Egypt’s popular Nakhla Tobacco has been manufacturing and distributing flavored water pipe tobacco since 1913. The water pipe – commonly known as shesha or hookah in the Middle East – is now gaining immense popularity around the world, including in the West.

Nakhla Tobacco started by offering traditional non-flavored tobacco called Zaghloul. Then, in the late ‘80s it introduced the first flavored water pipe tobacco worldwide, says the company. What they began with a couple of flavors has now expanded into a selection of more than 40 flavors. Double apple is amongst the best-selling of the bunch.

The water pipe trend is picking up fast as it spreads across the globe. “We are always trying to deliver our products to any new market. Not many people have tried the shesha yet, but many have either heard about it or have even seen one,” says Elibiary. “We are always getting enquiries from all over the world and from some places we never expected. For example, we export now to La Réunion, a small island located on the Indian Ocean.”

Nakhla Tobacco entered the travel retail channel in the 1990s, almost 15 years ago. The company says that it’s availability in travel retail doesn’t bring the same huge returns it does in the much larger local market. But it views the channel as an excellent marketing opportunity that it wants to build on.

“Being available at duty free shops is a marketing tool more than a sales point. It is very important for us to be available at duty free shops so we can introduce our products,” says Elibiary. “Airports have people from all around the world. If they buy a product from the duty free shop which they like, then when they go back to their home country they will ask for this product in their local market. That is why we do not look at it from the prospective of what percentage it accounts for, as the percentage may be little, but its effect on market sales is significant.”

The development of new flavors is a constant work in progress for the company, which is always researching and developing new and diverse flavors, including those substantially different from traditional ones. “For example, we introduced new flavors such as Chewing Gum, Guava and Watermelon, and Lemon and Mint. We are also always researching how to enhance the smoking experience, to make sure that the flavor you buy is the same flavor you will taste and that it will last through out the entire smoking session,” says Elibiary.