Mr Putera says he needs to expand his overseas operations before they come good.

ECONOMIST: The kretek man

Plans are under way to market clove cigarettes in Latin America, especially Brazil, where Mr Putera says market research has shown that smokers are favourably inclined towards kreteks.

ECONOMIST: The kretek man

In Indonesian business circles, where success is usually measured by the connections you have, Mr Putera is unusual in that he believes passionately in things like market research, brands and technology.

ECONOMIST: The kretek man

So far Mr Putera's counter-attack has made slow progress.

ECONOMIST: The kretek man

There is no particular reason why, given enough time and money, Mr Putera should not be able to turn clove cigarettes into an international niche product in the same way that menthol cigarettes have been.

ECONOMIST: The kretek man