Claudio Sgroi leaves Mombacho Cigars
Claudio Sgroi leaves Mombacho Cigars. After a decade of blending and running Mombacho Cigars, Claudio Sgroi is leaving the Nicaraguan cigar manufacturer. But Sgroi remains active in the Nicaraguan tobacco industry. He’s the President of the Nicaraguan Tobacco Chamber (CNT) and remains in his role.
Mombacho
Sgroi is born in Italy and worked as an Italian teacher all over the world. In 2001 he was working as a teacher in the Dominican Republic. Davidoff needed a translator for a group of Italian visitors and asked if Sgroi could be the interpreter for that day. Sgroi fell in love with tobacco during that visit, and Henke Kelner saw something in Sgroi. So he took him under his wing and thought him everything he could teach. In 2009, Sgroi moved to Miami and started consulting small manufacturers on how to improve quality and business. One of his clients was Mombacho.
Sgroi soon joined Mombacho as master blender and director of operations. He packed his backs again and moved to Grenada, Nicaragua. Under his wing, Mombacho’s business grew. The brand is now available in several international markets. The Casa Favilli factory is upgraded and renovated. And several Mombacho blends are now internationally recognized.
Sgroi is responsible for many new blends, vitolas but also for new quality control systems. The investment in enhancing relationships with tobacco growers is paying off and sales are increasing. The colonial villa that is the Mombacho factory is fully renovated and one of the most unique cigar factories in the world.
Puro Sabor
“In the past decade I worked tirelessly to build assets for future growth,” Sgroi says. “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,” Sgroi adds. “The members of the chamber are making the highest quality cigars available today.”
As the chairman for the NTC, he oversees the organization of the Puro Sabor cigar festival and the promotion of Nicaraguan cigars in general. The members of the CNT are responsible for 95% of the export of cigars and raw tobacco from Nicaragua.
Recently Cam Heaps, one of the founders of Mombacho, came back to the company in the role of president. And Jared Ingrisano joined as director of global sales.
