Reynolds and Lorillard announced Tuesday morning that they have entered into a definitive agreement in which Winston-Salem-based Reynolds has agreed to acquire Greensboro-based Lorillard. Reynolds will keep the Newport, Camel, Pall Mall and Natural American Spirit cigarette brands; Grizzly smokeless tobacco; and VUSE e-cigarettes. In what is likely an early attempt to appease antitrust regulators, the KOOL, Salem, Winston, Maverick and blu eCigs brands and other assets and liabilities will be sold to Britain’s Imperial Tobacco. If the transaction is completed, a transition period will begin during which Reynolds will contract manufacture KOOL, Salem and Winston for Imperial and Imperial will contract manufacture Newport for Reynolds.(Triad Business Journal), Winston sponsored the now Sprint Cup Series from 1971 thru 2003.
