The Brand Builder Trip.
For the founder building a cigar company from scratch, or the existing brand adding a new line. Full service, end to end. Cigar finalized, bands and packaging produced, branding and marketing built around the story, imported to your warehouse — and if you want it, distributed to your retailers nationwide.
One trip. A brand is born.
Most founders walk in with a name, an audience, and a feeling about the cigar they want to put in front of that audience. By the end of a Brand Builder engagement they have a finished SKU on a freight invoice — and a path to put it in retailers' hands.
- Cigar developed and finalized — pick from twenty house blends or design from the leaf up
- Bands & packaging — designed and produced through our trusted partners
- Brand identity, story, & marketing — name, voice, dress, positioning, launch deck
- Import to your warehouse — US or international, FDA filings handled
- Optional national distribution — through our partner warehouse to retailers across the country
Two ways to build it.
Mode I — Virtual Build
Entire engagement runs over video and email. Blend tastings shipped to you. Branding and packaging proofs reviewed digitally. Factory updates from our hands. Same finished cigar, same launch ceiling. Best for founders whose calendar doesn't allow a week away.
Mode II — Onsite in Nicaragua
The recommended path. Walk the partner factories, sit at the blending bench, taste leaf at every priming, approve every detail in person with The Mule. See the onsite trip experience →
Brands we've helped launch.
- Flourish by Lumen Cigars — Jimmy Hargrove, Founder
- National Brand · Name Pending — public announcement forthcoming
- National Brand · Name Pending — public announcement forthcoming
Common questions.
I already have a brand. Can you just add a new line?
Yes. The Brand Builder Trip works equally well for existing brands launching a new SKU. The branding/marketing portion can be scaled down accordingly.
Do you handle FDA filings?
Yes — we file the paperwork required to import premium cigars into the US.
What does distribution look like?
Optional. Our partner warehouse can ship your cigars to retailers nationwide, or you can take delivery at your own warehouse and distribute yourself.
How long does it take?
Average launch is 11 weeks from finalized blend. The 12-week minimum aging time is the gating factor — everything else parallels.
Have a brand idea?
One hour by video. Tell us about it. No pitch — just a conversation about whether and how this could work.
Book a Discovery Call →