Shishapresso

Innovation and convenience are among the things consumers insist on the most -- and the twin engines that Samer Jalloul, the CEO of Beirut, Lebanon- based Shishapresso, is using to drive his exciting new shisha line to market.

Shisha, of course, is the tobacco that is smoked in hookah pipes. And as the trend continues to grow in popularity, entrepreneurs like Jalloul are growing by giving their consumers exactly what they want.

“Our idea was born in 2011, and we founded our company in December 2012,” Jalloul recalls. He and his colleagues soon began implementing their plans to complete product development, secure the necessary equipment, craft a marketing plan, plot market entry and roll the line out.

The original vision was “to revolutionize and modernize the shisha industry by introducing our unique product,” he explains. “Preparing a shisha can be a very cumbersome task, as well as an intimidating one for those less knowledgeable in the art. Therefore, Shishapresso acts as your own personal Shisha barista, who is there at your service to give you the most unique smoking experience that entails you enjoying your shisha rather than spending the time preparing it.”

Shishapresso’s product is a ready-to-smoke shisha capsule that comes with a unique, ceramic shisha head that enhances the smoking experience. “Our product is very much unique,” Jalloul explains. “Whereas all the other products in the marketplace are the roll-your-own style, ours is almost like the first manufactured cigarette of the shisha industry.”

Although there is a capsule currently available in the market, he continues, “Ours offers a unique shisha head applicator to ensure you have the right experience.” It also features an inner agitator to help loosen the tobacco to improve draw effort; a unique foil-hole pattern; and a perfect seal to ensure the freshness of the product.

The shisha industry, executives concede, has seen “little evolution since its creation, and has always been a loose tobacco industry.” The innovations introduced with Shishapresso are likened to “what happened over 100 years ago in the cigarette industry. It’s clear that this evolution is essential.”

Shishapresso stresses the fact that its founders have worked hard to create a unique and innovative solution that eliminates the mess and hassle historically involved with the preparation of a Shisha. The Shishapresso capsule is filled with the finest shisha tobacco molasses, made from quality European Virginia tobacco leaves and infused with natural flavors. Product quality is assured by packing the right amount of tobacco with the right texture and the foil-hole pattern. As its marketing message assures users, “Every moment counts.”

To fully enjoy Shishapresso capsules, consumers must first purchase the uniquely designed shisha head, either as part of a starter kit or separately. The unique design not only is stylish but functionally enhances the smoking experience by reducing the heat absorption, making it easier to handle during and after smoking the shisha. Its glazed finish prevents flavors from being absorbed into the head and keeps them in the tobacco. This also allows the smoker to use it for multiple flavors, and facilitates cleaning. Its unique bowl shape allows the capsule to be gripped and removed with absolute ease. And its hollow inner shape allows an enhanced draw effort leading to an effortless smoking experience every time.

Shishapresso’s management says it realizes how important it is for the tobacco to be loose inside the shisha head, “which is why we have inserted in our capsule a uniquely designed aluminum agitator that loosens the tobacco as the capsule is shaken.” This agitator reduces the draw effort and thus makes the smoking experience more enjoyable.”

The company’s R&D team has developed a unique blend of flavors made of the finest European tobacco and natural flavors. They include Cherry Cola, Bubble Gum, Blueberry Grape, Aloha, Florida, Easy Breezy, Double Apple, Double Apple Mint, Gum Cinnamon, Guava, Grape, Grape Mint, Orange, Mint, Mango, Lemon Mint, Watermelon, Raspberry Lemon, Peach and Passion Melon.

The firm is still in its early stages, according to Jalloul, who nonetheless has laid the groundwork for future growth. “Our aim is to take our product globally. The USA was our first launch market, and we aim launch in several markets in the Middle East in the coming months, as well as Europe and North Africa.”

Licensed retailers and buyers can purchase the product directly from the company’s United States master distribution partner, Harold Levinson Associates based out of Farmingdale, New York.

The company, whose factory is located in the United Arab Emirates, has been nominated for the 2014 Tobacco Golden Leaf awards for Best New Product in the industry and Best Newcomer. And if its performance until now is any indication, the list of honors it earns should grow even longer very quickly.