Kent Pro Blue cigarettes

Kent is a globally recognized premium cigarette brand that rose to fame in the early 1950s. Introduced by the Lorillard Tobacco Company in the United States in 1952, it was marketed as one of the first popular filtered cigarettes. The brand was named after Herbert Kent, who served as a high-ranking executive at Lorillard. In its early years, the brand was famous (and later controversial) for its 'Micronite' filter, which was initially promoted for health protection but later found to contain asbestos; this material was replaced by cellulose acetate in 1956.

Today, the ownership of the Kent brand is split by geography. Within the United States, the brand is owned and manufactured by R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company (a subsidiary of British American Tobacco). In international markets, including Brazil and most of Europe and Asia, the brand is owned and distributed by British American Tobacco (BAT). Manufacturing occurs in several countries across BAT's global production network to serve various regional markets. In the Brazilian market, the product is typically managed by Souza Cruz, which is the local subsidiary of British American Tobacco.