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Tag: Davidoff

  • Davidoff Expands Line with Zino Honduras

    Davidoff Expands Line with Zino Honduras

    Oettinger Davidoff Group is advancing the evolution of its gateway cigar brand with the launch of Zino Honduras, a new blend positioned to offer a more robust and layered flavor profile while maintaining the approachable philosophy established with Zino Nicaragua. The release signals a strategic step in broadening the Zino portfolio within the company’s premium cigar range, the company said.

    According to Javier González, SVP Head Global Marketing & Innovation, the new line responds to growing demand for more intense cigars while introducing innovative packaging formats, including tins, packs, and fresh packs with pre-cut cigars — a first for the Zino brand. Zino Honduras will be offered in three vitolas: Half Corona (4 x 44), Robusto (5 x 54), and Toro (6 x 50).

    Retailers will get an early preview at the Premium Cigar Association Trade Show in New Orleans from April 17–20, where the company will showcase how the Zino range is expanding from an entry point into a broader, laddered portfolio designed to deepen consumer engagement in the premium cigar category.

  • Oettinger Davidoff Transfers Ownership to Next Generation

    Oettinger Davidoff Transfers Ownership to Next Generation

    Oettinger Davidoff AG announced that ownership of the privately held Swiss company has been passed to the next generation of the Schneider family, according to Halfwheel. Lilian Schaffner-Schneider and Christine Ryhiner-Schneider, daughters of longtime owner Dr. Ernst Schneider, have transferred the company’s entire share capital to their direct descendants.

    Chairman Domenico Scala said the handover is intended to preserve and build on the legacy of Dr. Ernst Schneider and Zino Davidoff while ensuring the 150-year-old company remains an independent, family-owned business. The Schneider family will retain two seats on the six-member board, and the company emphasized that there will be no changes to the current management team. Oettinger Davidoff owns the Davidoff, AVO, Camacho, and Zino cigar brands, operates factories in the Dominican Republic and Honduras, and runs a global retail network that includes 65 Davidoff of Geneva stores, more than 170 Wolsdorff Tobacco shops in Germany, and 25 A. Dürr & Co. locations in Switzerland.

  • Oettinger Davidoff Names New SVP of Global Marketing and Innovation

    Oettinger Davidoff Names New SVP of Global Marketing and Innovation

    Oettinger Davidoff AG appointed Javier González as its new senior vice president and head of global marketing and innovation. He succeeds Edward Simon, who has held the role since 2018. Effective Jan. 1, 2026, Simon will focus exclusively on sales and assume the title of SVP chief sales officer, while González will oversee global marketing. González joins from Avolta, formerly Dufry AG, where he served as global marketing and digital innovation officer. His career also includes roles at British American Tobacco, Coca-Cola, and LEGO.

    The company said the leadership change is aimed at strengthening brand development and supporting long-term global growth across its portfolio, which includes Davidoff, AVO, and Camacho.

  • Former Davidoff Exec Joins Maya Selva

    Former Davidoff Exec Joins Maya Selva

    Luc Hyvernat, who recently served as Oettinger Davidoff AG’s senior vice president and Chief Commercial Officer, has joined Maya Selva Cigars as the company’s new executive vice president, according to Halfwheel.

    “Described as ‘an epicurean at heart and a strategist in action,’ Hyvernat will help the Franco-Honduran cigar manufacturer write a new chapter in its story, fueled by a passion for handmade cigars, respect for tradition and audacity in innovation,” Patrick Lagreid wrote.

    Prior to joining Oettinger Davidoff AG in March 2021, Hyvernat was the international director for Centre Vinicole Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte. He has also spent more than two decades in the tobacco industry through various roles at Altadis, Imperial Brands, and SEITA.

  • Davidoff Reports $663M in Revenue Amid Planned Cutbacks

    Davidoff Reports $663M in Revenue Amid Planned Cutbacks

    Oettinger Davidoff AG reported CHF 541.7 million ($662.8 million) in global revenue for 2024—an increase of 0.9% over the previous year, despite a significant decrease in production volume. In total, the company produced 38.5 million cigars across its Dominican Republic and Nicaraguan facilities, down 21% from 2023’s 48.8 million cigars. The company said the reduction was intentional, due to pre-emptive production ahead of the European Union’s new track and trace requirements that took effect in May 2024.

    “The year 2024 was another strong year in the 150-year history of our family-owned company,” said Beat Hauenstein, CEO of Oettinger Davidoff AG, in a press release. “The solid 2024 results prove that our investments in our brands, retail and shopping experiences have paid off and that we are well set up to successfully continue writing the next chapter of our longstanding history.”

    Despite lower production, Davidoff said it is expanding capacity at its Diadema Cigars de Honduras S.A. factory in Danlí, Honduras, following the completion of an expansion in the Dominican Republic last year. Among individual brand performances, Zino grew 28.1%, while the flagship Davidoff brand rose 15%. The company did not disclose results for AVO, Camacho, or other brands.

  • Gurkha, Davidoff Settle “Year of the Dragon” Lawsuit

    Gurkha, Davidoff Settle “Year of the Dragon” Lawsuit

    Last week, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida approved the request from both sides’ attorneys to dismiss the case of Gurkha Cigar Group Inc. v. Davidoff of Geneva USA Inc. in the battle over the Year of (the) Dragon name. Judge William P. Dimitrouleas dismissed the case with prejudice, however, little is known about the settlement other than both parties agreed to pay for their court costs.

    Halfwheel reported that Davidoff did not reply to a request for comment, but Bianca Lopez, director of marketing for Gurkha, said, “It was an amicable agreement that was reached.”

    Gurkha has an arrangement to license the trademarks from K. Hansotia & Co., Inc., a company presumably named after Gurkha’s owner Kaizad Hansotia. Those trademarks include a variety of dragon-related words within the cigar industry, including dragon, dragon fire, dragon lord, dragonslayer, imperial dragon, red dragon, and royal dragon. The company also filed for a trademark on “Year of Dragon,” which Davidoff & Cie SA opposed.

    “It’s unclear what impact the settlement will have on the trademark process, which was suspended due to this lawsuit, which Gurkha filed in late 2023,” Charlie Minato wrote for Halfwheel. “In late 2023, Davidoff released the Davidoff Limited Edition 2024 Year of the Dragon cigar as part of its long-running Zodiac Series, which is named after the various symbols on the Chinese zodiac calendar. Davidoff was hardly alone. Asylum, De Los Reyes, Drew Estate, El Septimo, General Cigar Co., Habanos S.A., J.C. Newman, JM Tobacco, La Galera, Oliva, Maya Selva, Plasencia, Rocky Patel, United Cigars, and Vega Fina also introduced Year of the Dragon-themed cigars. There’s no evidence that any other company was sued other than Davidoff.”

    “Gurkha released its own dragon-themed cigars, five different blends using the Year of the Dragon name. Both companies—as well as a host of others—also released Year of (the) Snake cigars. K. Hansotia & Co. has a trademark on Year of Snake.”