Zimbabwe’s 2024 cigar tobacco marketing season opened in Manicaland with a high price of $7.05 per kilogram recorded on the first sale, according to The Herald. The crop is in its 10th year of production.
Growers have sold 5,200 kg of cigar tobacco worth $16,432 at an average price of $3.16 per kilogram, according to Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) statistics.
“Growers comprised 11 small-scale growers all doing half a hectare each and one commercial farmer doing four hectares. The highest price fetched was $7.05 per kilogram,” said Chelesani Tsarwe, TIMB public affairs officer. Sales took place at Mapeto Farm in Burma Valley in the Manicaland province.
“The first of the anticipated three sales saw 5,022 kg of the crop undergoing sale at an average price of $3.16 per kilogram. The crop was grown under contract with 14 small-scale farmers and one commercial grower,” said James Lindsay Guild, owner of Mapeto Farm. The crop was fermented at the farm for at least a year, according to Guild.
“The premium tobacco from the crop is destined for the American cigar market. The average yield is around 1,500 kg per hectare,” Guild said.
The small-scale farmers produced the crop under dryland, and the commercial farmer used irrigation.
Ecomo Impex is making its track-and-track system available, free of charge, to companies shipping up to 100 boxes of cigar products per year.
In May 2024, the European Union extended the scope of its Tobacco Product Directive to include tobacco products like cigars, cigarillos, pipe tobacco and smokeless tobacco products. Among other things, this implies that every producer, importer and retailer must comply with the labelling and tracking requirements of tobacco products sold within the EU.
“As track and trace becomes obligatory across the EU on May 20, 2024, small operators encounter technical hurdles and increased operational costs and we understand the challenge this means”, said Ecomo Impex Founder and Managing Director Hung Ma.
“We already have this system set up and would like to open it to all smaller-scale businesses, allowing them to enter the EU market with confidence and without fear of regulatory issues. Our commitment supports smaller-scale businesses, ensuring a wider variety of products available in the European market. If the quantity shipped exceeds over 100 boxes per year, we will charge our regular track-and-trace service fees,” added Hung Ma.
Ecomo Impex offers centralized coverage across the EU as well as overall assistance in import processes, product labelling, sales, distribution via EMCS, and brand building making it possible to tailor to the specific needs of any producer, brand owner or operator.
Accessing the global banking system just got easier for many of Cuba’s privately owned tobacco farms. The U.S. lifted some financial restrictions against the island country on Tuesday, in a move designed to boost private businesses.
The measures will allow independent entrepreneurs to open and access U.S. bank accounts online to support their businesses. They also include steps to open up more internet-based services and expand private companies’ ability to make certain financial transactions.
“These regulatory amendments update and clarify authorizations in support of internet-based services to promote internet freedom in Cuba, support independent Cuban private sector entrepreneurs, and expand access to certain financial services for the Cuban people,” the Treasury Department said in a news release.
One of the key changes will allow Cuban private business owners to open bank accounts in the United States and then access them online once back in Cuba — something they couldn’t do previously. The U.S. also is again allowing something called U-turn transactions, where money is transferred from one country to another but is routed through the United States.
“This reinstated authorization is intended to help the Cuban people, including independent private sector entrepreneurs, by facilitating remittances and payments for transactions in the Cuban private sector,” the release said, according to the Associated Press.
The Trump administration had removed permission for the U-turn transactions in 2019.
The Cuban authorities downplayed the announcement. Johana Tablada, deputy director of the U.S. department in the Cuban Foreign Ministry, said the steps were “limited” and will do little to ease the embargo or sanctions that have most hurt the Cuban people.
The fourth annual Caribbean Habanos Days was held on Sint Maarten from May 17 -19. Sponsored by Habanos S.A. and Caribbean Cigars Corporation N.V., the Cuban cigar distributor for the Caribbean and Central America, the event attracted nearly 200 attendees from 19 countries.
Activities included a cigar-rolling demonstration by torcedor Jose Castelar “Cueto” Cairo. The 80-year-old cigar roller is best known for rolling the Guinness World Record cigar, which is 295 feet long and was rolled to commemorate Fidel Castro’s 90th birthday in 2016 (he’s broken the record several times since). After his presentation, patrons participated in rolling their own cigars.
The first day culminated in an evening cocktail party featuring music by Yuyo Herrera. The evening celebrated brands including Cohiba, Montecristo, Trinidad, Partagas, Romeo Julietta, Quai Dorsay, La Gloria Cubano, and El Rey Del Mundo, according to an emailed press release.
On day two, attendees could take a land tour or a boat cruise.
