The 46th Inter?Tabac – the world’s largest tobacco industry trade fair – concluded today at the Westfalenhallen exhibition centre after three days. China Boton Group (3318.HK),?a leading flavour and fragrance company, closed out its participation under the theme “Boton: Built on Trust.” The company showcased its tobacco capsules, granules, and flavour systems, along with its global production footprint – making a strong impression in the European market.
Over the three show days, Boton’s booth maintained a steady pace of business discussions. The team logged over 100 professional visits and procurement delegations from Germany, the UK, France, the Netherlands, Poland, Italy, Spain, and other European countries, as well as from the Middle East, North America, and Southeast Asia. Following in depth conversations on capsule wall materials, granule sustained release systems, and customised flavour solutions, several international buyers either expressed initial interest or scheduled follow up meetings after the show. The consistent flow of visitors made Boton one of the most visible Chinese exhibitors at this year’s InterTabac.
Founded in 1991 and listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 2005 – the first Hong Kong listed company in China’s flavour and fragrance sector – Boton has built its business over 35 years on flavours and fragrances as its core, with R&D and innovation as primary drivers. The company has continuously strengthened its capabilities in tobacco capsules and granules.
The exhibition also gave Boton valuable market intelligence through direct customer conversations. Many international buyers pointed out that, with supply chains growing more complex and regulations evolving, a supplier’s end to end quality control and reliable delivery are now more critical than ever. Boton’s integrated value chain – from R&D to mass production – backed by its campuses in Guangdong, Shanghai, Hubei, and Indonesia, directly meets that need. The company offers a full quality management system and rapid response, providing global customers with customised formulations and stable, large scale order fulfilment – all from a single source.
“Boton: Built on Trust” was not just a slogan; it was reinforced throughout the three days. Trust, the company believes, comes from rigorous R&D behind each patent, from consistent quality in every batch, and from professionalism in every customer interaction. A Boton Group spokesperson said that Inter?Tabac serves as an important platform to demonstrate its strengths and expand global partnerships. Europe remains a key market, and Boton sees this exhibition as a fresh start to deepen its international presence – driven by innovation, underpinned by quality, and committed to making “Built on Trust” a reality for partners worldwide.
From TPE in Las Vegas in March to Inter?Tabac in Dortmund in September, Boton’s global expansion has been steady and deliberate. Its role on the world stage is shifting from participant to trend setter – moving from broad capability showcases to focused technology deep dives. Going forward, Boton will stay focused on its core flavours and fragrances business, with capsules and granules as strategic priorities, and with innovation as the engine for long term growth in global markets.
The three day event is over, but the conversations with partners are just getting deeper. From Shenzhen to Dortmund, from TPE to InterTabac, Boton is moving ahead with confidence – driven by technology, backed by quality, and rooted in the trust it has earned from customers around the world.
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The 46th Inter?Tabac – the world’s largest tobacco industry exhibition – is in full swing at the Westfalenhallen centre.
On the second day, China Boton Group (3318.HK)?saw continued momentum at its booth. Under the theme “Boton: Built on Trust,” the company showcased its tobacco capsules, granules, and flavour systems, drawing sustained interest from international buyers who responded strongly to both the technological depth and the proven ability to scale production.
Over the first two days, Boton’s team engaged in dozens of focused business meetings with visitors from Germany, the UK, France, the Netherlands, Poland, and other European markets, as well as from the Middle East and Southeast Asia. As the show progressed, conversations grew more substantive, with many buyers returning for deeper follow up discussions. The three most frequently discussed technical areas were: capsule wall material technology, granule sustained release systems, and tailored flavour formulations.
Behind these technologies lies a robust manufacturing footprint. Boton operates integrated R&D, production, and sales campuses in Guangdong, Shanghai, Hubei, and Indonesia – with the Indonesian facility’s first phase already in commercial operation since Q2 2025. With group assets approaching RMB 10 billion and a global sales network covering Europe, the Americas, Southeast Asia, South Africa, and the Middle East, Boton offers a complete value chain from lab scale formulation to industrial batch production. This enables rapid customisation and reliable, on time delivery for large volume orders – a capability that several procurement officers specifically cited as a key factor in their partner selection.
