It’s been four years since Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG) has made an appearance at the Premium Cigar Association (PCA) trade show, the industry’s largest convention. But the company has announced its return for 2023, citing positive retailer-focused changes by the PCA and the event’s move to earlier in the year for 2024.
STG’s exodus from the trade show was announced in 2020, as the PCA lost its four largest exhibitors (STG, Altadis USA, Drew Estate, and Davidoff) due to concerns over lack of attendance, increasing costs, the time of year the event is held, and the organization’s lack of vision. After missing two trade shows (2020’s convention was cancelled due to COVID), STG will return this summer, the caveat being that they will be showcasing brands from their Forged Cigar Company, and not General Cigar Company.
When STG pulled out of the event in 2019, Forged Cigar Co. didn’t exist (it launched in February 2021), with all brands falling under General Cigar. Including recent acquisitions such as Alec Bradley and Room101, the Forged lineup now includes a host of brands that are fan favorites of the PCA trade show. Other brands that will be on display include Partagas, La Gloria Cubana, Diesel, Bolivar Cofradia, El Rey del Mundo, and Chillin’ Moose.
Régis Broersma, president of STG’s North America and Rest of World division says, “We are very pleased with the recent, retailer-focused changes the PCA organization has made to the annual tradeshow and have decided to renew our participation beginning this year. The PCA show provides an unmatched opportunity to interact with the trade, and gives us a chance to thank the retail community for their unwavering support of Forged Cigar Company. PCA will also serve as a ’coming out party’ for us this year because we will be at the show as one company with the Alec Bradley brands fully integrated into our portfolio. Needless to say, we will have much to celebrate and much to talk about in Vegas.”
STG cited their return as being (at least in part) in response to the PCA’s recently announced move to March for 2024. There was no mention of plans to return General Cigar to the event in a press release from the company. The 2023 PCA trade show will be held from July 7-11 at the Venetian Convention Center in Las Vegas.
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Originally posted on March 30, 2023 @ 9:17 am