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Sales of Cuban cigars climb 2%
By Jeff Franks |
February 23, 2011, Wednesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
CUBAN cigar sales rose 2 percent in 2010 as smokers in China and the Middle East helped counter the effects of anti-smoking laws sweeping the globe, Cuban cigar executives said on Monday.
They said China climbed over Germany to become the third largest market behind Spain and France for Habanos S.A., the worldwide distributor of Cuban cigars, which generated US$368 million in sales last year.
Cigar revenues are an important source of foreign exchange for Cuba.
In response to anti-smoking laws that are limiting places where smokers can indulge, Habanos is offering smaller cigars that take less time to smoke, Habanos marketing director Ana Lopez said at a news conference opening the company's annual cigar festival.
"We're trying to offer a combination of new products, but smaller cigars are more important than in the past because there are fewer places to smoke and less time," she said.
Last year, Habanos tried to counter two years of falling sales by unveiling a cigar for women, the Julieta, saying it viewed women as an untapped market.
Habanos Vice President Javier Terres said Spain, the company's top market, recently enacted a tough anti-smoking law that contributed to a 30 percent sales drop in January.
Harsh winter weather was also a factor as smokers are now increasingly forced outside to smoke, he said. Spain also has been hit hard by the global slump.
Terres said the problems in Spain would make 2011 "a complicated year" for Habanos, which is a joint venture between Cuba and British tobacco giant Imperial Tobacco Group Plc.
Habanos dominates the market for hand-rolled, premium cigars except in the United States, where a long-standing trade embargo against the communist-led island prevents it from doing business.
The US is the largest cigar market in the world as annual consumption in the country is between 230 million and 250 million cigars.
They said China climbed over Germany to become the third largest market behind Spain and France for Habanos S.A., the worldwide distributor of Cuban cigars, which generated US$368 million in sales last year.
Cigar revenues are an important source of foreign exchange for Cuba.
In response to anti-smoking laws that are limiting places where smokers can indulge, Habanos is offering smaller cigars that take less time to smoke, Habanos marketing director Ana Lopez said at a news conference opening the company's annual cigar festival.
"We're trying to offer a combination of new products, but smaller cigars are more important than in the past because there are fewer places to smoke and less time," she said.
Last year, Habanos tried to counter two years of falling sales by unveiling a cigar for women, the Julieta, saying it viewed women as an untapped market.
Habanos Vice President Javier Terres said Spain, the company's top market, recently enacted a tough anti-smoking law that contributed to a 30 percent sales drop in January.
Harsh winter weather was also a factor as smokers are now increasingly forced outside to smoke, he said. Spain also has been hit hard by the global slump.
Terres said the problems in Spain would make 2011 "a complicated year" for Habanos, which is a joint venture between Cuba and British tobacco giant Imperial Tobacco Group Plc.
Habanos dominates the market for hand-rolled, premium cigars except in the United States, where a long-standing trade embargo against the communist-led island prevents it from doing business.
The US is the largest cigar market in the world as annual consumption in the country is between 230 million and 250 million cigars.
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