The “Built on Trust” message resonated throughout the booth. A German tobacco buyer commented: “Boton’s capsule wall technology is impressive, but what really stands out is their ability to move seamlessly from sample development to mass production. That’s the kind of reliability we’ve been looking for.” A Middle Eastern visitor, particularly interested in the granule sustained release technology, immediately scheduled a post show meeting with Boton’s technical team.
According to a Boton spokesperson, enquiries received so far cover multiple core European markets. Europe remains a strategic priority for Boton’s global expansion, and the company views InterTabac as a key platform for strengthening partnerships worldwide. Trust, the spokesperson added, is built not on promises but on proven technology and consistent delivery – and that is precisely what “Boton: Built on Trust” stands for.
With one more day to go, the Boton booth continues to host lively exchanges on technology, quality, and long term cooperation. From Shenzhen to Dortmund, and from TPE to Inter Tabac, Boton is steadily advancing its global presence – driven by innovation, backed by quality, and grounded in the trust of its customers.
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DORTMUND, GERMANY – September 2026 – Shenzhen Boton Flavors & Fragrances Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Shenzhen Boton”) is showcasing its full-spectrum flavor products and natural extracts at the 46th InterTabac International Trade Fair for Tobacco Products and Smoking Accessories, demonstrating its core technical capabilities from flavor R&D to next-generation tobacco applications.
Founded in 1991, Shenzhen Boton is a nationally recognized High-Tech Enterprise. Its tobacco flavor products already serve numerous tobacco companies both domestically and internationally. The company is home to the first CNAS-accredited laboratory in China’s flavor and fragrance industry and a Shenzhen Postdoctoral Innovation Practice Base.
Technology Foundation: Four Core Technology Platforms
Every flavor and extract on display is backed by Shenzhen Boton’s complete R&D infrastructure. From raw material analysis and component testing to formulation validation and stability trials, every product undergoes hundreds of quality checks at the CNAS-accredited laboratory before market release.
Shenzhen Boton has built deep expertise across four core technology platforms: Supercritical Fluid Extraction, Nano-Encapsulation, Enzyme-Directed Catalysis, and Synthetic Biology. Supercritical extraction enables low-temperature, high-fidelity extraction. Nano-encapsulation delivers precise, controlled flavor release. Enzyme-directed catalysis and synthetic biology enable efficient, targeted synthesis of rare aroma components. Together, these four platforms form the technical backbone for all Shenzhen Boton flavor products, spanning the entire chain from natural material extraction to synthetic flavor development.
HNB-Specific Flavor Series
Shenzhen Boton is showcasing three flavors developed specifically for heated tobacco products: Tobacco Base (HNB) , Tobacco Flavor (HNB) , and Mild Original Tobacco Flavor (HNB) , each in 30g.
With HNB devices operating at approximately 300–350°C — significantly lower than the 900°C combustion temperature of conventional cigarettes — the thermal degradation of flavor precursors is limited. As a result, HNB products require approximately 5 to 10 times the flavor loading of conventional cigarettes. Shenzhen Boton has optimized the thermal release profiles of its HNB flavors to ensure full, stable aroma delivery at lower temperatures, without burnt or chemical off-notes. The three flavors address distinct directions — tobacco foundation building, aroma enhancement, and a mild, smooth profile — offering flexible options that can be used individually or in combination based on product positioning.
Functional Flavor Series
The company is also presenting a range of functional tobacco flavors designed for flavor enhancement and complex aroma construction:
- Fresh Sweet Flavor– Enhances top-note clarity and sweetness
- Spicy Sweet Flavor– Adds spicy complexity and dimension to the aroma profile
- Honey Sweet Cocoa Flavor– Delivers warm, full-bodied sweet notes with cocoa and roasted undertones
- American Blend Flavor– Provides a clean, crisp profile with distinct flue-cured tobacco character
- Roasted Caramelized Sweet Module– Intensifies roasted, caramelized notes to increase smoke fullness and satisfaction
- Mellow Sweet Flavor– Builds a rich, smooth foundation that rounds out the overall flavor profile
Each flavor serves a clearly defined function and can be combined or customized to meet specific customer requirements.
