Imperial Tobacco forms Tabacalera USA 

Imperial Tobacco’s premium cigar group has announced the formation of Tabacalera USA, which will oversee the company’s leading premium cigar business subsidiaries in the U.S. market.

Tabacalera USA will oversee the Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA-based premium cigar division of Altadis U.S.A., which manufactures handmade cigar brands such as Montecristo, Romeo y Julieta and VegaFina. Tabacalera USA also will be responsible for the North Carolina, USA-based JR Cigar and its affiliates. JR Cigar is one of the largest premium cigar wholesale and retail businesses in the U.S. and features retail stores, upscale cigar lounges and an online business.

“Tabacalera USA, with these separate premium cigar companies as key pillars, will allow us to further expand our U.S. presence and capitalize on future changes and opportunities in this strategic market,” Fernando Dominguez, premium cigar director for Imperial Tobacco Group, said in a press note.

Both the Altadis U.S.A. premium cigar team and JR Cigar will continue to be run separately and will report to Javier Estades, who will head Tabacalera USA. Estades has led the company’s premium cigar group in the U.S. since 2011.

“We have chosen to use the name Tabacalera to recognize and honor our cigar history and better align us with Tabacalera SLU, Imperial’s Madrid, Spain-based global premium cigar business,” said Estades.