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VenturaCigarCo.toLaunchattheIPCPRShowKretekInternationalInc.hasannouncedtheformationofVenturaCigarCo.withnewimportedcigarbrandsavailableforcustomersamplingandenjoymentattheIPCPRshowinLasVegasbeginningJuly18.Wearereallyexcitedaboutwhatwearebringingtothepremiumcigarmar-ketsaysKretekCEOMarkCassar.TheVenturaCigargroupgivesusastrongfo-cusonqualityattheupperendoftheci-garcategorywithuniquenewbrandsfortheU.S.andCanada.TheVenturaCigarinitiativewasbeguntwoyearsagoasapremiumimportedgroupwithinKretekInternational.Theongoinggoalistodeliverahigh-qualityportfolioofpremiumhandmadecigarsatallpopularpricepoints.ArangeofVenturaproductswasblend-edandtestedoverthepasttwoyearsinconjunctionwiththePlasenciafamilyinHondurasandNicaragua.WewantedtocomeoutwithaportfoliowherewegotitrightthersttimeevenifvolumemightbelimitedfortherstcoupleofmonthssaysCassar.CassarandPlasenciaVPNestorAndresPlasenciacollaboratedontheVenturabrandseachbringingtheirpersonalexpertiseintobaccogrowingblendingbrandingmarketinganddistri-butiontothetable.Venturaiseldingitsownsalesforceasanintegralpartoftheventureinitiallycon-centratingonselectedmajorurbancen-ters.InitiallyPhillipsKingInternationalwillbeVenturasexclusivedistributorsoitwillbeeasyforretailerswhoalreadybuyfromPKtobuyVenturabrands.TheagshipbrandoftheVenturaCi-garCo.willbePuraSangrewithavisohabanoNicaraguanwrapperagedforveyearsandaNicaraguanllerblendofCondega-Estel-andJalapa-growntobaccos.ThePuraSangrestickisthepersonalblendofNestorPlasenciaSr.whoemigratedfromCubaat15tobuildthefamilytobaccogrowingandpremiumcigarbusinessesinNicaraguaandHon-duras.ThePuraSangrebrandwasdevel-opedin2010andisnowboxedforship-ment.Whilesmokingarangeofcigarsto-getherMarkCassarandNestorAndresPlasenciabothconcludedthatthisdarkfull-avoredstickhandmadeatthePlasenciafacilityinEstelNicaraguahadtobethepowerhitterofthelineup.MyfathercansmokeanycigarintheworldandheblendedthisoneashispersonalfavoritePlasenciaexplains.ThebrandwasimmediatelynamedPuraSangrebythetworeectingtheheritageofthefamiliesandtheproduct.PuraSangrewillavailableforshipmentimmediatelyaftertheIPCPRshowtose-lectedIPCPRmembertobacconistsinboththeU.S.andCanada.Retailpricingisplannedinthe9-to-12range.Foursizeshavebeenmadeandareinstockindesignerboxesof20cigarseach.Three-packsamplersintheChurchillsizearealsoavailable.OtherVenturabrandsincludethemid-pricedEstiloCubanomadeinHondurasusinganagedvisohabanomadurowrap-perandablendofligerohabanoandsecohabanoJamastranValleyllers.EstiloCu-banoisnishedwitharabodecochinopigtailheadandcomesinboxesof20andafour-packvarietysampler.SmokerswhotriedEstiloCubanoinpilotstudiesravedaboutitsrichmid-boldtasteandsmoothnish.InadditionVenturawillbeintroduc-ingLasRamblasanewbrandnamedafterthefamousconuenceofveboulevardsatthesocialcenterofBarce-lonaSpain.LasRamblasishandmadeinHondurasinaTorosizeinachoiceofthreewrappershabanocriollomaduroandHonduranConnecticut-shadewithblendvariationstomatch.Thebrandwillbeattheheartofthepopular-priceseg-mentandcomesinaunique60-stickhu-midordisplaywiththree20-countslide-topboxesinarow.NewHugoCassarNicaraguanhand-madecigarbundleswillalsobelaunchedattheIPCPRshowandreadyforimme-diateshipment.HughCassarhasmar-ketedvalue-pricedcigarsfornearlytwodecades.ThenewNicaraguancigarsaremid-mildincharacterandwillcompeteinthebundlecategoryinfoursizes.OnatriptoCentralAmericainOctober2010HughCassarandNestorPlasenciaSr.selectedtheblendandsizes.VenturaCigarCo.www.venturacigar.comwillbelocatedatBooth800attheIPCPRshowalongsidePhillipsKingIn-ternational.TOBACCOOUTLETBUSINESSJULYAUGUST2011JULYAUGUST201116NEWSTRENDSNewKretekInternationalgrouptofocusonpremiumimportedsegmentwithfournewbrands.