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87TOBACCOOUTLETBUSINESSJULYAUGUST2009whichthisbusinessalwaysdoesallthestart-upswentouto-business.x1dAccustomedtotheupsanddownso-thetobaccoandcigarindustriesoraoCigarssurvivedthedownturnandcontinuedtoevolveevenasdemand-orcigarsdipped.Tecompanywhichhadbeenactingasamiddlemanbetweenlea-growersandcigar-actorieslauncheditsowncigarbrandCar-losoraoin1994andchangedits-ocustocigarproduction.Be-orelongtheorao-amilyowneditsown-actoryandwaspro-ducingcigarsinHondurasandNicaragua.x1cWeweresimultaneouslybuildingourownbrandandmakingprivate-labelcigars-ordomesticandinternationaldistributorsx1dexplainsCharlieoraowhoestimatesthatoraoCigarswasmakingbetween17mil-lionand18millioncigarsayear.Tenoneo-oraox19sbiggestclientsCAOInternationalwaspurchasedbytheScandinavianobaccoGroupandanop-portunitytoexittheprivate-labelbusinessto-ocusexclusivelyontheoraobrandarose.x1cSGwantedmoreo-apresenceintheU.S.andmoreo-apresenceinhandmadecigarsx1dexplainsorao.x1cTeywereinterestedinbuyingourcigar-actorybutnotinchangingtheessenceo-theoperationwehadbuilt.x1dFororaoCigarsthedealwasawin-win.Asoneo-thelargestcigarmakersintheworldSGhadthekindo-deeppocketsthatatobacco-actoryintodayx19sturbulenteconomysorelyneeds.x1cI-thereisabadyeartheywillbeabletosecureproductionx1dex-plainsorao.x1cWhereaswearea-amilybusinessandwhilewedidagreatjobbuyingandstoringinventoryweneverhadthoseresources.x1dBesto-allsellingthe-actoryenabledoraoto-ocusonbuildingitsCarlosoraobrandwhichthecompanystillowns.x1cWearenow100percent-ocusedonoraowhereasbe-orewewerealso-ocusedonourclientsx1dsaysorao.x1cTisisaverypivotaltime-orthecompany.Fromnowonallo-ourex3ortswillcenteronraisingtheawarenesso-ourhistoryandexpertiseinci-garsandtobacco.Terearealoto-excitingthingsthatwillbecomingdownthepike.x1dTouringToraoCigarsOnenewdevelopmentisanambitious35-cityx1cOurRootsRunDeepx1doraotourthatCharlieoraoandhis-atherCar-losoraobeganonMarch23.ravelingseparatelythetwowillcrisscrossAmericaholdingCuban-themedeventsatretailvenuesacrossthecountry.x1cCubanli-eisthethemesowex19llhaveCubanmusic-oodanddrinksx1dsaysorao.x1cWex19llbebringingourexperiencedcigarrollerFelipeSosawhowillmakecigarsthatweblendedexclusively-orthistourtellingourstoryandprovidingpro-motionalproductsandmerchandise.x1dTeeventswillalsoshowcasethecom-panyx19snewestcigartheExodus50YearswhichjoinstheoriginalExodus1959andtheExodus1959SilverEditionasthenewestcigarinthecompanyx19sExoduslinewhichwasnamedinhonoro-theci-gar-amilieswhowere-orcedintoexilebyCubax19sMarxistregime.EventattendeeswillhavetheopportunitytopurchasetheExodusSeleccionExclusivaax2ve-packbox-eaturingtwonewsizeso-theExodus1959andExodusSilvercigarsaswellasthenewExodus50Yearscigar.x1c2009marks50yearssincetheexodussoweareintroducinga50-yearblendx1dsaysorao.x1cItwillbeby-arthemostpower-ulo-thethreeExodusblendsithasanincred-iblebalanceo-powerandx1avor.x1dChangingTimesWhileoraoCigarsx19newdirectioncomesataturbulenttime-ortobaccoretailCharlieoraoisconx2dentthathiscom-panyandtheindustryasawholewillsurvivethea-termatho-theSCHIPlegislation.x1cIsitgoodNox1dhesays.x1cDoIthinkwecanlivewithitYes.Mysenseisthatwex19reallgo-ingtohavetoworkalotharderbecausetheenvironmentjustgotalottougher-orthewholeindustry.x1dNostrangerstohardworktheoraosarereadytopursuewhatCharlieoraoseesasabrand--ocused-uture.x1cMygoalsarethesameasthechallengestocontinuetoincreaseawarenesso-consumerso-theoraobrandx1dhesays.x1cIwantitonthetipso-consumertongueswhentheytalkaboutqualitycigars.x1dx1cBuildingabrandisadifculttaskanditneverendsx14youcontinuallyworktoexpanddistributionandkeepstrengtheningit.Tatisthe-ocus-orusnowstrengtheningaware-nesswithconsumersgettingoutin-ronto-theindustryandbuildingourbrand.x1dTOBTipsfromToraoAskedwhattobaccoretailersnewtothecigarsideo-thebusinesscandotobuildaloyalcigarcustomerbaseCharlieorao-ocusesontwopointsstorageconditionsandin-ormation.x1cPeoplewhosmokehandmadecigarswalkintoastoreandimmediatelyno-ticetheconditionthecigarisinx1dhesays.x1cObviouslyyouwanttoox3eragoodchoicebutthewayyoutakecareo-thecigarsyouox3eriscritical.x1dEquallyimportantistheabilitytoeducateandin-ormyourcustomerheadds.x1cConsumerso-handmadecigarsareinterestedinin-ormationx1dhesays.x1cTisisapassion-oraloto-people.Temoreknowledgeableyoursalespeoplearethemoretheycanengagepeoplewhocomeintothestorewithnewin-ormation.x1d