Fourteen Cigarmakers Throw Their Support Behind PCA
Fourteen prominent handmade cigar companies pledged their support for the PCA in a joint statement sent to Cigar Aficionado on Thursday afternoon. Arturo Fuente, Padrón, Rocky Patel, EPC Cigar Co., J.C. Newman, My Father, Tatuaje, ACE Prime, A.J. Fernandez, Alec Bradley, CLE Cigar Co., Crowned Heads, Espinosa and La Palina wrote comments of support for the organization and its trade show, which is taking place in Las Vegas July 9 through 14.
“PCA brings together the heart and soul of the cigar sector,” said Ernesto Perez-Carrillo, maker of the E.P. Carrillo Pledge Prequel and many other cigars. “It’s family. I have been attending the PCA trade show since 1982 and we are truly excited to be at the show this year.”
The PCA has long been the leading trade show for the premium cigar business. The organization behind the show, the Premium Cigar Association, was previously known as the IPCPR and before that the RTDA, which was founded in 1933.
“We are proud to say that [our company] attended the very first RTDA trade show in 1933 and have attended every RTDA/IPCPR/PCA trade show since then. This year will be no different. Given the many regulatory and legal challenges that manufacturers and retailers are facing today, the show is more important and relevant than ever,” said Eric and Bobby Newman of J.C. Newman cigars.
Janny Garcia of My Father Cigars called the show “the most important event in our industry.”
“My family and I welcome the return of the PCA trade show in 2021,” said Jorge Padrón, whose company Padrón Cigars has been participating in the show for 28 years. “I consider this event vital and informative to both our business and our industry.”
Said Rocky Patel, of Rocky Patel Premium Cigars: “Join our family in our annual celebration and help protect the future of this artistic industry we all love.”
The PCA trade show was cancelled last year—like so many gatherings—due to the Covid-19 outbreak around the world. Even before the pandemic, however, the organization was facing challenges from some of the major players in the industry. In January 2020, four of the cigar world’s biggest companies announced they would not be attending the 2020 show: Altadis U.S.A., Davidoff of Geneva, Drew Estate and General Cigar Co. Each of those companies was not a part of this signed release.
