My Father Cigars has acquired the Fonseca brand from Quesada Cigars. News of the acquisition was first reported by Cigar Aficionado, and the report has been confirmed to Cigar Coop.
The Fonseca brand was established in Cuba by Don Francisco Fonseca. The Dominican version of the Fonseca brand has been made by the Quesada family since 1974. It’s was a brand in the Quesada portfolio that contains several predicate (grandfather lines). Last year, Quesada Cigars gave the Fonseca brand a packaging makeover.
According to the Cigar Aficionado report, the Garcia family (who owns My Father Cigars) plans to shift production out of the Dominican Republic to Nicaragua.
The Quesada and Garcia family have worked together in the past. In 2012 and 2013, the two companies combined on a project involving daughters from both companies: Janny Garcia, Patricia Quesada, and Raquel Quesada known as Tres Reynas. It was a limited production cigar produced by My Father Cigars and sold by the Quesada family. The Cigar Aficionado report also mentions that Don Pepin and Jaime Garcia were rollers for the Cuban-version of the Fonseca Brand when they lived in Cuba.
Fonseca was most likely an attractive option to My Father Cigars because it does have predicate roots, although Cigar Aficionado mentions My Father was attracted to the Cuban heritage of the brand. It’s the latest old Cuban brand being brought under My Father Cigars. Back in October, My Father Cigars brought back an old Cuban brand known as Cabañas. Other Cuban brands revived by My Father Cigars include:La Antiguedad, La Opulencia, and La Gran Oferta.
As for Quesada Cigars, there are probably more questions about this move. The past two years have seen the departure of family members (Terence Reilly, Hostos Quesada, Patricia Quesada), new management changes, and the loss of brands it distributed (Matilde, MLB Cigar Ventures).
In addition, Quesada Cigars had recently removed the Fonseca brand from its website.