves outside of Japan.
The company has set long-term targets of reaching 50 million adult consumers of smokeless products by 2030 and transitioning to a predominantly smokeless business by 2035.
The glo Hilo Plus is the brand’s first two-piece heated device, made up of a charger pack and EasySwitch heating pen. It uses Turbostart Quartz technology for sub-10-second heat-up times and connects to the myglo app, letting users customize taste and heat settings, track usage, and check device status.
Along with Virto sticks, the Hilo platform creates a complete product ecosystem, which BAT said is meant to expand options and provide a premium experience to consumers.
The launch has received praise for its design, flavor, and odor control compared to competitors like IQOS, although some consumers noted that the first puff can taste burnt due to the quick heat-up. Pricing also received comments, with the standard glo Hilo priced at ¥3,980 (US$27) and the glo Hilo Plus at ¥6,980 (US$49).
