Propose Questions for Jose Antonio Candia of Habanos s.a

[El Presidente]

A good freind of Ken and I, Jose Antonio Candia of Habanos s.a arrives next week from Havana. Jose is the Marketing Analyst at Habanos s.a and he will be sharing a week or so with me up here in Brisbane as we tour around.....the stores... and industry relevant edifices....which may include beaches....and bars

I will be submitting my report on how to revitalise the thinner guage cigar in the market as well as cover a few other issues.

It is also a great opportunity to ask your own questions and I will have him spend a morning here answering the questions personally.

So...you have a week or so. Give it some thought and propose a few questions for Jose to address. I will also post my report after I have tabled it to him.

[MasterOMayhem]

» A good freind of Ken and I, Jose Antonio Candia of Habanos s.a arrives next

» week from Havana. Jose is the Marketing Analyst at Habanos s.a and he will

» be sharing a week or so with me up here in Brisbane as we tour

» around.....the stores... and industry relevant edifices....which may

» include beaches....and bars

»

» I will be submitting my report on how to revitalise the thinner guage

» cigar in the market as well as cover a few other issues.

»

» It is also a great opportunity to ask your own questions and I will have

» him spend a morning here answering the questions personally.

»

» So...you have a week or so. Give it some thought and propose a few

» questions for Jose to address. I will also post my report after I have

» tabled it to him.

Hi Here is a question.

Is Habanos S.A doing anything to combat the rise of fake cuban Cigars? I know the phrase is Caveat Emptor, but is there any thoughts to combat the rise of fakes? I have seen to many people burned by them both newbie and fog. Maybe laser etching? Seals that change from year to year? Holographic bands? Some sort of watermark? just curiuos to see what he has to say. thanks

[n2advnture]

Are there any plans to refocus on the quality of cigars for the purposes of aging rather than being "ready to smoke"?

Also, any plans to get away from the shorter, fatter smokes and focusing on the thinner ring guages? (ie lonsdales)

Thanks Rob!

~Mark

[habanohal]

How about...............IS there ever going to be a price cut on aisle 4?? :-D :-D

Why are more recent ELs' being priced out of the market?

[Tom Bolivar]

Maybe he can answer the question if the Ramon Allones Belicosos will be available worldwide next year or if their production will be stopped.

Regards,

Tom

[pnutbutrsangwich]

Where have all the thing ring guage cigars gone? Are we doomed to have all new releases come out breaking jaws?

[puros71]

Ask him what happend to the dinner invite! No just kidding he was an excellent host during my tour of the H Upmann factory. Tell him I still owe him that bottle of Sonoma County Wine.

[Colt45]

Rob, you have mentioned previously that in the future, Habanos / Cubatobacco

will own/control the cigar making process from start to finish.

In that light, would Habanos / Cubatobacco ever consider again exporting tobacco

to be used by non-Cuban manufacturers?

Would they ever look at using non-Cuban tobacco in Cuban made cigars?

[PigFish]

Perhaps you can answer this one Rob.

Are EL sales holding up? So many of my friends and I have long lost the “must get the new EL” mentality that I have to think that many other experienced smokers are feeling the same way.

Perhaps when enough folks stop falling for overpriced, underperforming cigars, “the powers that be” will intelligently decide to work again on the many outstanding vitolas now in existence and not ever attempt to reinvent the wheel.

If he does not agree to stop the merciless slaughter of the most noteworthy thin and medium ring cigars… immediately flog him!!! -Piggy

[xibbumbero]

Have a good time and don't forget to mix some business in w/the good time. Even though it may be monkey business. X:-D

[stevejb]

Ask him if they'd consider making the Cohiba Media Corona a regular production smoke.

Your idea of making thinner ring gauge cigars available in smaller packaging makes the most sense. A box of 15 with 3 different marquees would be affordable and if advertised as your "conniseur collection" would sell.

Maybe a 25 count seleccion coronas with 5 each of Bolivar, Partagas, Ramon Allones, Upmann, and Montecristo.

[anacostiakat]

This might have already been addressed here in the past but I am curious about the boxes that have Resivado stamped on them.

Are they boxes that were date stamped and never sold and were subsequently reviewed and restamped? Or are the boxes that were sold and returned and reviewed/inspected and stamped? Or both?

[stever]

Do certain markets receive better quality cigars than others? (I'm thinking of the English EMS requirements.) If so, is there an effort to raise standards in all markets to that required by say England or Europe?

[greenpimp]

Are cabinet and dress box versions of the same cigars (eg BBF, RASS), the same blend or different? I don't know if he would be privvy to blend issues, but I still have not heard a definitive answer on this.

Thanks and have a great time...