Chip Goldeen Out at El Septimo

Chip Goldeen, who has headed up El Septimo’s sales for the last three years, is no longer with the company.

Zaya Younan, owner of El Septimo, confirmed his departure but did not provide any further details. Attempts to reach Goldeen were unsuccessful.

Formally, his title was director of sales and business development. Goldeen is best known for spending more than two decades with Ashton Distributors, Inc.—where he was vp of sales for the company behind the Ashton, La Aroma de Cuba and San Cristobal brands—before leaving and quickly joining El Septimo. His tenure began in July 2021 and aligned with a period of major transformation for El Septimo, which was a brand with little U.S. presence prior to Younan’s purchase in early 2019. Since then, El Septimo has been known for its elaborate packaging, opulent trade show booths and eye-popping price tags for one-off accessories. Most importantly, El Septimo has gone from an obscure Swiss brand to one with U.S. distribution.