The new Avanti Estilo pouch.
Scranton, PA (PRWEB) December 09, 2013
Frequently seen adorning the lips of Frank Sinatra and Francis Ford Coppola, both on screen and off, the diminutive, very recognizable Parodi cigars now have a fresh-looking face and a new member of the family. Manufactured by the Avanti Cigar Company for more than 100 years, the signature line of cigars – Parodis, Parodi Kings and the Avanti anisette-flavored cigars – sport an updated logo, colorful new packaging, and are now available in convenient, re-sealable pouches.
The family-owned and operated cigar business also has introduced the Estilo, a provocative blend of hand-picked tobacco infused with coffee and chocolate. This distinctive new Café Mocha cigar is fast becoming a favorite within the Latino community, and is joining the Parodi and Avanti brands on retail shelves across the country.
“A cigar is only as good as the tobacco that goes into the blend. That’s why we’re the only company to use the finest hand-picked tobacco from Kentucky and Tennessee,” said Avanti President Dominic Keating when introducing the new packaging. Known as “The Cigar Man,” Keating writes a blog and relates historical cigar stories on the newly launched, e-commerce website, http://www.avanticigar.com. The updated website features a private retailer/distributor portal for quick and easy ordering.
“We’re very excited about our new mocha-flavored cigar, Estilo,” Keating continued. “It is growing a strong fan base to match our well-known anisette-dipped cigars. We’re also pleased to offer new packaging. Avanti’s new foil two- or three-packs are easy to purchase and a great way to try out our new flavors as well as old favorites.”
According to Keating, Avanti, whose operations now involve the fourth generation of Suracis, is the number one producer of all-tobacco cigars and the only producer of dry-cured cigars in the United States. The company’s most popular cigar, the Parodi Ammezzati, is small in stature but big on flavor and naturally smooth.
When Avanti crops are hand-picked on tobacco farms in Kentucky and Tennessee, the leaves are hung to dry inside special barns where they are smoked using select Hickory logs, a process known as fire curing. The leaves go through a fermentation process to develop their full, hearty and robust flavors. This curing removes 85% of the moisture, allowing the leaves to burn evenly when lit.
At Avanti Cigar’s Pennsylvania plant, special rolling machines combine the wrapper and fill tobacco to form the cigar. A master blend is used to “fill” the cigar, and special leaves used as wrappers. No binder is required because the wrapper encases the cut master tobacco twice. Each end is then hand-clipped.
Other top-selling brands produced by the company include DeNobili, Kentucky Cheroots, Ramrod, Petri and Toscanelli.
For more information, photos or to arrange for an interview with Avanti Cigar, please contact Elaine Ferri at Lavelle Strategy Group, 570-969-6000 or eferri(at)lavellestrategy(dot)com.
About Avanti Cigar Company
Avanti means “forward” in Italian, the direction the company has been moving since established by the Suraci Brothers who hailed from a small Calabrian village. The brothers moved to New York City in 1900 and established the State Leaf Company. In 1925 the brothers purchased a Jersey City factory from the Parodi family, a leading competitor. Parodi cigars became the primary brand and the company was then renamed Parodi Cigar. The company relocated to Scranton, Pennsylvania, close to major East Coast cities and following World War II purchased another competitor, DeNobili Cigar Company of Long Island. By 1952, the brothers were in control of 75% of the Italian-style cigar market. In 1963 they purchased the only remaining competitor, Petri Cigar of California. In 1973 the signature Avanti Cigar, flavored with anisette, was introduced and went on to become the company’s premier brand. This style cigar was so successful the Parodi Cigar Group reorganized and became the Avanti Cigar Company in 1982.
