Production of Avanti Cigars Is Moving from Pennsylvania to the DR

If you were at Best Cigar Prices’ brick-and-mortar location, you could hop on Interstate 81 and reach the Parodi/Avanti cigar factory in less than an hour. The machine-made Avanti cigars produced at that factory have been a favorite of casual smokers in the region for generations. Unfortunately, the facility will cease production in the Scranton area by the end of August, moving operations to the Dominican Republic.

According to the company’s public statement, the decision wasn’t based on a single factor. COVID, for example, was blamed for making it “harder to hire skilled people, able to learn and manage production activities and to guarantee business sustainability in medium and long term.” On top of that, business costs were also cited as a crucial reason for the move.

This relocation marks the end of nearly a century in (and near) the Electric City for Avanti. They set up shop in Scranton in 1930, moving out of New York City following 1929’s stock market crash. Since then, they’ve remained in Northeast Pennsylvania, moving only to Scranton-adjacent Dunmore, PA in 2013.

While the loss of the Avanti factory is certainly felt in Scranton and surrounding towns—nearly 20 people are expected to be laid off—there are some silver linings. The factory, while ceasing production, will still remain open as a distribution facility for the company. More importantly, you’ll still be able to find Avanti cigars here at Best Cigar Prices, complete with the low price tag you’ve come to expect.