Taipei-based Asia Marketing Services (AMS) has been appointed as the sales and marketing agent for J Cortès & Oliva Cigars in the Asia Pacific region, effective 1 April.

Headed by experienced and respected travel retail veteran and Director Hans Rijfkogel, AMS will offer sales and marketing expertise to the Belgium family owned cigar business and help to expand its presence in certain markets.

Brian Shapiro, who has developed the Asia Pacific market for the past decade, will continue his role as Global Brand Ambassador for Oliva Cigars.

“I welcome Hans to our growing, global Oliva Family,” he said. “Having someone with his experience to give an additional layer of customer service will most certainly result in the growth of all our brands in one of the most important regions in the cigar world.”

MATCHING VALUES

Thomas Gryson, Export Manager & Travel Retail Coordinator at J Cortès & Oliva Cigars, will act as the liaison between the company and AMS.

Rijfkogel, Director of Asia Marketing Services said: “I am delighted to team up with J. Cortès & Oliva Cigars and I believe that together with our domestic and duty free partners, we will be able to continue growing the business for J. Cortès & Oliva Cigars in the emerging Asia-Pacific region.

“The J. Cortès company, with 95 years history and an excellent global position in domestic and duty free markets is ready to expand its presence in the Asia Pacific region. Being family-owned, with an entrepreneurial and innovative spirit, the business personifies the values we want as a partner.”

J Cortès acquired handmade cigar firm Oliva Cigars in 2016.

Based in the US and Nicaragua, Oliva Cigars has three factories in Estelí, Nicaragua and several tobacco plantations across Nicaragua.

For a recent video interview with J Cortès CEO Frederik Vandermarliere and Export Manager & Travel Retail Coordinator Thomas Gryson, click here.