Scandinavian Tobacco Group has informed the Forged Cigar Company, an independent national cigar distribution network, and will divide its portfolio of brands between subsidiary General Cigar Company and the newly formed company.
The Forged Cigar Company will serve as a stand-alone distribution network with a sales team of 12. In addition to the newly released El Rey del Mundo, Forged Cigar Company’s portfolio includes Partagas, La Gloria Cubana, Bolivar Cofradia, Diesel and Chillin’ Moose. Their sales team will begin working on February 1.
General Cigar’s current sales force remains intact and will continue to support the company’s brands including Macanudo, CAO, Cohiba, Punch, Hoyo de Monterrey and others.
“When we announced last year our withdrawal from the annual PCA Show, we committed to investing funds back into the premium cigar category,” Regis Broersma, senior vice president of the North American Branded and Rest of World Division of STG, said in a statement. “With the Forged Cigar Company, we are doing just that with a multimillion dollar investment in the brick and mortar channel.”
Forged comes out of the gate with the announcement that it will carry the Honduran brand El Rey del Mundo, which it will sell to U.S. Stores.