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«GRAND TOBACCO» - «ARMTABAKPROM» - «YEREVAN TOBACCO FACTORY»
100 year history
In Armenia tobacco cultivation started in the beginning of the 19th century, but tobacco farming began to develop at a rapid pace, after the Soviet regime was established.
In 1924 the Yerevan Tobacco Factory was founded on the basis of Haycoop consumer company.
Until 1948 the Yerevan Tobacco factory produced only rolls and cigarettes. In 1948 the production of cigarettes with filter and without filter was started and in the mid-1960s, for the first time in the USSR, the production of acetate filters was organized here.
3600
Employees in GT, IMT and MT
10
Flagship brands
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12
Production facilities
500
Farmers contracting with MT
Hrant Vardanyan
Founder of Grand Tobacco
The founder of Grand Tobacco was philanthropist and entrepreneur, Hrant Vardanyan. Having worked in «ARMTABAKPROM» 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.
JANUARY 23, IS THE BIRTHDAY OF THE FAMOUS BUSINESSMAN AND PHILANTHROPIST HRANT VARDANYAN
He would have been 75 years old. And little did he know, that his selfless life, full of trials, would one day become a legend? Hrant Vardanyan lived and perpetuated the national and state thinking completely with outwardly calm, restrained and bold undertakings.
An outstanding man, who started local manufacturing and passionately advocated tax compliance, understanding the importance of strengthening the state.
He did everything to ensure that the Armenian individual had a stable occupation and work in his homeland, because he believed that no Armenian can be fully happy outside of his homeland.
Hrant Vardanyan was the first to understand, that Armenia has the necessary intellectual, personnel and production potential to compete in domestic and foreign markets.
He became an example for other manufacturers and proved with his activities that in the conditions of mass unemployment, immigration and blockade, the Armenian nation can still thrive. They can not only work, produce quality products, and live with dignity in its country, but also export its products and attract multi-million markets internationally.
He proved by his actions that the Armenian individual can and is capable to achieve his goal, and deserves more.
Today, his children and grandchildren keep his memory alive. The group of companies he founded, as part of Grand Holding, has grown to be the highest taxpayer in the Republic, the biggest Holding company in terms of the volume of exports of finished products and the number of employees.
Hrant Vardanyan lived an interesting and fruitful life, leaving behind his legacy. The important thing is to leave a good legacy, the kind left by famous businessman, a citizen of his country, a patriot and simply an honest Armenian man, whose earthly path was interrupted 10 years ago.
If only he would live, live for himself, live for all of us.
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.