Claudio Sgroi beats humidity: new cigar factory under construction

Claudio Sgroi is managing a new, fascinating project in Masaya, Nicaragua. Despite the challenges of the hot and humid climate, the factory already has major orders on the horizon. I spoke to him. In this interview, find out more about Sgroi's commitment, the migration of cigar rollers and the future of tobacco cultivation in the region and what influence the WHO has on tobacco farmers.

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Claudio Sgroi in conversation with Zigarren.Zone

The interview

Which project are you currently managing in Masaya (near Granada, Nicaragua)?

In Masaya, I am responsible for opening a new cigar factory. This includes organising the entire quality control, testing the raw material and starting production. It's a small factory, but we expect it to grow quickly. The factory already has some big orders and we need more than 50 people to work there in the next few months.

What can you tell us about it in detail? Does it have anything to do with MBF Cigars?

It has nothing to do with MBF. I left Favilli at the beginning of March 2021 and haven't been in touch since.

He began his career in 2001 in the Dominican Republic, alongside Hendrik Kelner, Davidoff's Master Blender.

It is said that it is too hot and too humid in the region to make cigars. That's why there aren't many cigar rollers. Is that true?

Yes, that's true. It's hot and humid, and it's a bit far away from the tobacco region where all the factories are. But with the knowledge I have about the area, it's not a problem to start production there. It's all about getting the factory into an air-conditioned space, and that's what we did. So that external factors such as rain, outside temperature, etc. have no influence.

In 2011, he joined Mombacho Cigars as a consultant, where he designed and implemented new vitolas, successful blends, an effective quality assurance system and a complete redimensioning of warehousing and logistics.

Which region does the tobacco for Masaya come from?

The tobaccos we use come from Condega and Jalapa, two regions in Nicaragua, but also from Ecuador and Cameroon.

He oversaw the renovation of Casa Favilli, a historical monument in Granada that now serves as the Mombacho cigar factory. 

Is the migration of cigar rollers from Nicaragua to the USA still so dramatically high?

Yes, it is still a real problem. More than 200,000 Nicaraguans emigrated from Nicaragua last year, which is a real problem for manufacturers, labour is scarce and it is very difficult to find people.

It is said that emigration is linked to low wages. How do you intend to solve this project in Masaya?

The problem is not just to do with wages, but with the economic situation in the country. Wages in the cigar industry are high enough to provide a decent living for every worker, and minimum wages are even higher than in other industries.

Claudio Sgroi is a renowned Master Blender with twenty years of experience in the tobacco industry and cigar production.

Has the climate for tobacco growing changed in the last 20 or 30 years? I mean, is there more or less rain and has the harvest time shifted in the months?

We can see the changes and sometimes it is very difficult to predict them. One example is the rainy season, which year after year ends later than in the past, causing all growers to adjust the seasonal calendar for tobacco cultivation with a certain degree of risk.

The WHO is calling on governments to stop subsidising tobacco cultivation. Tobacco farmers should then grow food instead of tobacco. I didn't know that governments subsidise tobacco growing. Is that even true? And will tobacco farmers in Nicaragua and Honduras stop subsidising tobacco and grow food?

This is a problem for countries that grow a lot of tobacco for the cigarette industry. The WHO is urging governments to replace tobacco with other products, which is a particular problem for countries in Africa and the Far East. The countries that grow tobacco for cigars in Central America and the Caribbean are not yet affected. Incidentally, tobacco cultivation in Nicaragua is not subsidised by the government.

Thank you very much for the interview, Claudio. What advice do you have for us cigar connoisseurs?

Staying open to new cigars, new cigar makers and developing your palate will make you more educated and knowledgeable.

About Claudio Sgroi

Claudio Sgroi is a renowned Master Blender with twenty years of experience in the tobacco industry and cigar production. He began his career in 2001 in the Dominican Republic, working alongside Hendrik Kelner, Davidoff's Master Blender. He has held increasingly important roles in the Dominican Republic, Switzerland, Italy, Nicaragua and the United States, where he has acquired extensive knowledge of the industry and processes, including agronomic processes, blending, cigar production, marketing and international sales. 

In 2011, he joined Mombacho Cigars as a consultant, where he designed and implemented new vitolas, successful blends, an effective quality assurance system and a complete redimensioning of warehousing and logistics. He created a distribution and sales network that covered more than twelve countries and developed productive relationships with the best tobacco farmers in Nicaragua. He oversaw the renovation of Casa Favilli, a historical monument in Granada that now serves as the Mombacho cigar factory. 

In January 2020, he was elected President of the Nicaragua Tobacco Chamber (CNT), which has 26 members representing 95 % of the cigars and tobacco exported from Nicaragua.

Resources on the topic

MBF Cigars: Articles at Zigarren.Zone

Claudio Sgroi launches consultancy firm (Article at Zigarren.Zone)

Search for Claudio Sgroi on Google

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