Tobacco Extract Series
Shenzhen Boton is also featuring a selection of natural tobacco extracts:
Virginia Tobacco Extract – Delivers the full-bodied richness and flue-cured characteristics of American-style blends
Yunnan Tobacco SFE Extract – Preserves the delicate, nuanced aroma of Yunnan tobacco leaves through supercritical fluid extraction
U.S. Flue-Cured Tobacco Extract – Showcases the roasted, caramelized notes typical of flue-cured tobacco
Oriental Tobacco Extract – Provides the distinctive spicy, aromatic character of Oriental-type tobaccos
Sourced from premium tobacco leaves across different growing regions, these extracts can be used directly in flavor formulations or provided as customized extraction solutions to meet diverse needs ranging from authentic tobacco restoration to flavor enhancement.
Flavor Application Scenarios
The value of flavors is ultimately defined by their application performance. Shenzhen Boton integrates its flavor technology with different carriers to deliver application solutions covering multiple scenarios:
Crushable Capsule Flavors?– Achieve precise flavor release through encapsulation and controlled-release technology
Granule Flavors?– Deliver long-lasting, stable flavor output through sustained-release encapsulation
E-Liquid Flavors?– Solve the challenge of flavor fidelity after high-temperature aerosolization through thermal release curve optimization
Nicotine Pouch Flavors?– Developed with food-grade ingredients, specifically adapted to the oral environment
Hookah Flavors?– Natural base flavor compounding solutions for hookah products
What customers see at the booth is the performance of flavors across different carriers — behind it is a complete flavor delivery capability covering the full spectrum of applications.
On-Site Services: Flavorists Available for One-on-One Technical Consultations
Shenzhen Boton’s team of senior flavorists and R&D engineers will be on-site throughout the show, available for one-on-one consultations. Based on each client’s target consumer profile, product positioning, and application scenario, the team can provide flavor diagnostics and custom formulation recommendations — from flavor selection and formulation adaptation to process guidance — with data-backed technical answers tailored to help customers find the optimal flavor solution.
At this year’s Inter?Tabac—the world’s largest tobacco industry exhibition—China Boton Group (3318.HK)?is presenting its tobacco capsules, granules, and flavour systems under the banner “Boton: Built on Trust.” The message is clear: what looks like a simple burst of aroma is actually the outcome of a fully integrated technology chain, from molecular R&D to industrial-scale production.
Inter?Tabac, the world’s largest trade fair for tobacco products and accessories, has been held annually since 1978. The 2026 edition – the 46th – is taking place at the Westfalenhallen exhibition centre in Dortmund.
R&D Foundation
Founded in 1991 and listed in 2005, Boton has spent 35 years building one of the industry’s broadest flavour and fragrance raw material portfolios—covering tobacco, food, daily chemicals, natural and synthetic aromatics, and bio based ingredients. With 10 high tech affiliates, a CNAS accredited lab, and over 65% of staff in R&D, the company holds thousands of patents and has won national science awards. This deep molecular level know how underpins all its downstream products.
Capsule Innovations
Boton’s tobacco capsules are not just about flavour release—they incorporate multiple material breakthroughs. The wall formulation can accommodate both oil soluble and water soluble flavours, overcoming a common limitation of traditional drop process capsules. In addition, a photo curable resin wall material enables nanoscale thickness and higher loading capacity, while a gel based variant ensures even flavour distribution in mainstream smoke. The company has also developed soft, elastic gelatin capsules for confectionery applications, distinctly different from conventional hard shells.
Granule Technologies
For heat not burn and e-cigarette applications, Boton offers functional plant based flow restriction elements that replace plastic parts, improving environmental footprint while providing flavour supplementation. Its flavoured granules can carry both oil? and alcohol soluble flavours in a solidified gel form, minimising volatilisation during storage and enabling sustained release. A recent nicotine gel granule patent addresses oxidative stability and uniform release throughout use, ensuring consistent performance.
From Lab to Mass Production
Boton operates integrated R&D and manufacturing campuses in Guangdong, Shanghai, Hubei, and Indonesia, with total assets approaching RMB 10 billion. Its end to end capabilities—from formula design through pilot runs to full production—are backed by strict traceability and quality systems. This is why 18 Chinese tobacco companies have maintained partnerships with Boton for over 15 years, and why global names like BAT and Givaudan are among its customers.
Market Reception
On opening day, Boton’s booth drew strong interest from European, Middle Eastern, and Southeast Asian buyers, with particular attention to the capsule wall material and granule sustained release systems. The professional engagement on site reinforced the company’s core proposition: trust is earned through reliable technology and dependable delivery—not just in words, but in every product that reaches the customer.