The head of a tobacco giant has made a very public apology after the company marketed a cigarette brand called Maori Mix.

The product turned up in Israel late last year, prompting anger from Maori health groups. It was sold by Philip Morris, which is owned by multinational corporation Altria.

Two representatives of the Maori Smokefree Coalition raised the matter during Altria's annual shareholders meeting in the United States this morning, prompting an apology from the company's CEO, Louis Camilleri.

He says Altria will not be using the Maori Mix product again and it was a mistake to use the name in the first place.