Miami Cigar & Co. Downsizing Sales Force (Update)

Next year, Miami Cigar & Co.’s salesforce will be much smaller.

Effective Jan. 1, the company will reduce its salesforce from 14 sales representatives and brokers to just five.

In a letter to retailers by Jason Wood, vice-president of Miami Cigar & Co., the company said it was moving in a different direction. He declined to provide much in the way of detail in the letter, but it seems likely the move is related to the fact that one brand—the flavored cigar line Tatiana—makes up a disproportionate of the company’s sales despite receiving little advertising and few new products.

Miami Cigar & Co. has other brands it owns—Nestor Miranda and Don Lino—and is the U.S. distributor for La Aurora and Toscano. It’s unclear whether it will continue to distribute La Aurora and Toscano going forward.

Wood’s letter is as follows:

Dear Miami Cigar Family,

Many families begin as a small unit and then grow in numbers as the years progress. Ultimately, with that growth, there comes a time when family members need to make hard decisions for their own individual futures. Our Miami Cigar Family is no different. We, too, have reached that moment in our family history. It is with a heavy heart that I reach out to you today with an important update on actions we are taking as we move forward into the future.

Effective January 1, 2021, there will be a reorganization of the company’s business model. The changes include a restructuring of our field operations and management positions, affecting multiple divisions of the company. I do not take these actions lightly, but, while these decisions are not easy, they are necessary.

To our valued employees who are directly affected by these changes, I express my sincerest gratitude for all your hard work and dedication. I wish you the very best in your future endeavors and want you to know that you will ALWAYS be a part of the MIAMI CIGAR FAMILY.

To our loyal retailers, I would like to thank you for giving us the opportunity to serve your companies over the last 30 years and I look forward to many more of prosperity and mutually beneficial association. In the coming weeks, you will be receiving additional information about Miami Cigar’s changes, but rest assured that your needs will continue to be met by the same FIVE‐STAR service that you have come to expect from Miami Cigar & Company.

Thank you for your understanding, and please do not hesitate to reach out to me directly should you have any questions.

Wood also noted that “the restructuring will affect multiple levels of the company including outside sales and management. Of course in the meantime should retailers have questions our office remains open until December 22nd at which time we will break for the holiday.”

Update (Nov. 28, 2020) — La Aurora has issued the following statement: