Angel Oliva Jr. Passed Away

Son of the legendary Angel Oliva Sr., he had been vice-president of the Oliva Tobacco Company, one of the largest suppliers of premium tobacco leaves.

The world of premium tobacco has lost a figure as respected as he was discreet. Angel Oliva Jr. passed away on April 30, 2026, at the age of 91, according to multiple sources.

Born on March 4, 1935, in Tampa, Florida, he was the eldest son of Angel Oliva Sr., the legendary founder of the Oliva Tobacco Company, one of the world’s largest cigar tobacco traders and growers.

After studying at the University of Florida, where he graduated with a degree in architecture, Angel Jr. joined the family business in 1974 to fully dedicate himself to the tobacco venture alongside his brother, John Oliva Sr. At Oliva Tobacco Company (not to be confused with Oliva Cigar Company, acquired in 2016 by the Vandermarliere family), he held the position of vice president, focusing on tobacco cultivation on the family farms in Nicaragua and Ecuador. He retired in 2010.

Since 1934, the Oliva family, of Cuban origin, has established itself as a global leader in premium tobacco growing. Until the Cuban Revolution, its primary business consisted of purchasing Cuban tobacco for resale to manufacturers then operating in the United States. Starting in the 1960s, Oliva Tobacco Co. began growing tobacco in other Central and South American countries, supplying the world’s largest cigar manufacturers.

Angel Jr. was present in 2010 at the ceremony where 18th Street in Ybor City was renamed “Angel Oliva Sr. Street.” This tribute spoke volumes about the significance of his name in Tampa’s history.

The Ybor City Cigar Festival, which paid tribute to him immediately upon the announcement of his passing, hailed him as “a true pioneer of the tobacco industry and a cornerstone of the Oliva Tobacco Company.” He was 91 years old.

Photo: (c) Oliva Tobacco Company