CAO bought out?!

Cigar Aficionado is reporting that CAO cigars has been bought out!

For better or worse CAO is a very strong brand in the cigar world and I find this news a little discomforting.
Even if you’re not a fan of their cigars (I happen to be pretty big fan myself) you have to admit that the company’s hip marketing has elevated the industry to some degree.

People often talk about the cigar boom in the mid 1990s as a mixed blessing.
It brought new life to the industry, but also strained supplies.
Manufactures rushed to meet demand and thus quality of the cigars fell as tobacco was used before it would normally have been.
(or so goes the story)
Waves of “no name” brands entered the market… and were dead and gone by 1998.

But today, in my humble opinion, the cigar industry is enjoying a prosperity that rivals the ol’ boom.
And this time it stems from organic growth.
Good news for everyone.

I think you have to give CAO at least some credit for moving the cigar industry into the 20th century as far as marketing goes.
Suddenly there’s once again a feeling of hip, yuppie, cigar coolness.
And nobody’s more hip than CAO.

Here’s the thing though…
They back it up with some really great cigars.
Who would have thunk it… a Nashville based cigar company putting out cigars that can stand up against the old guard?

According to Cigar Aficionado CAO says nothing will change.
But I’ve seen companies SAY “Nothing is going to change” before…

I hope they are right.
If this buy out hinders their ability to produce quality stogies, and/or launch savvy marketing campaigns I think more than just the CAO brand will suffer.

A quick survey of the CAO web site did not confirm the story but Cigar Aficionado is pretty reliable.
The story is here.

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