Habanos S.A. reaped big bucks in 2001

Havana_ Habanos S.A. Corp., a joint-ventured marketer run by Spanish and Cuban combined capital, closed its operations last year with as many as $260 million in revenues, a 30% increase as compared to the year 2000.

Corporation execs indicated that, ruling out the United States, Cuban hand-rolled cigars picked up over 70% of the world market’s quota.

Europe takes in 70% of Habanos’ total export volume and stands for the chief market for Cuban cigars.

Spain purchases 30% of the export quota. A 10% of that total is bought by France while 12% goes to the Middle East. As far as the tourist market on the Caribbean island is concerned, sales reached 6%.

Habanos S.A. markets its cigar production in the whole world under such brands as Cohiba, Romeo and Juliet, Montecristo and Partagas, among other makes. In 1999, the corporation sold 50% of its shares to Altadis, a Spanish-French trusteeship born out of the merge between Span-based company Tabacalera and French firm Seita.