In the most recent episode of Boveda’s Box Press, #91, host Rob Gagner is joined by Nirka Reyes – President of De Los Reyes in the Dominican Republic. During a conversation lasting nearly an hour, they touch on wide range of subjects all sharing a common thread: making real, meaningful connections. Sharing at one point that “we don’t make cigars, we make reasons to enjoy life,” Reyes tells the kind of story that you want to hear more of but rarely ever do – one in which doing things the right way remains a top priority a full 6 generations after it began.
Even though the operation was making millions of cigars for other brands every year, Reyes identified a crucial disconnect. “I saw the passion that my dad had for the industry, but I didn’t see it on the cigars we were making. They were soulless products. So I was like, this is not what we should be doing.” Knowing what needed to happen, and with the blessing of the family board, Reyes would bring production from somewhere near 14 million cigars a year to just under 2 million in order to get back to basics. It would no longer be about how many cigars a roller could make in a day, but how well they could make them. Her Saga brand exemplifies this philosophy, conducting absolutely no advertising to grow it’s footprint, instead relying exclusively on word of mouth.
One of those discussions that disappoints only because there’s an end to it, you’re likely to gain a lot from this really interesting exploration into family, what it is to be a leader, and what it means to leave something lasting. Go check it out right now!
The Saga portfolio of blends is available at Privada Cigar Club. Visit the Boveda Box Press site for past episodes and more information about all the products Boveda offers.