To bring more attention to the boutique cigar sector inside the realm of premium cigars and to promote unity within the cigar industry, the Premium Cigar Association (PCA) and the Boutique Cigar Association of America (BCAA) have established a new collaborative agreement.
Co-owner of DAV Cigars and current President of the BCAA Board of Directors Armen Caprielian has called the merger of the two groups “a critical step” toward unifying the cigar business by uniting firms both large and small, new and old. The goal of this relationship, as described by the PCA, is to combine the youthful energy of the BCAA’s small cigar manufacturers with the seasoned insight of the PCA’s members. By pooling our expertise, we will be able to promote the tobacco sector, push for regulations that protect our shared history, and secure a prosperous future for businesses large and small.
Founder and current BCAA Treasurer Dr. Gaby Kafie has observed that “too many tiny enterprises go unnoticed or fail to join the mission to combat federal laws,” which are posing problems across the cigar industry’s value chain. Kafie, the BCAA’s executive director, says the organization’s goal is to “unite all the boutique cigar firms as one cohesive voice” that is “well-informed, educated, and ready to act.” In order to ensure the present and future success of our industry, we must now join forces with the PCA and devote our full attention to this task. We appreciate those who have gone before us in the cigar business, remember those who stand beside us today, and look forward to making even greater strides toward a more prosperous tomorrow.
As the industry enters a new era, PCA President Greg Zimmerman is heartened by the BCAA’s decision to join forces with the PCA. As the regulatory landscape evolves, Zimmerman emphasized the need of maintaining unity in the fight to preserve premium cigars and pipe tobacco. The BCAA’s support will help the industry make its voice heard and increase its influence, especially in light of recent lawsuit victories.
The BCAA has announced that it would appear prominently at the 2023 PCA Trade Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, bringing together its members from all around the country. Caprielian said, “After the BCAA’s second annual Boutique Tobacco Festival that took place last August 12-13 in Martinsville, Indiana, gathering as part of the PCA Tradeshow seems like a logical and necessary step toward bringing boutique cigars to the forefront of the cigar business. As members of the PCA, we appreciate the chance to represent the business we love by sharing in its mission of promoting and protecting the cigar culture.
PCA Executive Director Scott Pearce praised the move, calling it a “fantastic win-win” for both the PCA and the small businesses. The Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers of America (PCA) hosts the largest premium cigar and pipe trade event in the world during their annual convention and expo. A strong BCAA component at the trade exhibition “will undoubtedly strengthen our offering to retailers to find amazing new products to give their customers, while providing our world-class venue for these brands to launch and thrive,” said Pearce.