Habanos SA won trophies in the “˜Best Cuban Brand’ (Montecristo) and “˜Best Cuban Cigar’ (Partagás Serie D No. 5) categories at the 2013 Inter-tabac in Dortmund, Germany last month.
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Habanos’ Montecristo was named “˜Best Cuban Brand’ by Cigar Journal, while its Partagás Serie D No. 5 was awarded “˜Best Cuban Cigar’ |
The award ceremony was attended by Roberto Sanchez Esquivel, Director of the Cuban Cigar Industry, and Christoph Puszkar, Marketing Director of Fifth Avenue Products Trading GMBH, the exclusive distributor of Habanos in Germany.
The Habanos stand boasted a new design and showcased the new Montecristo Double Edmundo, a new vitola in the Edmundo Line, and Montecristo Petit No. 2, a figurado – tapered at one end – that is said to enrich the historic Línea Clásica of the brand.
Also on show were the three vitolas of the Edición Limitada 2013 – Romeo de Luxe de Romeo y Julieta, Hoyo de Monterrey Grand Epicure, Punch Serie D’Oro No. 2 – as well as H.Upmann Connossieur A and Bolívar Libertador, which are exclusive to La Casa del Habano and Habanos Specialists.
The “˜Habanos Specialist of the Year’ award was presented by Fifth Avenue Products Trading GMBH President Heinrich Villiger to Auszeichnung, managed by Mrs Rauchkultur Seiler.
Habanos has implemented a programme that groups Habanos retailing outlets into three tiers of specialisation: La Casa del Habano, featuring a direct franchised and contractual relation with Habanos SA; Habanos Specialist and Habanos Point, applied locally by the Habanos exclusive distributors, with no direct contractual relationship with Habanos SA.
Retailers under the programme are required to have their staff equipped with degrees from the Habanos Academy, which ensures knowledge on the Habano, its traditional production techniques, the different product and brand categories, and even basic knowledge on Habano marketing. Retail stores must also comply with Habanos guidelines on product storage and display.
Habanos SA grants distributors a number of benefits for their compliance with the programme, including priority launches, product exclusivity, advantages in price or payment terms, and advertising materials or publicity for the consumers. In addition, all Habanos Specialists and Habanos Points are recognised on the company’s website.
Throughout 2012, 522 stores became certified Habanos Specialists, with 14 distributors implementing the programme and ten others rolling it out in early 2013.
Fifth Avenue Products Trading GMBH joined the programme in 2004, giving out a “˜Habanos Specialist of the Year’ award annually to exemplary retailers in its territory.
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The new Habanos and Fifth Avenue Products stand at Inter-tabac 2013 featured a new design and several product novelties |
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The “˜Habanos Specialist of the Year’ award was presented by Fifth Avenue Products Trading GMBH President Heinrich Villiger (left) and Marketing Director Christoph Puszkar (right) to Auszeichnung, managed by Mrs Rauchkultur Seiler (middle) |
