Leading Cuban cigar manufacturer Habanos has announced a +2% rise in sales year-on-year in 2022, to US$545 million. The announcement was made to coincide with the 23rd Habano Festival in Cuba.
Habanos Co-Presidents Maritza Carrillo González and Luis Sánchez-Harguindey Pardo de Vera said: “These results reflect the perfect combination of the passion we all feel in this wonderful Habano business and the strength of our brands. They put the cherry on top of the unique tobacco that grows in this land and that offers unparalleled moments and experiences to aficionados from all over the world.”
The company’s business was boosted by the expansion of points of sale last year to 4,769 worldwide, up by +10% on a year earlier. These include 17 Cohiba Atmosphere locations, 157 La Casa del Habano franchises across 18,689sq m; 587 Habanos Terrace and Habanos Lounges; 1,264 Habanos specialist stores in addition to 2,744 other Habanos sales points.
The company manufactures and distributes its 27 premium cigar brands across 140 countries. By volume, the markets that generated the highest sales last year were Spain, France, Germany, China and Switzerland.
By region, Europe remains Habanos’ number one market, with 53.7% of sales value, followed by Asia Pacific (19.3%), the Americas (15.3%) and Africa and the Middle East (11.7%).
Key launches last year included Montecristo Wide Edmundo, Quai D’Orsay No. 52 and La Gloria Cubana Glorias, as well as Quai D’Orsay Imperiales, which was a key line introduced to the duty free market.
During a press conference at the Habanos Festival, details of the new lines Habanos is introducing were also revealed. A major launch to start the Festival week is the new Montecristo Open Slam vitola. With this addition, the Línea Open is expanded with a fresh design on cases and bands.
The launch of the Bolívar New Gold Medal vitola will also take place as a product exclusively made for La Casa del Habano stores.
Partagás Línea Maestra will also be presented to the market; its three vitolas, Origen, Rito and Maestro, are made with tobacco only from the San Luis plantations.
The Habano Festival programme offers five full days of activity around Habano culture and gastronomy. ✈
