Category Archives: Cigar Events Blog – Cigar Industry News & Events

Plasencia Cigars joins forces with STG to expand its reach across Canada

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Angie Diaz
adiaz@republica.net
786-347-4775
Plasencia Cigars joins forces with STG to expand its reach across Canada
MIAMI – August 23, 2018 – Plasencia Cigars, one of the world’s largest, high-profile tobacco growers and cigar manufacturers, is expanding its distribution to Canada through its partnership with the Scandinavian Tobacco Group Canada (STG Canada). Effective Aug. 27th, STG Canada will administer the distribution, sales, and promotion of Plasencia Cigars’ products in stores across Canada.
“We’re very excited to build on our company’s success by going into this market with STG Canada, a distinguished leader in the industry,” said Nestor Andrés Plasencia, CEO of Plasencia Cigars. “Canadian consumers have been long anticipating the arrival of Plasencia Cigars that our family has been proudly crafting for over 150 years. Serving our customers has always been our first priority, and we can’t wait for Canadian consumers to finally enjoy our products.”
Under this new partnership, Plasencia Cigar products will be distributed to over 500 stores, including consumer favorites like Plasencia Cosecha 146, Reserva 1898, Reserva Original, Alma Fuerte and Alma Del Campo.
“We have been fans of Plasencia Cigars for years,” said Sylvain Laporte, president of STG Canada. “We couldn’t be happier to welcome the Plasencia family into our own, and I’m sure Canadians will appreciate the diversity and high quality of these new cigars.”
STG administers over 200 brands in more than 100 markets around the world. As established experts in the field, STG expresses its passion for tobaccos by operating in attractive niche segments of the global tobacco industry and instilling innovative, consumer-focused approaches to their brand portfolio management.

For more information, visit www.plasenciacigars.com, or follow the conversation on Instagram and Twitter @PlasenciaCigars and facebook.com/Plasencia-Cigars.

About Plasencia Cigars
Plasencia Cigars is one of the world’s leading growers of first-class tobacco. The Plasencia family have been pioneering the industry since 1865 when Don Eduardo Plasencia began growing tobacco in Cuba, and five generations of the Plasencia family have continued the legacy. Today, Plasencia Cigars produces more than 35 million handmade cigars per year, and harvests tobacco on more than 3,000 acres across several countries in Central America, including Nicaragua, Honduras, Costa Rica and Panama.
About the Scandinavian Tobacco Group Canada
Scandinavian Tobacco Group Canada – or Groupe Tabac Scandinave Canada, as the company is called in French – is located in Longueuil, Québec. The sales force is one of the biggest in the Group in terms of employees, and it covers the whole country. STG Canada is the leading premium and mass market cigar company in Canada as they offer a complete portfolio to their customers.
ipcpr

IPCPR Emergency Notice

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The IPCPR trade show will open today at 1:00 PM due to an electrical fire that occurred early this morning. Staff and crew are working hard to get everything ready and to ensure everyone’s safety.

The following companies have been effected, and as of right now only key personnel from the following companies are allowed on the show floor at this time:

AJ Fernandez

Al Capone

Arango

Bags of Bags

Drew Estate

Costello Pipe

Benchmade

Nat Sherman

Rocky Patel

La Palina

Cigar Oasis

Tommy Bahama

Rabbit Air

Perdomo

Security staff will be on site to escort representatives of these companies into the show floor at this time.

PLEASE NOTE: If you are attending any state association meetings, those will continue at their regularly scheduled hours. Shuttle buses will continue to run during these hours.

We apologize for the interruption to your show schedule and appreciate your patience and understanding as we deal with these issues.

Thank you –

IPCPR

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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FDA Warning Label Lawsuit Update from IPCPR

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Federal Judge Delays Cigar Warning Requirements

Earlier today, D.C. District Court Judge Amit Mehta issued an injunction prohibiting the U.S. Food & Drug Administration from enforcing its warning label requirements on cigars and pipe tobacco. The warning label requirements for packaging and advertising were slated to go into effect on August 10th. Judge Mehta’s order delays any enforcement of the requirement until at least 60 days after the conclusion of an appeal currently underway.  No date has been set for a court to hear the appeal.

