The Prime Time Awards are voted on by each of the three members of the Prime Time Podcasts. The awards look at the impact on the cigar industry. Today, we unveil our choice for 2019 Large Factory of the Year. This award factors in things such as innovation, continued quality, and impact to the industry. Tabacalera […]
Prime Time Awards 2019: Small/Medium Factory of the Year – Fabrica Oveja Negra
William Cooper Feature Story No Comments 2019 Prime Time Awards, 2019 Year in Review, Fabrica de Oveja Negra, Oveja Negra Brands, Prime Time Awards
The Prime Time Awards are voted on by each of the three members of the Prime Time Podcasts. The awards look at the impact on the cigar industry. Today, we unveil our choice for 2019 Small/Medium Factory of the Year. This award factors things such as innovation, continued quality, and impact to the industry. […]
2019 Year in Review: Top 12 Cigar Industry Stories and Themes of 2019
William Cooper Cigar News, Feature Story No Comments 2019 Year in Review, Feature Story, News
For the ninth consecutive year, we bring you our selections and analysis for the Top 12 cigar industry news stories and themes for the year. Unlike how we consider cigars for our Cigar of the Year Countdown, these news story selections are based on the actual calendar year for 2019. These stories are individual […]
Feature Story: The Great Divide of The Top 25
William Cooper Feature Story 4 Comments Cigar Aficionado, Cigar Coop, Feature Story, Halfwheel
Recently, Cigar Coop published an article where we looked at the correlation between media relations (press releases, press communication, and press relationships) and the number of cigars that landed on the leading cigar industry year-end lists – the Halfwheel Consensus and Cigar Aficionado. We also looked at the Cigar Coop’s own performance in this area. […]
Feature Story: Pre-Game Analysis on Altria’s Plans to Sell Nat Sherman
William Cooper Feature Story No Comments Altria, Feature Story, Nat Sherman
On October 23rd, tobacco giant Altria announced it was exploring options for Nat Sherman International, including the possibility of a sale. A part of the potential sale includes its wholesale premium cigar business as well as the lease of the company’s flagship Townhouse store in Manhattan. Today, we take a closer look at what this […]
Feature Story: For Top 25 Ratings in 2018 – Press Releases Mattered
William Cooper Feature Story 1 Comment 2018 Year in Review, Cigar Aficionado, Cigar Coop, Feature Story, Halfwheel
If one wanted to predict what cigars will end up on the leading cigar industry end of the year lists, one may want to look at what companies have provided press releases to the media. On the two lists considered to be the most influential: 25 of the 25 entries of the 2018 Halfwheel Consensus […]
Feature Story: Analysis of STG’s Pending Acquisition of Royal Agio Cigars
William Cooper Feature Story No Comments Feature Story, Royal Agio Cigars, Scandinavian Tobacco Group, STG
On September 16, 2019, there came shocking news to many in the cigar industry that Royal Agio Cigars was being acquired by tobacco giant Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG). As we typically do on Cigar Coop, we will here offer analysis on what this news could mean for both parties as well as cigar enthusiasts. Why […]
IPCPR 2019 Spotlight: Five Companies that “Held the Line” at the 2019 Trade Show
William Cooper Feature Story, IPCPR 2019 No Comments Ashton, Davidoff, Feature Story, IPCPR 2019, Matilde, MLB Cigar Ventures, Patina, Regius, SeiBel Distribution
“Holding the line” is a term I use to describe those companies that come into the IPCPR with no new product and no new packaging. It’s the final article of our 2019 IPCPR Coverage – and at times it is the most challenging one to write. Namely, what exactly do you write – that the […]
IPCPR 2019 Spotlight: Cigar Marketplace
William Cooper Feature Story, IPCPR 2019 No Comments Cigar Marketplace, Feature Story, IPCPR 2019
This year marked the debut of Starky Arias’ new company, Cigar Marketplace. For many years, the cigar industry has known Arias for his work. Arias is best known for his work as a creative director for many cigar brands, and for his tenure at Cigar Rings and Marketing Director for AJ Fernandez Cigars. With Cigar […]
IPCPR 2019 Spotlight: A.C.E. Prime
William Cooper Feature Story, IPCPR 2019 No Comments ACE Prime, Feature Story, IPCPR 2019
A.C.E. Prime is a new cigar company that had its official launch at the 2019 IPCPR Trade Show. You have to go back to Micallef Cigars in 2017 to see a company that has had a major launch on the level of A.C.E. Prime. The company launched four brands and ten different blends. While much […]