RJR <RJR> UNIT SELLS FOUR TOBACCO BRANDS
RJR Nabisco Inc's RJ Reynolds Tobacco
USA unit said it sold four of its smoking tobacco brands to
<John Middleton Inc> for undisclosed terms.
    The brands sold were Prince Albert, Carter Hall, Apple and
Royal Comfort. The terms were not dislcosed.
    The company said these brands represent less than one pct
of the RJ Reynolds Tobacco's USA total sales which amounted to
4.7 bilion dlrs in 1986.
     John Middleton is a family-owned tobacco business in King
of Prussia, Pa which has manufactured and marketed pipe tobacco
for 131 years.
    In January, the company said it was holding talks with
potential buyers for the sale of the businesses but then said
in February it was studying the transfer of the businesses
to a master limited partnership.
    R.J. Reynolds said it will continue to sell the brands
until July three.
    On March six, RJR completd the sale of its Heublein Inc
unit to Grand Metropolitan PLC for 1.2 billion dlrs. It said it
would use proceeds from that sale to redeem its 11.20 pct notes
due Aug 1, 1997.
 Reuter