The event closed with a Gala Dinner party held at The Morgan. Montecristo cigars, along with special Montecristo lighters and cutters, were presented throughout the evening. After the dinner, attendees participated in a premier humidor auction, featuring two hand-crafted humidors created by Cuban artisan Ernesto Aguilera Reina.
Gary Heathcott, director of Cuba Films, conducted the auction. The event raised $75,000 that will be donated to Cuba’s Public Health system for Children’s Cancer Research.
The Tobacco Products Association (TPA) announced its official launch on May 17. The TPA is a new organization “committed to uniting, promoting, and advancing its members” in all facets of the cigar and pipe tobacco sector.
“The TPA aims to serve the broad spectrum of the tobacco community, including cigar brands, manufacturers, retailers, pipe carvers, pipe tobacconists, and related accessories companies, with a strong focus on education, advocacy, and innovation,” media reports state. “This unique blend of cigar and pipe brands was born from a collaborative idea at the Chicagoland Pipe Collectors Club, and the TPA is set to champion the unique values and needs of both the cigar and pipe aficionado communities.”
The TPA listed its inaugural board of directors and added that the group will play a pivotal role in guiding the association’s direction and shaping its future initiatives.
The board members include Ismael Olivan, BAMF Cigars; Ron Pecorini, founder of the Great Cigar & Pipe Show Podcast; Dr. Oscar Rodriguez, GTO Cigars; Fouad Kashouty, Hiram & Solomon Cigars; and Ken Dorrbecker, owner of KJD Cigars.
The TPA, in collaboration with SOTL Global Movement and Tobacconist University, will offer its members educational courses, certifications, and webinars to enhance their knowledge and skills.
“These partnerships provide substantial benefits, including access to comprehensive educational programs that elevate members’ expertise in tobacco products, leading to recognized certifications that enhance professional credibility,” the report states. “This collaboration also expands networking opportunities through a global community of tobacco enthusiasts and professionals, fostering stronger industry connections.”
Procigar has elected Litto Gomez of La Flor Dominicana as its new president and Ciro Cascella as its new vice president, according to the Premium Cigar Association. Hendrik Kelner was named president for life due to his dedication to the development of the organization.
Procigar was formed in 1992 by a group of cigar makers in the Dominican Republic. The goal of this group is to protect the reputation and future of the Dominican Republic’s tobacco industry by setting and maintaining high standards of quality and preserving the heritage of their country’s premium cigar and tobacco culture.
Members of Procigar include General Cigar Dominicana, La Aurora, Quesada Cigars Oettigner Davidoff, Tabacalera de Garcia, Tabadom Holding, De Los Reyes Cigars, Tabacalera Arturo Fuente, Tabacalera La Alianza, La Flor Dominicana, Oe Tabacalera Palma, PDR Cigars and Arnold Andre.
Each year, the Procigar hosts an international festival in the Dominican Republic celebrating the country’s cigar culture and tobacco industry.
Scandinavian Tobacco Group reported net sales of DKK1.95 billion ($281.97 million) for the first quarter of 2024, down 1 percent from the comparable 2023 period. Organically, net sales decreased 2 percent.
Organic net sales growth in the company’s handmade cigars and next-generation oral product categories was offset by decline in machine-rolled cigars and smoking tobacco. The EBITDA margin was impacted by declining volumes in a seasonally small quarter, mix changes and investments in growth, according to the company.
The group expects to deliver organic net sales growth and a material improvement in the EBITDA-margin in the second quarter, and maintains its full-year guidance.
“Despite a slow start to the year and the first quarter profitability being impacted by mix, cost inflation and investments in growth, we maintain our expectations for the full year,” said CEO Niels Frederiksen in a statement.
“Entering the second quarter, we expect the net sales development to improve and we expect to see a more normalized mix, which will impact profitability and cash-flows positively. In the quarter we have continued to execute our strategy with the opening of three Macanudo concepts stores and investments in our growth initiatives. Our growth enablers constituted around 11 percent of net sales in the quarter.”
Scott Pearce will leave his position as executive director of the Premium Cigar Association (PCA) and join the Cigar Association of America (CAA) as that organization’s new president.
“Scott is uniquely positioned to grow and bring innovative lobbying and advocacy to CAA. His depth of experience working in industry and trade groups and his most recent experience with PCA provides CAA a leader who is prepared to take on the difficult issues our association faces.” said Chris Howard, CAA board member and chair of CAA’s committee that sought out its new president.
Pearce has over 20 years of experience working in associations with a strong track record of driving growth and implementing innovative strategies.
His last day with the PCA, which Pearce led since 2018, will be May 24, 2024. In the interim, Deputy Executive Director Joshua Habursky will fill the vacancy and oversee operations in coordination with PCA’s executive committee and board of directors.
