Habanos maintains reign in Premium cigars

Despite the bloody impact of Covid-19 on the tobacco markets, cigars maintain their crown as the best Premium cigars in the world, according to various specialists.

This statement is supported by experts from multiple countries, especially Europeans, important consumers of high-quality cigars such as those produced in Cuba, made by hand (artisan).

The experts consider that this reign is based on the soil, the climate and the experience of the producers, while the island authorities promote a program of initiatives and variables to sustain this product in the markets.

Therefore, 2021 summarizes an extremely difficult year, faced with intelligence by the international corporation Habanos SA, which markets these cigars in the world with great success.

Among the most outstanding initiatives was the organization of virtual meetings to promote cigars, highly appreciated by smokers and professionals in the sector.

One of these new approaches was Habanos Premier, held in October of this year, a virtual meeting that sought to connect lovers of these cigars and answer questions and interests on the matter.

Under the slogan “Live it with us”, in honor of the quality of the product, Habanos SA promoted this event on the occasion of the presentation of the exclusive product of the firm for the Duty Free and Travel Retail channels (duty free).

The initiative replaced, to some extent, the famous Habano Festival that traditionally takes place every February in Havana, the capital of Cuba, and which is attended by more than a thousand people from 70 countries.

Not surprisingly, the suspension due to the Covid-19 pandemic of the XXIII Habano Festival, scheduled for February 2021, left many experts eager to stay in touch with Cuban producers, drawing attention to the new proposal.

Another important moment was the celebration of 55 years of the Cohiba brand, the most prestigious and sought after.

The co-president of the international corporation Habanos SA, Inocente Núñez, highlighted the search for alternatives and creative ways to achieve exports, which were carried out through shipping companies during the months of problems with flights due to the health emergency.

OTHER VALUABLE PROPOSALS

In that same string of ideas and projects to rescue the global distribution of Cuban tobacco, there was Habanos World Days during the first days of last May. The meeting, also virtual, was mainly dedicated to the Cohiba brand, and featured personalities from culture, music and the tobacco world.

The event registered nine thousand registered users from 140 countries, 200 media outlets and had 75 thousand visits during those days.

The participants visited the virtual stand of Habanos SA and appreciated a Humidor (humidified tobacco case) designed in commemoration of the 55 years of Cohiba, scheduled for auction at the Gala dinner of the XXIII Habano Festival in 2022.

In addition, the nominees for the Habanos 2020 Awards were announced, which recognize those outstanding personalities for their work in the Communication, Business and Production categories. The winners will also be announced at the Gala Dinner of the next face-to-face Festival.

Among the 27 brands sold by Habanos SA (Premium, made entirely by hand and protected by the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), Cohiba, Montecristo, Romeo y Julieta, Partagás, Hoyo de Monterrey and H. Upmann stand out.

This corporation also exhibits as another of its attractions the La Casa del Habano network, with more than 100 around the world.

IMPORTANT DATA

Relevant elements provided by the tobacco industry indicate that 14.8 billion cigars were sold worldwide before the pandemic, of which 140 million are Premium and their main destination is the United States.

Cuba has 77 percent of the market share, without considering the Americans due to Washington’s closure measures against Havana, based on the economic, commercial and financial blockade, which if terminated would force greater production to satisfy that eager customer.

In a timely manner (before the Covid-19 disease), spokespersons for Habanos SA reported that Cuba sells 27 Premium tobacco brands in more than 100 countries on all continents.

For these purposes, the island has 45 companies (16 agricultural, eight agro-industrial, 10 twisted tobacco, four cigarettes, and seven services and marketing), operates 50 twisting factories for export and the same amount for domestic consumption.

Two other industries manufacture tobacco by machine, as well as factories for cigarettes and wooden boxes for packaging. Around 200 thousand people work in this tobacco system, including relatives of the producers, temporary workers and students.