About Us
25+
years
Our History
Grand Tobacco (GT) proudly stands as the market leader in cigarette production in Armenia.
Founded in 1997 by Hrant Vardanyan, Grand Tobacco has a lengthy history that dates back to 1924. During this time, its ancestor, Armenian Tobacco Factory (ATF), was founded in Soviet Armenia. Ever since, Armenian cigarettes have established a strong reputation and are valued amongst smokers of all the former CIS countries. Today, Grand Tobacco proudly maintains its reputation as the well-deserved heir to the former Armenian Tobacco Factory and even exceeds its power and productivity.
For more than 25 years Grand Tobacco, together with its sister companies (International Masis Tabak (IMT) and Masis Tobacco (MT)), have been the largest players in the Armenian cigarette market.
3600
Employees in GT, IMT and MT
10
Flagship brands
12
Production facilities
500
Farmers contracting with MT
Founder of Grand Tobacco
The founder of Grand Tobacco was philanthropist and entrepreneur, Hrant Vardanyan. Having worked in Armenian Tobacco Factory from 1974, he gained invaluable knowledge and experience in the industry. As a result, he managed to save the Armenian tobacco cultivation and cigarette production during the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Due to the efforts and hard work of Vardanyan family, GT, MT and IMT have become the basis of the Armenian economy today.
Masis Tobacco, founded in 2000, is mainly responsible for growing leaf tobacco in Armenia. Today more than 500 farmers are engaged in this business, and are the local tobacco leaf suppliers to GT and IMT.
International Masis Tabak cigarette production is highly innovative and equipped with the latest machinery. IMT frequently invests in new cutting-edge technologies to maintain its competitive stance in the industry.
As of today, in all three companies there is a total of 4 primary production facilities, 4 secondary production facilities, filter production and tobacco threshing line. With the latest machinery and highest quality materials, our factories produce a wide range of highly reputed brands.