QR Code solution/application?

[El Presidente]

Ken and others have been asking for years. Maybe this would be a value add solution for Cuba as well.  

You could really pack a ton of information into it. 

Of course you would need proper systems and an "educate the consumer" mentality.  Neither of these is a HSA/Tabacuba strongpoint 

 

 

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J. Cortès unveils industry-first QR-code concept for its Oliva Cigars brand

By ANDREW PENTOL | Thursday, 27 August 2020 19:07

The QR-code will be on every cigar box in the Serie V Melanio line.

Belgian family-owned business J. Cortès has unveiled a new QR-code concept for its Oliva Cigars brand.

The QR-code will be on every cigar box in the Serie V Melanio line and reveal intriguing information on the origins of the cigar and where it was made.

According to the company, two-dimensional pixelated QR-codes are easy to scan with a smartphone camera and contain more information than classic barcodes.

As of now, Oliva Cigars will be printing QR-codes on each Serie V Melanio cigar. Those scanning the code will find detailed background information on each cigar.

Cory Bappert, CEO, Oliva Cigars explained: “For example, we pinpoint the factory where the cigar was rolled and what tobacco was used for it. We also identify the Bonchero and the Rolero. The Bonchero handles the first step before the cigar gets rolled, while the Rolero ensures that the wrapper is rolled around the cigar.”

NEW INNOVATIVE CONCEPT

In addition to putting a face behind the product, Oliva has included videos of their factories behind the QR-codes. The videos were created in partnership with Belgian studio Cnockspot.

 

 

To help create this new innovative concept J. Cortès partnered with Belgian start-up Esopotra. The Esopotra Zaza. Rocks platform (“Zero App Zero Account”) leverages QR codes to easily link the journey of ‘a unique product’ to the journey of a ‘unique customer’.

Bappert added: “The Zaza QR Code opens up a unique two-way communication channel between the smoker and the cigar. The smoker gets rich information about the cigar and in return provides feedback about his smoking experience. Going forward, we look to further enrich the QR codes with additional features useful for our customers.”

Frederik Vandermarliere, CEO, J. Cortès concluded: “This innovation, the only one of its kind in the cigar world, perfectly matches the Oliva concept. A cigar isn’t just for smoking. It’s about pure enjoyment to. With this innovation, we want to give our cigar connoisseurs an added experience.”

[Monarch]

definitely useful for direct consumer feedback especially when you get a box of duds!

[rcarlson]

1 hour ago, Monarch said:

definitely useful for direct consumer feedback especially when you get a box of duds!

An FU code.  I like it.  

[Zaxeiler]

QR code readers are mostly embedded in the camera app these days, not in a separate app. So hopefully it wouldn’t take much customer education. 

[Colt45]

Good idea - as long as there is no kind of tracking involved. As for Cuba, they don't seem overly interested in providing consumers with an abundance of that kind of information now, so I don't imagine they'll be quick to jump on board.

[Connoisseur Kim]

+1 for immediate customer report IMHO. I wish CCs also have QR codes on the boxes in some day ?.

[Ryan]

Habanos are planning on having track and trace for every box soon. They have to if they want to continue selling in the EU.

This paragraph

"One unessential activity that remains the focus of Habanos is the scourge of counterfeit cigars. “We have taken some specific measures,” Sánchez-Harguindey says, “such as new seals on the boxes, holograms on our bands and distributors are now putting their own seals on Habanos’ boxes. By 2024, because of a new European Union regulation, we will also have tracers on every box of cigars from the time they leave Cuba, right down to the retailers’ shelves.”

From here

https://www.cigaraficionado.com/article/the-co-presidents

No word yet on whether they'll use QR codes, but it would make sense. 

Some info on the EU legislation here.

https://ec.europa.eu/health/tobacco/tracking_tracing_system_en

At a guess, though the data is out there, I think it's fair to say that at least half the cigars Habanos exports go to EU countries, so it would make sense to have a code for every box exported whether it's to the EU or not.

Going back as far as at least 2008, there was a proposal to put RFID chips on every box of cigars. Which would have made a lot of sense and still would. Contents of a mastercase could be scanned and read without having to even open it. But they went with regular bar codes back then. I can remember hearing stories of a well known Spanish cigar aficionado/technologist having a major falling out with Habanos over that decision at the time.

QR codes would be handier for all of us though, as we all carry around QR code readers, whether we know it or not. Very few of us have access to a RFID chip reader.

 

[Connoisseur Kim]

Just now, Ryan said:

Habanos are planning on having track and trace for every box soon. They have to if they want to continue selling in the EU.

This paragraph

"One unessential activity that remains the focus of Habanos is the scourge of counterfeit cigars. “We have taken some specific measures,” Sánchez-Harguindey says, “such as new seals on the boxes, holograms on our bands and distributors are now putting their own seals on Habanos’ boxes. By 2024, because of a new European Union regulation, we will also have tracers on every box of cigars from the time they leave Cuba, right down to the retailers’ shelves.”

From here

https://www.cigaraficionado.com/article/the-co-presidents

No word yet on whether they'll use QR codes, but it would make sense. 

Some info on the EU legislation here.

https://ec.europa.eu/health/tobacco/tracking_tracing_system_en

At a guess, though the data is out there, I think it's fair to say that at least half the cigars Habanos exports go to EU countries, so it would make sense to have a code for every box exported whether it's to the EU or not.

Going back as far as at least 2008, there was a proposal to put RFID chips on every box of cigars. Which would have made a lot of sense and still would. Contents of a mastercase could be scanned and read without having to even open it. But they went with regular bar codes back then. I can remember hearing stories of a well known Spanish cigar aficionado/technologist having a major falling out with Habanos over that decision at the time.

QR codes would be handier for all of us though, as we all carry around QR code readers, whether we know it or not. Very few of us have access to a RFID chip reader.

Thanks @Ryan! Didn't know that EU introduced new regulation for tracking and measure of preventing fakes. Hope that it'll reduce the number of fake Cuban cigars.