Claudio Sgroi Leaving Mombacho Cigars S.A.

Claudio Sgroi is leaving Mombacho Cigars S.A. after a decade of working with the Granada, Nicaragua-based company.

Effective April 1, Sgroi will no longer serve as the company’s master blender. He will also no longer serve as an “active partner” in the company according to a press release he issued.

Sgroi is currently the company’s master blender, a role he began in 2012. In addition, he also served as a consultant, director of operations, and president since he started working with the company in 2011.

During his tenure, the company went from being an almost unheard-of brand, making three—or four—different cigars to one that is sold in international markets. Arguably the largest change was the opening of its Casa Favilli factory in 2014, which serves as not only its production facility but also a popular tourist spot in Granada, Nicaragua. Mombacho Cigars S.A. also introduced new lines such as its flagship Mombacho Cosecha brand and a partnership with Diplomaticó, the Venezuelan rum brand. In addition, the company expanded its distribution in international markets.

Sgroi says he will continue to serve as the president of the Cámara Nicaragüense de Tabacaleros, the Nicaraguan Tobacco Chamber, though he did not announce any specific plans other than to “focus his time and energy on his family and other professional ventures… and expanding his global reach in the industry by partnering with leading and up-and-coming brands.”

“I am excited and looking forward to dedicating more time to the Nicaraguan Tobacco Chamber, as I have a deep responsibility to represent the leading manufacturers in the world,” said Sgroi. “The members of the chamber are making the highest quality cigars available today.”