Add Oliva and Rocky Patel to the list of premium cigar companies expanding into the convenience store market. Both companies made their plans known at the Tobacco Plus Expo last week. For Rocky Patel Premium Cigars, this could not have been much of a surprise. The company introduced humidified foil packaging options at the 2013 IPCPR trade show and convention, although at the time it said it had no plans to sell to c-stores. The Rocky Patel Edge Lite Toro (13.70/$27.40), Vintage 1990 Toro ($18.70/$37.40), Vintage 1999 Toro ($18.70/$37.40), Vintage 1990/1999 Toro multi-pack ($18.70/$37.40) and Decade Toro ($21.50/$43.00) will be sold in two-packs and four-packs. Stores are shipped either 20 two-packs or 10 four-packs. The company is using Boveda two-way humidity devices for humidification. Oliva is offering four different cigars, each in individual packs: the Oliva Serie G Robusto ($6), Oliva Connecticut Reserve ($7), NUb Cameroon 358 ($7) and NUb Connecticut 358 ($7). Oliva says the company will ship the products in counter display options that will hold five sealed single packs. The companies join Altadis USA, Drew Estate, General Cigar Co. and Swisher International’s Royal Gold as premium cigars companies to enter the c-store space in the last 18 months. In ...
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