Tobacco Business

stores, grocery stores and smoke shops, but also premium tobacconists. Like many premium cigar brands, Frontier Cigars is manufactured in the Dominican Republic and incorporates all-natural tobaccos grown in the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua and the U.S. Frontier Cigars also doesn’t cut any corners when it comes to its production. Retailers and consumers can expect a premium smoking experience when they choose any of Frontier’s products. The only noticeable difference for many when smoking Frontier’s products is that they’re going to pay much less than they do for a product that is marketed as being premium. “We’re laser-focused on bringing the same high-quality standards used in manufacturing premium cigars to the traditional mass market but at an affordable price point that will appeal to a wide range of retail customers. Also, better prices mean greater profits for retailers,” Louis states. Thanks to its work with so many cigar companies over the years through Island Lifestyle, there was far less severe of a learning curve involved when Louis and his team launched Frontier Brands in 2018. Island Lifestyle has grown over the years by keeping track of what consumers want and expect from cigar brands. One discovery Louis and his team has made is that when it comes to consumer preferences and figuring out how they really impact the market, it’s not as clear and direct as some companies believe it is. “Do consumer trends move themarkets or domarkets move consumer trends? That is the question,” he explains. For Island Lifestyle and Frontier Brands in particular, this question isn’t as daunting because of the many interactions he and his team have had with cigar companies over the years while building the business of Island Lifestyle. These business transactions put his company in a unique position, allowing it to evaluate the market and consumer trends from up close. When it came time to launch Frontier Brands and build out its portfolio, the company had years of experience and data showing how consumers’ preferences toward cigars had changed and evolved and allowed it to launch with more certainty and confidence that its products were going to resonate with the market. “Regardless of whether it is a new concept or a product innovation on an existing product, we have never shied away from an entrepreneurial endeavor when we believe in the concept,” says Louis. “We have enjoyed a considerable amount of success in our first full year in the marketplace—so much so, we accelerated the marketplace launch to this year for our Frontier XL and our handmade Frontier Cigarillos. The overwhelming acceptance of our flagship product, Frontier Cheroots, along with the growth in the convenience cigar segment, allowed us to advance these product offerings by about two years.” Frontier XL Cigars are handmade in the Dominican Republic using all-natural Dominican and Nicaraguan tobaccos wrapped in a quality Ecuadorian Connecticut leaf. This cigar is available in six flavors: honey, honey-berry, Russian cream, rum, sweet aromatic and whiskey. This cigar, which measures 6 x 44, comes packaged in stay-fresh resealable pouches that each contain three cigars. For stores, Frontier XL comes packaged in retail-friendly boxes that each contain eight pouches. Frontier XL joins Frontier’s other two portfolio staples, Frontier Cheroot and Frontier Cigarillos. Frontier Cheroot is described as an old-fashioned cheroot cigar that harkens back to yesteryear. Its blend consists of all-natural tobaccos from the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua that are wrapped in a lush U.S.A. Pennsylvania Broadleaf wrapper. In addition to rich flavors, Louis highlights this cigar’s pleasing aromas as one of its selling points. Frontier Cheroot, which measures 5 x 38, is available in resealable fresh packs in four different flavors: honey, honey-berry, Russian cream and sweet aromatic. Frontier Cigarillos are handmade in the Dominican Republic using Dominican and Nicaraguan tobaccos. Wrapped in an Ecuadorian Connecticut leaf wrapper, this 4 1/4 x 30 cigar comes in six flavors—honey, honey-berry, Russian cream, rum, sweet aromatic and whiskey—and comes in crush-proof, 10-count stay- fresh tins. All of Frontier’s cigars are made in its factory located in the Dominican Republic. To ensure the quality of its cigars is maintained from the factory to the consumer’s hands, the company has gone All of Frontier's cigar products are manufactured in the Dominican Republic using premium tobaccos and are sold to consumers at an affordable price point. [ 60 ] TOBACCO BUSINESS [ JANUARY / FEBRUARY | 22 ]