Effective March 1, 2024, Caldwell Cigar Company and Lost & Found Cigars have joined Laudisi Enterprises. Initial conversations began in June of 2023, and both parties signed the agreement on February 9, 2024.

"We have been more than fortunate to have had an amazing first 10 years," says Caldwell Cigar Company founder Robert Caldwell. "As we enter our next decade, we want to build on our rookie season with new partners that can help us continue to build and grow on a stronger foundation. Laudisi has everything that we need to guarantee our continued success."

Best known for its efforts in premium pipes and pipe tobacco, Laudisi Enterprises has always had an interest in premium cigars and has expanded its cigar inventory and sales over the last five years. "Laudisi has been involved in the cigar world for almost 20 years," says Sykes Wilford, CEO of Laudisi Enterprises. "While we've steadily expanded our cigar offerings over the past decade, we hadn't sought a step like this into the cigar business. The more we grew to know Robert Caldwell and Juan Jaramillo, however, the more it became clear that this was a perfect fit for both parties."

The relationship between Caldwell Cigar Company and Laudisi Enterprises began years ago and has only continued to develop. "I've personally been a huge fan of Robert Caldwell's cigars since I walked into Liberty Tobacco in San Diego, California, as a consumer about 10 years ago, and saw The King is Dead and Long Live the King on the shelf," says Shane Ireland, Vice President for Retail at Laudisi Enterprises. "When it became my responsibility to decide which cigars Smokingpipes and other Laudisi retail properties would carry, Caldwell was among the first brands I brought on. Naturally, we developed a very close partnership with Robert and his crew, and that relationship has continued to thrive over the years."

Robert and fellow Caldwell co-founder Juan Jaramillo will join the senior management team at Laudisi Enterprises, leading the new Caldwell Cigar division. "I will continue to do what I did with Caldwell, but better," says Robert. "I will be able to focus on what I do best and what I most enjoy — branding, marketing, and product development. Juan will continue to liaise with our factory partners and handle logistics."

Shane Ireland and Robert Caldwell inspecting vintage French pipes.

"During the first discussions with Robert about the deal, the synergies between our two companies were immediately obvious," says Shane Ireland. "Ultimately we all agreed that the exciting and most important bit was to allow Robert to focus on what he does best — creating cigars and brands that captivate smokers all over the world. Everyone on both sides of this deal places a huge emphasis on Robert and Juan joining Laudisi as the key to Caldwell's and Lost & Found's future success. It ensures continuity for all retail partners, the same outstanding quality that consumers expect, and it frees Robert and his team up to focus on innovation and shaking things up in a way that only Robert Caldwell can."

"I'm very excited that Robert Caldwell and Juan Jaramillo will be joining Laudisi," says Sykes. "I don't pretend to be a cigar expert; I've spent the last 24 years utterly immersed in pipes and pipe tobacco. But Robert is. And I'm thrilled that he and Juan will apply their passion and expertise to leading our new Caldwell Cigar division. I'm also very excited about what Laudisi Distribution Group (LDG) can bring to the table for customers of both LDG and Caldwell, offering two exceptional cigar brands — Caldwell and Lost & Found — alongside its existing offerings of pipes and pipe tobaccos."

Laudisi Enterprises' wholesale division, Laudisi Distribution Group, will warehouse existing and future inventory in South Carolina and will begin shipping orders for Caldwell and Lost & Found cigars to retailers beginning March 8th. LDG will add two Territory Sales Managers, including current Caldwell sales representative Zachary Harpold, to support its new sales efforts. Retailers interested in ordering Caldwell or Lost & Found cigars should contact Laudisi Distribution Group directly at [email protected] or (843) 491-4150.

Laudisi Distribution Group will be exhibiting Caldwell and Lost & Found cigars — in addition to Peterson and Savinelli pipes and Cornell & Diehl pipe tobacco — at the 2024 Premium Cigar Association Trade Show in Las Vegas, Nevada from March 22nd to 25th. For orders and meetings with Robert Caldwell during the show, visit booth # 11013.