Habanos Academy is proposed as a training system promoted by Habanos, S.A. in order to disseminate a uniform and coherent knowledge on the Habano, to train true promoters of the product’s culture at world level and to consolidate the knowledge on the Habanos among the community of enthusiasts of the best cigar in the world.

In this initial stage, Habanos Academy aims at the specialized training of persons whose activity is directly connected with the Habano´s market, preparing among them, in the first place, the Exclusive Distributors of Habanos throughout the world.

Habanos Academy has its training system divided into three courses: Junior, Senior and Master, according to the level of the study of the subjects and objectives approved.

Junior

It is the basic course of the Academy. The main target of this first level is to give the participants the minimum, basic knowledge on the product. This course is organized by the Exclusive Distributor of each market and given by the trainer of each company. At the end of the course, the participants receive a Diploma from the Exclusive Distributor.

The main themes of this level are:

• Habanos as a Protected Denomination of Origin (DOP)
• The Anatomy of Habano
• The main Habanos trademarks
• The main Cuban tobacco growing zones
• About the cultivation, gathering and improvement of Cuban tobacco
• The best known vitolas of Habanos and different types of packaging, among other topics

Senior

To attend this course it is necessary to have completed the Juniorlevel; the course is also organized and given by the Exclusive Distributor of the market. After completing this middle level the student will have gained more specialized knowledge on the product. The knowledge gained by the student is endorsed by a Diploma signed by the Exclusive Distributor and the market trainer.

The subjects taught go more deeply into aspects such as:

• The different Habanos categories
• Habanos trademark and its flavors
• Special Habanos productions
• Habanos and marketing: concepts as new Habanos products, specialties, Ediciones Limitadas, Vintage products, and others

Master

This is the highest level of Habanos Academy, and is given by the Habanos, S.A. trainer. The student must have attended both previous courses, that is to say, must be endorsed with the Junior and Senior levels by the trainers and executives of the respective market.

This is the most complete and specialized course, since it comprises all the processes that make up the long road of the Habano, from its cultivation to its commercialization. The course is characterized by its wide program aimed at training specialized Habanos promoters; therefore it includes from the visit to plantations in Cuba’s main tobacco growing zones to practical cigar rolling activities, habanos tasting and marriages. Besides, the participant will obtain important knowledge on logistics, commercialization, distribution, legal subjects, Habanos communication, La Casa del Habano franchising and other subjects requiring greater specialization.

Upon completion of this level, Habanos, S.A. grants a Diploma signed by the Operational Marketing Division and the Habanos, S.A. trainer and bearing the official seal of the Corporation, which formally accredits the participant as professional promoter of the Habano culture.

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