Tobacco Business

[ 6 ] TOBACCO BUSINESS [ NOVEMBER / DECEMBER | 21 ] TPE22 10 | SEE YOU IN VEGAS With the TPE22 trade show just a few short weeks away, we’ve got the essential details of what you can expect at the upcoming show plus three things you can do now to prepare for it. STARTUP MARKETING 12 | KNOW THY CUSTOMER How do you breathe new life into an established brand or product? Republic Brands’ Paul Marobella gives tips for how you can engage with customers and tell your brand’s story. TECHNOLOGY 14 | VIRTUAL HUMIDOR ASSISTANT Imagine being able to speak directly to consumers straight from the humidor without physically being there. Thanks to HumidifGroup, that’s now a reality with its new Smart Packaging. 18 PAGE CONTENT 32 PAGE 48 PAGE 58 PAGE ON THE COVER: RAFAEL NODAL PHOTO BY SLAV GORDEYEV LEGISLATION 16 | CONSEQUENCES OF FLAVOR BANS Do bans on flavored tobacco and vapor products really work? A re- cent study’s findings suggest they may do far more harm than good. FEATURES 18 | HITTING ALL THE RIGHT NOTES Since the late 1990s, Rafael Nodal has made boutique cigars his primary business. Now he’s applying all that he’s learned about the boutique category to Tabacalera USA’s iconic cigar portfolio. 32 | MINDING HER BUSINESS For Desiree Sylver, cigars were a way to pass the time and relax, but the de- sire to create a cigar for herself turned into a new business venture that has many people doing a double take. 40 | BURNING MAN Jeremy McDonald had dreams of playing music and even went to seminary school before he began selling cigars. Now he’s entering a new chapter in his career as a cigar brand owner. 48 | NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK Jeffrey Amendola and Chris Monaco are blending their Italian heritage into the traditional cigar industry. While they may be newcomers to the indus- try, you better not call them boutique. 58 | MOTIVATIONS Danny Difabio’s family fled Cuba in the 1970s and came to America, where they launched their own tobacco business, Rodriguez Cigars, Key West’s sole cigarmakers. TOBACCONIST 66 | THE NEW RULES OF BOUTIQUE Consumers are no longer brand loyal— they’re seeking out new brands and products. Tobacconist University shares tips for leveraging boutique brands in your store. 72 | COUNTERPOINT: BOUTIQUE CIGARS What do some of the country’s top tobacconists think about boutique cigars? This special retail panel dis- cusses the ins and outs of boutique, including which brands are hitting the mark. 80 | ONE WISH How do small, boutique tobacco retailers get bigger? Pennsylvania retailer Wooden Indian Tobacco Shop’s owner shares how he scaled its business as well as his wish for other retailers. 88 | ON YOUR SHELF Ferio Tego, the new premium cigar and accessories brand from Michael Herklots and Brendon Scott, makes its debut.