In the past few days in Brazil there have been discussions about the future of the Cohiba brand in the country. It all started due to ANVISA (Brazilian regulatory agency for food, drugs and tobacco amoung other products) recently barring sales of the brand’s cigars. The agency had detected the presence of sorbic acid in Cohiba samples, and any substance added to tobacco products is forbidden in the country.
According to Fernando Teixeira, general manager of the Emporium Cigars, the exclusive Habanos importer to Brazil, the fact was a misinterpretation of Brazilian regulations. “ANVISA bases their decisions on a law created 20 years ago to regulate cigarette sales. As no additions to the products are allowed, they considered the sorbic acid as an added substance, rather than a result of the natural curing and fermentation of the tobacco used in cigar production,” Teixeira explains.
The same situation occurred a few years ago when some Brazilian cigar brands had problems regarding the issue.
Emporium Cigars has successfully appealed the decision and clarified everything with the agency, and the brand has now been cleared to be sold in Brazil.
