Sylver’s philosophy is that life is too short to sit around and cry over a lot of things, thus the name Drunk Chicken Cigars worked for this new business venture. Because the name is a bit kitschy, some have questioned the legitimacy of the brand and its products when they first hear it. People not taking the brand seriously because of the name is another issue that is just part of the business process. Sylver has been told that if she’d change the name of her company, she might do better. She agrees to some extent but also feels there’s no certainty that a different name would necessarily make business any better. Drunk Chicken Cigars is here to stay.
The poultry theme carries over into the names of the different cigar lines as well: the DCO (Drunk Chicken Original) the Mother Clucker, the Fat Hen, Living the Dream and Sweet Dreams. These cigars are all based on Sylver and Rico’s palates and what they enjoy eating and drinking. Rico prefers 6 x 60 cigars while Sylver likes Lanceros. Rico likes full-bodied cigars and Sylver prefers cigars that are more on the medium side. When creating the blends, Sylver wanted a cigar that was spicy and would pair with red wine—and something that was quick to smoke. Mother Clucker had the spice Sylver wanted, and Living the Dream is a smooth smoke that could be enjoyed in a short amount of time. Sweet Dreams was developed after receiving the request for something sweet. Discussions with lounge owners also led to the development of several other cigars, including the Egg-Treme and the event-only Homicidal Hen.
Five of the blends were launched right before the pandemic, and with in-person events unable to happen, Sylver relied on virtual herfs and Zoom meetings to get feedback on her products. This feedback helped to refine the company’s marketing plans, giving them retail and consumer-generated tasting notes and descriptions of their cigars. Everything Sylver and her team does is a collaboration, and the feedback received from customers is how Drunk Chicken Cigars is quickly becoming a favorite among cigar enthusiasts looking for something different to smoke.
Timing has also played a role in Drunk Chicken Cigars’ gradual rise. With the company launching during 2020, Sylver and her company were sought out by those looking to support Black-owned and female-led businesses.
“At the time, while there was Tres Lindas [Cubanas Cigars], led by two Afro-Cuban sisters, I think I was maybe the only other one that was visible,” she says. “Now I’m sure there were other ones, but at that time, it just felt like we were the only two companies out there that were female, Afro-owned. It kind of propelled us.”
As a female brand owner, Sylver has also encountered her fair share of questions regarding her knowledge of cigars and about being a brand owner. While this aspect of the business has been frustrating, she chooses to focus on getting to yes rather than any nos she may receive. She also incorporates her own experiences into her brand, making sure her company and its cigars appeal to the masses rather than a segment of the industry.
“I do make a conscious effort to make sure that I’m inclusive, because one of the things that I love about the cigar industry is that I can go to just about any lounge, sit down, and the person across from me can be a different color, race, orientation, religion, whatever, and we can have a great conversation,” she says. “That’s what I try to focus on: making sure that we’re inclusive because I do believe we’re a cigar company first.”
The Real Competition
Though Drunk Chicken Cigars is small in size, Sylver isn’t concerned with competing with anyone other than herself. There may be bigger companies in the cigar category, but Sylver knows competing with them is a losing game. Trying to keep up with others in the industry will take her focus away from her own brand and business, and keeping up with so-called competitors will lead to her going bankrupt, she explains. She’s focused on things that she can control: creating a quality cigar and customer service. As someone who’s obsessed with data and analytics, Sylver is competing with others by asking what she feels are the right questions—questions that will ultimately lead to Drunk Chicken Cigars putting out products that appeal to a wide range of cigar enthusiasts and that will help expand her business.
Like any brand owner, she’s watching what’s happening with regulations and has a lawyer on hand to help navigate the legal waters of cigars, but she’s more focused on the bigger picture: future growth. At this year’s Premium Cigar Association (PCA) trade show, Drunk Chicken Cigars opened 27-30 new accounts. She also got to spend time with other brand owners who have offered her advice on what to do in order to achieve success.
“At PCA, Matt Booth [of Room 101] gave me great advice,” says Sylver. “Basically, he reminded me that customer service was important and said he felt like when you have less customers, you can be a better company. Hiram & Solomon … I love them. I feel like they’ve adopted me. They’ve been super, super nice in providing advice. I met them in Pennsylvania and had them smoke my cigar. They gave me feedback, saying they loved the cigar and that I was doing the right thing. Every time I see them, they both are very encouraging. Right before PCA, I actually told them that I felt like I couldn’t do this. They said, ‘No, you’re doing the right thing. You will be OK. Keep up the good work.’”
Many don’t see or understand the work required to own and run a cigar brand, Sylver explains. There’s very little “fun” to be had for a brand owner, but she’s OK with that—this is her business, and she’s willing to put in the hours and effort necessary to make Drunk Chicken Cigars a success. It’s why she’s willing to be “on” at all times to promote her brand and why little things, such as people calling her company by the wrong name (it’s Drunk Chicken, not Drunken Chicken) don’t phase her that much. Her company may be small and boutique, but there’s nothing small about her vision of the future. Drunk Chicken Cigars has a future in the industry, and despite being boutique, from its products to its customer service, it’s a premium cigar company through and through.
This story first appeared in the November/December 2021 issue of Tobacco Business magazine. Members of the tobacco industry are eligible for a complimentary subscription to our magazine. Click here for details.
– Photography by Photography by Kristen Gonzalez. Story by Antoine Reid, senior editor and digital director for Tobacco Business Magazine. You can follow him on Instagram @editor.reid.
