Cuban Cigars Hold 77% of the UK Market
Cuban cigars account for about 77 percent of the UK market, based on income reported by importers. Recent filings show Hunters and Frankau with more than £60 million in revenue, dwarfing that of all other importers combined.
Hunters and Frankau
Hunters and Frankau remain the backbone of the UK cigar industry. Founded in 1790 and still privately held, the company is the exclusive UK importer and distributor for Habanos S.A., which owns all Cuban cigar brands including Cohiba, Montecristo, and Romeo y Julieta. No other importer in the country can legally bring in Cuban cigars, giving Hunters and Frankau full control of the most valuable part of the market.
Their financial results confirm that position. In 2024 the company reported £60.26 million in revenue and £21.78 million in pretax profit, revenue that is unmatched by any other UK cigar importer. Currently, they account for 77.3 percent of the market by value.
The scale of their profit shows the depth of demand for Cuban cigars. Hunters and Frankau’s distribution network supplies nearly every specialist tobacconist, La Casa del Habano store, and luxury retailers across the UK. Their position is built on a long term relationships with retailers and strong brand visibility. It also means their performance is a clear gauge of the UK cigar trade’s financial health.
New World Importers and Market Growth
Tor Imports, Barkers of Harrogate, Davidoff Distribution UK, and Bright Leaf run the non Cuban side of the trade with proper national coverage. They place ranges predominantly from Nicaragua, Honduras, and the Dominican Republic into specialist shops and hospitality locations. They manage bonded logistics, keep stock moving, and support retailers with training and merchandising so cigars on shelves stay fresh and consistent.
Commercially they account for slightly less than a quarter of importer income. This has been achieved by building brands over time through events, staff education, and regular account visits, which is why their portfolios are now a permanent part of most humidors in the country.
The biggest difference between Cuban and New World cigar sales is that Cuban cigars are sold mostly by the box, and New World cigars are sold mostly as singles. This is based on testimonies from several retailers across the country.
Market Share
| Importer | Share | Income | Certainty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hunters and Frankau | 77.3% | £60.26m | actual |
| Tor Imports | 8.2% | £6.42m | estimate |
| Barkers of Harrogate | 7.9% | £6.18m | estimate |
| Davidoff Distribution UK | 5.6% | £4.33m | estimate |
| Bright Leaf Distribution | 1.0% | £0.80m | estimate |
Implied total for these five: £77.99 million.
Hunters and Frankau serve as the anchor because their accounts disclose full turnover and profit. The other importers file small company sets without a profit and loss, so revenue is absent. Market share was worked out using stock plus trade debtors as the stand in for scale. Stock is product on hand and trade debtors is money owed by customers. Each company’s total was compared to Hunters and Frankau’s total to get a ratio, and each figure was then normalised against that anchor before being turned into percentage shares. This keeps all firms on a comparable basis when full revenue information is unavailable and preserves a fair read across different filing formats.
Barkers shows profit after tax of £250,931. Tor’s reserves rose by £333,438 which is a good stand in for profit after tax if no dividend was paid. Davidoff’s accumulated losses got smaller which means a small profit. Bright Leaf’s net assets fell by about £11,000 which points to a small loss.
Additionally, this is importer income only and does not include retail margin. Several firms file short accounts without turnover, so stock plus trade debtors were used to size them fairly.
Final Thoughts
New World cigars have been in the UK for years and they have earned real space. Tor, Barkers, Davidoff UK, and Bright Leaf have built brands in a slow and effective manner. Retailers rely on them to keep humidors varied and current and customer enjoy the wider selection of cigars available to them.
Hunters and Frankau have the advantage of time. They have operated here for generations, set the standard for storage and presentation, and built tight relationships across the trade. That history still counts.
Could the picture change? Yes. If New World ranges keep improving availability and trade support, share can move at the edges. But despite claims that the market is now 50/50, the filings show a very different picture.
Ultimately, the UK market is still Cuban centric with Hunters and Frankau holding a significant majority of market share.
