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There are
no doubts. The United States is the market for premium cigars (handmade) to be
pursued by tobacco manufacturers. And it could not be different because it is
three times bigger than the rest of the world combined, including Europe and
Asia.
This
explains the most recent investments made to this end by the Belgian company J.
Cortès, a large European producer of machine-made tobaccos.
A little
bit of history
J. Cortès
Cigars has been owned by the Vandermarliere family since 1926, when Maurits
Vandermarliere, its founder, began making cigars in the attic of his cigar
store in Moen, Belgium. In 1936 he opened a new factory in a nearby village,
where he began producing smaller, machine-made cigars.
Until 1965
they grew at the pace of demand and, from 1965, Guido, Maurits's youngest son,
joined, who began to lead exports, helping the company quickly reach a higher
level. Within their growth strategy, between 1975 and 1979 they acquired the
traditional and well-known Belgian brands of machine-made cigars, Neos Cigar
and TAF, which allowed them a notable increase in production.
For four
decades, Guido successfully led the company, making it a global player and, in
2005, Frederik, his youngest son, joined the company and began to take the
reins, this time with his sight set on the powerful and attractive US market.
With this
goal in mind, in 2016 he acquired the very prestigious American-Nicaraguan
family business of artisanal cigars, Oliva Cigars, with subsidiaries in Miami
and Nicaragua. With this, it makes its triumphant entry into the coveted by
many, US premium cigar market, strengthens its position in the world market and
adds $ 100 million to its annual turnover. That business marriage became the commercial
union of the year.
By buying
Oliva Cigar Co., which manufactures between 15 and 16 million handmade cigars a
year, the J. Cortès group added to its own, a history that dates back to the
19th century, when Melanio Oliva began growing cigar tobacco in the fields of
Cuba. Plus, of course, a wide variety of fine premium, handcrafted cigars,
including Oliva Connecticut Reserve, creamy and smooth, with a smooth to medium
body; the medium bodied G and O Series and the V Series also known as Special
Light, best described, due to its unique combination of flavors, as
"mild". All available in our store in its various formats: Churchill,
Robusto, Toro, Doble Toro and Torpedo.
To close
with a flourish, just a few days ago it was known that Oliva Cigar Co.,
acquired the legendary brands Cuba Aliados, Puros Indios and Roly, owned by the
Reyes family, who since 1990 helped put Honduras on the map of producers of
premium cigars.
“These are
three, very well-known, much-loved and respected brands,” said Frederik
Vandermarliere, owner of the company J. Cortès Cigars NV and Oliva Cigar
Co., adding: “They have a significant loyal following in the U.S. market, so it
made sense to us to take these brands under the Oliva roof, where we can ensure
their quality from leaf to leaf”.
They seem
to be fulfilling the dream of becoming an important reference in the US market
for premium cigars.
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