Scintillating cigars
While the overall cigar sector has decreased by approximately 5%, key brands retain a loyal following and have even managed to increase their market share
Print15 December 2010
At a glance: CIGARS
- Hamlet is the market leading cigar brand* (Nielsen four-week period week ending 31 Oct 2010)
- Ampersand is the number one independent supplier of cigars in Ireland
- Ampersand and Agio Cigars have established Agio Filter Tip Five Pack as one of the best selling cigar SKUs on the market
- John Player has over a 35% share of Ireland’s cigar sector and continues to grow
- Café Crème is up 0.5% versus last year, and up 0.9% in the last 12 weeks versus the same 12 week period last year
2010 has proved a challenging year for the cigar sector, however this does not equate to a negative outlook for the category. NPD, which concentrates on enhanced aroma, flavour and filter has generated rewards. In fact, several successful variants are in growth, having struck upon the right formula for the Irish market.
Cigar boom paves way forward
Yiorgos Manesis, who manages the Irish cigar blog Cigars.ie, believes cigars first came into prominence in the Irish market between the mid 80s to mid 90s. “Cigars became very popular in Ireland during the period known as the “cigar boom”, from the mid 80s to the mid 90s; a period when cigar consumption worldwide raised to a point whereby premium cigar brands could not cope with the demand.
“The smoking ban however, along with the current economic climate, have greatly affected the industry and the amount of cigar smokers has been reduced.”
Herfs prove a hit
That said, Yiorgos and the team behind Cigars.ie, have come up with an innovative way for cigar aficionados to enjoy their hobby together. Demonstrating the enduring popularity of cigars, the group hosts monthly get-togethers in beer gardens across Dublin, known as herfs. “The term ‘herf’ is an American slang term and its origins are unknown to me,” explains Yiorgos.
Generally, a ‘herf” is the gathering of cigar smokers to enjoy their hobby. “We started herfing in Dublin two years ago on a monthly basis and our group has been growing ever since.”
Looking beyond the price tag
ShelfLife asks Yiorgos if price is a significant consideration when choosing a cigar, or if a good quality offering can be purchased for relatively little money?
“The price range for a single handmade cigar could range between €4 to €500, with the higher end covering rare and vintage cigars,” he responds. “The price tag does not necessarily reflect on the amount of enjoyment you would get out of the cigar; there are plenty of choices to fit any budget and taste. Tax and excise imposed on tobacco here make Ireland one of the most expensive countries in Europe to buy cigars. However, you can still get good value in Dublin’s cigar shops, especially in some aged cigars, where around €10 could get you a fine, handmade, aged Cuban cigar.”
What’s more, he believes “many would look for good value when buying cigars, rather than spending their money on expensive collector’s releases.” Women are also increasingly smoking cigars. “Although cigar smoking is considered a man’s hobby, the number of female smokers is larger than you would think. We have had female smokers joining our herfs and enjoying their cigars as much as the men did. There have been many attempts to launch a specific cigar and target it to the female smokers market, but the ladies prefer to smoke the same cigars as men do.”
New look for cigar classic
Hamlet has unveiled a stylish and modern new look. The full range of large and miniature cigars features subtle design changes including a redesigned background, hand lettered font and updated logo.
Still the market leading cigar brand (Nielsen 4 week period week ending 31 Oct 2010), Hamlet is a must stock for retailers this Christmas period.
The brand which has created fine cigars since 1839, has therefore delivered a contemporary new look but is still unmistakably Hamlet. Only the packaging has changed; the famous Hamlet blend remains the same.
A winning combination
Ampersand has imported the Agio range of cigars into Ireland for almost 40 years since the group commenced its partnership with Agio Cigars in the mid 1960s. Since then, both Ampersand and the Agio brand have experienced great success on the market together. Over the years, Ampersand has successfully built its cigar business to become the number one independent supplier of cigars in Ireland and together with Agio Cigars the company has worked hard to establish Agio Filter Tip Five Pack as one of the best selling cigar SKUs on the market.
Agio can be delivered to retailers “on the spot” with no minimum outer order quantity
Ampersand attribute this success to the excellent level of service the company continues to provide to customers and its loyal and committed nationwide sales team with local representatives based in each territory. In today’s challenging cigar market, Ampersand’s specialised sales force continues to sell Agio to every corner of Ireland and across all shop formats and sizes. Ampersand also has a specialised sales development team that can deliver Agio “on the spot” with no minimum outer order quantity.
A real player
Within the cigar sector, John Player has over 35% share and continues growing, outperforming in a sector down 5%. Café Crème is up 0.5% versus last year, and up 0.9% in the last 12 weeks versus the same 12 week period last year. The Henri Wintermans range and Classic cigars complete the John Player cigar portfolio.
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