“We are grateful for Scott’s time at PCA that saw transformative positive changes for the association from advocacy to trade show and especially grateful that he was able to work with us to hire an incredible team that will have a lasting legacy even after he leaves the organization,” said PCA Board President Scott Regina in a statement.
“With change comes opportunity,” said Habursky. “Scott was part of a team of staff and a board of directors that resurrected an organization that faced tough times during the pandemic. The association is in a strong position and will continue to be the advocacy leader for premium cigars, host its world-class trade show, and grow all facets of its membership with our existing team.”
The New Civil Liberties Alliance (NCLA) has filed an amicus curiae brief in Cigar Association of America v. FDA, urging the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to reject the “remand without vacatur” legal doctrine. This practice allows administrative agencies to continue enforcing rules that the court has just declared unlawful.
In August 2023, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia concluded that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s final deeming rule regulating tobacco products was “arbitrary and capricious” with respect to premium cigars because the FDA failed to account for evidence regarding the potentially differential health effects between premium cigars and other tobacco products.
The court then set the rule aside to the extent that it addresses premium cigars. The FDA now asks the D.C. Circuit to either reverse the district court’s ruling or to at least allow it to continue enforcing the remaining unlawful rule under the “remand without vacatur” doctrine while it considers its options.
Without taking a position on whether the FDA’s conduct was arbitrary and capricious, the NCLA argues that the Administrative Procedure Act requires courts to set aside unlawfully promulgated rules completely. According to the group, this duty necessarily follows from basic principles underlying both the rule of law and the U.S. constitution.
The Premium Cigar Association (PCA) held its annual trade show and convention in Las Vegas on March 22-25, 2024. This year’s trade show took place in the spring, a change from the trade show’s typical summer dates. With this change, the PCA saw an unprecedented interest in this trade show with an increase in the number of attending retail accounts and general excitement from attendees.
“We were very excited to hold the convention and trade show in Spring after years of feedback from retailers and manufacturers,” said PCA Executive Director Scott Pearce. “The increased attendance, excitement on the show floor, and the number of high-quality events and education as part of the convention made PCA24 a great success and phenomenal step forward.”
PCA24 had 222 exhibiting companies and welcomed nearly 2,200 retailers from 850 retail accounts, and over 5,383 total attendees during the span of the 4-day show, making this the most attended PCA trade show since 2016. The show opened on March 22 with a day of seminars, presentations and a special keynote. The team behind Handrolled debuted another installment in their documentary series, this time focusing on the life and career of Tatuaje’s Pete Johnson. As part of this premiere, Handrolled also showed a preview of its new collaboration with the PCA–a new series focusing on comedy and the cigar lifestyle filmed on location at select PCA retail member’s stores. La Aurora’s Manuel Inoa led attendees in a pairing session featuring the company’s 120th Anniversary cigar and E. Leon Jimenes rum. Foundation Cigar Co.’s Nicholas Mellilo gave a presentation on the Connecticut River Valley and its celebrated tobacco culture.
Following the PCA’s annual meeting, Jorge Padrón gave a passionate and personal keynote on his father and his family’s 60 years in the premium cigar business. Cigar Aficionado’s David Savona then moderated a panel comprised of Ernesto Perez-Carrillo (E.P. Carrillo), Jon Huber (Crowned Heads), and Tim Ozgener (Ozgener Family Cigars) on their ongoing work and collaboration with one another that led into the opening reception.
The PCA’s government affairs team presented Step Up Awards to retailers that have been greatly involved in advocacy efforts across the U.S.; the PCA also presented its first ever Best of the Leaf (BOTL) awards to a select group of exemplary tobacconists. The first official networking event for the Women of PCA, a new resource group launching with the PCA, helped close out the trade show with high attendance and interest in the group’s future work.
Manufacturers also used PCA24 as an opportunity to launch new products, including the Padrón 60th Anniversary cigar, La Flor Dominicana 30th Anniversary, Macanudo Emissary España, Gurkha’s Tyson 2.0 Undisputed, and E.P. Carrillo Sumatra.
“PCA’s trade show continues to be unifying event for the premium tobacco industry. The increase in attendees and sold-out show floor is a sign of a continued interest in premium cigars and pipe tobacco and PCA’s pivotal role in bringing together specialty tobacco retailers and manufacturers to grow this industry and its product categories,” said Scott Regina, president of the PCA.
The next two PCA trade shows will take place in New Orleans. PCA25 will be held April 11-14, 2025, while PCA26 will be held April 17-20, 2026.
The Premium Cigar Association (PCA) held its annual trade show and convention in Las Vegas on March 22-25, 2024. This year’s trade show took place in the spring, a change from the trade show’s typical summer dates. With this change, the PCA saw an unprecedented interest in this trade show with an increase in the number of attending retail accounts and general excitement from attendees.