News

2009 Feb , 23

The 11th Habano Festival presents the major launches for 2009

The Habanos Group has ended 2008 with a turnover of $ 390 million dollars and a market share of 70%.

The Montecristo Open line, the first Gran Reserva de Habanos and the Trinidad Robustos T are the Habanos SA’ star launches for 2009.

logofestival2009Havana, 23 February, 2009.– Habanos S.A., market leader and international benchmark in the Premium cigar market, announced the upcoming launch of the most relevant products of the company for 2009 in a press conference held this morning: Montecristo Open, the first line of its most famous brand, and the Gran Reserva Cohiba Siglo VI, the first Gran Reserva from Habanos.

The launch of Montecristo Open will take place during the Welcome Evening, and will be one of the highlights of the XI Habano Festival. With this line, Habanos extends the range of choices within the Montecristo factory name, to satisfy the connoisseurs and welcome the new generations who enjoy the pleasures of life outdoors.

Montecristo Open offers four different names to cater to the taste of all lovers of this brand: Eagle (54 gauge x 150 mm long), for those who have the time to enjoy a larger size Habano; Regata (46 gauge x 135 mm long), a pointed-end cigar that follows on the tradition of Montecristo No. 2; Master (50 gauge x 124 mm long), the first Robusto from this brand; and Junior (38 gauge x 110 mm long), that fits in nicely with Habanos S.A.’s tradition to launch new formats that take less time to smoke into the market.

All the Montecristo Open sizes have been fully made with tobacco leaves from the Vuelta Abajo farms, the area that produces the best-quality tobacco in the world. Prestigious researchers from the Tobacco Research Institute have taken part in the design and preparation of the blend, together with master blenders and expert rollers working hand in hand with experienced tasters, specialists and faithful followers of the brand. The line has revamped its design and is sold in twenty-unit boxes, in aluminum tubes in three-cigar pouches, grouped together in displays of fifteen cigars.

The other major launch for the year is the Gran Reserva from Habanos, to be presented during the Gala Evening, as the grand finale of the eleventh edition of this Festival. The Gran Reserva emphasizes the uniqueness of Habanos as a protected Denomination of Origin, and it seeks to fulfill the desire for luxury and exclusiveness among Habano lovers. The most prestigious brand in the world, Cohiba, and the most distinctive factory name, Siglo VI (52 gauge x 150 mm length), have been chosen for this first Gran Reserva from Habanos.

All the tobaccos in this Gran Reserva cigars are fully hand-made with outside wrapper, binder and filler leaves harvested in 2003 at the best farms of San Juan y Martínez and San Luis, in Vuelta Abajo, and have been subject to a careful five-year aging process.

Another major launch for 2009 will be the addition of Robustos T (50 gauge x 124 mm long) to the Trinidad brand portfolio. This new size incorporates the classical appendix and the traditional blend of this brand, guaranteeing its smokers the feeling that they are enjoying something that only a chosen few can attain.

Robustos T is the first vitola from the Trinidad brand that uses an aluminum tube to ensure better preservation, and will be tasted during the Trinidad Night, a tribute to the 40th anniversary of the brand and the 10th anniversary of its international commercial launch.

Consolidation of Habanos S.A.

In 2008, the Habanos Group (Habanos Corporación and Exclusive Habanos Retailers worldwide) reached a turnover of $ 390 million dollars, increasing its market share to 70%, reinforcing its position as world leader.

Manuel García, Vice-president of the company, has also highlighted the consolidation of Habanos S.A. as an elite name, present in more than 150 countries, as proven by the 144 Casas del Habano that the company owns all over the world, which have grown 10% over 2007, to make a total of 15,500 sq m of sales space.

According to this desire to introduce new and exciting products in the market to satisfy consumers, Habanos is developing new concepts to increase the number of retail outlets all over the world. A good example is the new stores called El Morro de La Habana, to open during 2009.

Other news for 2009

Habanos S.A. has also presented its Limited Editions for this year: Romeo y Julieta Duke (gauge 54 x 140mm long), Mágnum 48 (48 gauge x 110mm long), H. Upmann Petit Belicosos (52 gauge x 125 mm long) from Bolívar.

As to the new Special Editions, the most relevant launch is the Habanos Collection Box of the San Cristóbal de la Habana O’Reilly (56 gauge x 160 mm long), of which only 1,000 units will be sold. Another major launch is the Old Humidor Replica, a copy of the mid-20th century originals totally hand-made with Cuban fancy woods, containing 50 Montecristo Doble Coronas cigars (49 gauge x 194 mm long), of which only 350 units will be sold. Other major launch is the H. Upmann Jars, a replica of the glass jar that H. Upmann Noelllas were sold in until the early 80’s, containing 25 Noellas (42 gauge x 135 mm long), of which just 5,000 units will be marketed. Finally, this year will also see the launch of the X Festival Box, a reproduction of the gift Habanos presented during the X Festival Gala Dinner, which was been demanded by many countries. This box, of which only 20,000 units will be sold, contains a selection of the highest quality and best known vitolas launched during the first ten years of life of the Festival.

Another new product especially designed for the Habanos Duty Free and Travel Retail channel worldwide is the Partagás Jar Series P No.1, a luxury porcelain jar containing 25 Petit Pirámides (50 gauge x 127 mm long) from Partagás.

Also, Regional editions will be produced for every territory, to be announced by every regional Retailer as they are launched.

Habanos Corporation, world leader in the market of Premium cigars, commercializes Habanos in Cuba and in the rest of the world. To this end, it has a network of exclusive distributors in over 150 countries in five continents.

Habanos S.A. presently distributes a range of products consisting of over 80 formats in its 27 brands, including Cohiba, Montecristo, Romeo y Julieta, Partagás, Hoyo de Monterrey, H. Upmann, Punch, San Cristóbal de la Habana, Trinidad and Cuaba; among others.

The 11th Habano Festival presents the major launches for 2009


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