Havana, 26 February 2013 – The XV Habanos Festival has started, an event which every year brings together Habano aficionados from more than 70 countries, as well as international personalities.

The exclusive Festival gives guests a rare insight into the world of the Habanos. From the Welcoming Evening, to be held in the spectacular surroundings of the Morro fortress, guests will be given opportunities to experience first-hand how to roll a Habano with a torcedor (cigar roller) who have dedicated their lives to achieving perfection, and visit factories in downtown Havana, where the strictest measures are taken to produce the most prestigious cigar brands in the world, among those: Cohiba, Montecristo, Romeo y Julieta or Partagás.

In 2012, Grupo Habanos, which markets worldwide and in exclusive the 27 Habanos brands, all of which are hand made had a turnover of 416 million dollars. This amounted to an organic growth – taking the constant exchange rate into account – of 6%. This is a positive trend that shows the company’s strength as a global leader despite the difficult economic and legal environment.

Grupo Habanos 2012 Financial Results

As stated by Luis Sanchez-Harguindey, Co-president of Habanos s.a.: “The results of our strategy development are really positive and very encouraging for the future. In this way, throughout 2012, and despite the difficult environment, Grupo Habanos increased its sales, at a constant exchange rate, by 6%”.

Walfrido Hernández Mesa, Co-president of Habanos s.a. said that “despite the economic crisis, which had a particularly strong impact on our Southern Europe markets, we had a good evolution, thanks, to a large extent, to our activity in emerging markets, particularly Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe (mainly Russia), as well as to the good behaviour of some of our mature markets, such as Germany, France, and Switzerland”.

About Corporación Habanos s.a.

Corporación Habanos is the world leader in the Premium cigar market (Hand made cigars). Habanos s.a. sells Habanos in both Cuba and the rest of the world. To this end it has an exclusive distribution network, with presence in more than 150 countries across the five continents. For more information, visit www.habanos.com.