Happy Halloween everyone! I was going to post the winner of the Big Papi humidor contest tonight, but I think I’ll give it one more day while I hand out candy tonight and smoke a nice cigar on the front porch as I do every year! In the mean time, here’s some exciting news from the folks at Kretek International and Ventura Cigar Co. I’m glad to see that Michael Giannini has reconnected with the brand that he put so much energy into in his time with General Cigar Co!
Kretek International, Inc. Acquires Foundry Tobacco Company
Effective immediately, Most Foundry Brands to be Distributed by Kretek International, Inc.
October 31, 2018 – “The wheel is come full circle.” So said William Shakespeare long ago, but the notion is never more true than today. With Michael Giannini as General Manager at Ventura Cigars, parent company, Kretek International, Inc. has just acquired the Foundry Tobacco Company. This marks a return of a brand to its master, as under his tenure at General Cigars, Giannini created Foundry Tobacco Company, disrupting the cigar scene with its edgy look and avant-garde experience. Most of the Foundry cigars are back under the wing of Giannini and now under the powerful distribution arm of Kretek International.
“It’s both a new day, and a familiar day,” says Giannini. “To see Foundry boxes on my Ventura Cigars’ desk is a little bit unreal. And yet, it seems so normal to have them sitting there. Almost like they are returning home. I’m thankful to General Cigars for taking such good care of the brand, and to the solid relationship between General and Kretek International that enabled this new phase for Foundry. I’m proud to represent the brand, both where it started, and now where it’s headed.”
Unconventional and conversational since its inception, Foundry Cigar Company is a study of past, present, and future. Each cigar features distinct blends of tobaccos that guide the senses on a journey of evolving tastes and experience. Foundry offers the unexpected and uncovers all possibilities.
“We’re excited to bring Foundry Tobacco Company brands into our fold,” says Jason Carignan, CMO of Kretek International, Inc. “Their products have an edge that plays well with our vibe, and the quality of their smoke is exactly what we’ve built Kretek’s reputation upon. General Cigars has done an amazing job with Foundry, and we’re going to keep up the good work that they’ve started.”
Effective immediately, Kretek International, Inc. will begin distributing Foundry Tobacco Company brands. Foundry’s popular Time Flies blend, developed in collaboration with A.J. Fernandez, is moving under Ventura Cigars. The company will soon begin to work on new blends under the Foundry brand, which will be announced soon. For more information about Ventura Cigar Company, or to inquire about any of these brands, please visit venturacigar.com.
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About Kretek International, Inc
Kretek International, Inc. parent company to Ventura Cigar Company, is America’s number one importer, marketer, and distributor of specialty tobacco products to convenience, mass, and national retailers. For over 30 years, Kretek has enjoyed a strong reputation for providing exceptional customer relationships and top-quality goods. The company continues to offer standout brands like Djarum, Cuban Rounds, and Djeep Lighters to distribution channels across the United States and Canada, bringing value, high-margins, and growth to retailers and distributors.
About Ventura Cigar Company
Ventura Cigar Company (VCC) is a unique cigar brand born in sunny Southern California that is on a mission to create memorable, complex cigar blends that excite the senses and reward discriminating palates. Their flagship Archetype, Case Study, Project805, and PSyKo SEVEN brands offer multiple award-winning blends that earned 90+ ratings in Cigar Aficionado, Cigar & Spirits, and Cigar Snob. And Archetype’s Axis Mundi won #13 Cigar of the Year for 2017 from Cigar Aficionado. Ventura Cigar Company also distributes the 4th Generation and Comoy’s of London line of pipe tobacco products, extending its reach and tradition of offering top-quality tobacconist products. Pipes and blends under these brands are cultivated through generations of craftsmanship, making them longtime favorites of pipe tobacco enthusiasts.
