Don Cigarro and the visions of the new owner
Vincent Hartl is the new Managing Director of Don Cigarro. His father, Ulrich Hartl, bought Don Cigarro in spring 2022. As the owner of Hartl Premium Tobacco GmbH and importer of Rocky Patel, Oscar Valladares and other branded cigars, he has been active in the Swiss market since 2003. In addition, he already owns two specialist tobacco stores in the canton of Zug. Both stores are Habanos Points, and Don Cigarro is now a Habanos Specialist.
What can customers expect from Don Cigarro?
The existing range will remain and customers will be able to buy their products as usual. In the future, Vincent Hartl intends to focus intensively on news from the Swiss market.
Here you can find Don Cigarro and the Cuba range
"What is also close to my heart," Vincent tells me, "is that the availability of Cuban cigars improves as soon as possible. That would of course please our customers who enjoy Cuban cigars."
Note, status October 2022: This interview was recorded before the hurricane. It has largely destroyed Pinar del Rio. It is therefore currently uncertain whether and how availability will suffer.
"As far as the price increase for Cuban cigars in summer 2022 is concerned," Vincent continues, "many customers don't understand it. The Cohiba Robusto used to cost CHF 32.80 and overnight it costs CHF 71.50. That's more than double the price. It's the same product, the same packaging... it's hard to understand. Of course, small formats such as Siglo I or Trinidad Reyes suffer in particular."
Vincent and his vision
Vincent studied business administration. He worked in various positions in his father's company. One day, his father said to him: "Don Cigarro is for sale. What do you think, should I buy the company and you can run it as managing director and implement your vision?" Vincent initially declined because he was already looking for a job outside his father's company.
Some time passed and the idea of running Don Cigarro as managing director grew in Vincent's mind. "It's a good idea," he said to his father one day. "It's also a good way to plan the succession of your company." -"Yes!" his father replied. No sooner said than done. Don Cigarro was bought after all.
The previous owner, Jürg Brunold, ran Don Cigarro successfully for 18 years together with his sister Tina Brunold. As Brunold and Hartl emphasize, the sale took place in an atmosphere of partnership and fairness.
What is Vincent's vision and what is his concrete plan? "Well, I don't want to give everything away," he smiles and continues: "For customers, the first step is a smooth transition. They will find the website as they know it. The next step is to make the necessary changes and adjustments in many areas: Website technology, newsletter concept and many other things. Customers can look forward to the future with Don Cigarro!"
Resources on the topic
You can find the whole series here
The Habanos cigar: 4-part film documentary with eBooks
Photos of this post: FotoWerk 132
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