Today’s decision is a direct result of the ongoing lawsuit brought by IPCPR, the Cigar Association of America and the Cigar Rights of America. Judge Mehta had previously ruled on this case in May – and did not endorse the Associations’ challenge to the warning labels issue. Following the ruling, IPCPR, CAA and CRA appealed and requested that Judge Mehta prohibit the FDA’s warning label requirements until a decision on the appeal is finalized.  In his order issued today, Judge Mehta agreed, recognizing the suit raises substantial and complex issues about retailers’ constitutional rights, and that the FDA was not justified to require warnings before those issues are fully resolved, “In the end, this court believes that Plaintiffs are entitled to a full hearing before an appellate court with the specter of a warnings regime going into effect.”

Scott Pearce, IPCPR Executive Director recognizes this is a positive, if not temporary development for retailers and the broader industry.  “This deadline has been bearing down on our members for some time now.  And while this is a temporary reprieve, it is a welcome development and hopefully a sign that our message is resonating. IPCPR is proud to be a party to this lawsuit, and we’ll continue to work with our great legal team and staff in DC to bring about the optimum regulatory framework for the premium cigar industry.”

For questions on today’s injunction or any issues concerning the FDA’s Deeming Rule – please contact Daniel Trope, IPCPR Senior Director of Federal Government Affairs at daniel@ipcpr.org.

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IPCPR Update on the WestGate Hotel

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Message Concerning the Westgate

Due to the illness outbreak at the Westgate, the IPCPR has decided to move the location of the pre-show events from the Westgate to the Las Vegas Convention Center. The pre-show seminars, the “Boundaries Are Made to Be Broken” party presented by CAO, and the opening breakfast will all be held in the Convention Center.

We are working through some of the final details and will update the meeting app over the next few days.  As we finalize the logistics, we will send out a more detailed email early next week.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your hotel room, please contact the Westgate through the Westgate call center 888-808-7410.  You may also contact the hotel front desk directly at 702-732-5111.

Thank you all for your understanding and patience as we work through this.

IPCPR: Senators Send Letter to FDA on Premium Cigar Exemption

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Earlier this week, Senators Marco Rubio and Bill Nelson led a bipartisan letter to FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, directing the FDA to bring quick regulatory relief to the premium cigar industry.  Signed by 17 Senators, the letter outlines the need for the quick adoption of a premium cigar definition by the agency and the ultimate exemption of that product category from current FDA regulations.

The letter comes as the FDA has recently extended by 30 days the public comment period for their review of current premium cigar regulations. The process, known as an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM), runs through July 25th.

Importantly, the letter’s signatories underlined their support for smart and impactful requirements that actually benefit the public health – particularly when it comes to youth. These are goals shared and actively supported by IPCPR’s retailers across the country. They correctly point out, however, that data resulting from government financed and executed public health surveys demonstrably show there is no correlation between premium cigars and youth use.

Each signatory to the letter is currently a co-sponsor of S. 294, legislation that seeks to define premium cigars and exempt them from the current regulatory regime.  The letter reflects this underlying support and understanding of the existential threat facing thousands of small businesses around the country – “We have consistently heard from those impacted that the FDA’s regulation of premium cigars fails to recognize that these cigars are a unique product with a unique consumer base.” It goes on to request “that the FDA exempt premium cigars from the FDA’s regulations under the FSPTCA and use the definition of a traditional cigar provided in the Traditional Cigar Manufacturing and Small Business Jobs Preservation Act of 2017, bipartisan legislation that we support”.

The IPCPR strongly applauds the letter.  On behalf of our member retailers, their suppliers and the millions of Americans who enjoy premium cigars, IPCPR thanks Senators Rubio and Nelson and the 15 Members of the Senate who continue to vocalize this issue and fight for what’s right.  We are encouraged by their continued recognition that premium cigars are an artisanal product supported by a small-business-driven industry and their advocacy for those small businesses to Commissioner Gottlieb. As the ANPRM process remains underway, IPCPR will continue to work with Congress and advocate on behalf of premium cigars.

For questions concerning the letter or any issues regarding FDA regulations, please contact Daniel Trope, IPCPR Senior Director of Federal Government Affairs at daniel@ipcpr.org.