The firm was founded in 1948 by Benjamín Sisterna, Demetrio Elíades, and Luis Sbaraglini and began its activities as a producer of alfajores in the city of Mar del Plata.

Siserna then joined Luis Sbaraglini to manufacture alfajores, creating their own brand, "Santa Mónica", whose products were briefely commercialised in Buenos Aires.

[2] As Elíades was not satisfied with his business, he decided to join Sisterna and Sbaraglini to start a new one focused on the manufacture of alfajores to compete with "Gran Casino", the main company in the city by then.

At the time of purchase, Havanna produced 5,5 million dozen alfajores per year in its two industrial plants located in Mar del Plata.

[11] In hands of DyG Group, Havanna's became a global company, mainly in Latin America with presence in Brazil, Chile, Perú, Bolivia, Paraguay, Brasil, Ecuador, Venezuela, but also opening points of sales in Miami and Spain.

The concept was named "Café Havanna" and the business expanded successfully, with 230 points-of-sale throughout Argentina and in other Latin American countries, in Spain and the United States.

[13] One reason for the success of Havanna stores is the high per capita consumption of coffee in Buenos Aires (about 1 kg per person in a year).