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MANUFACTURER SPOTLIGHT > Dr. Alejandro Martinez Cuenca, owner and chairman, and son Juan Martinez, executive president, with key company employees at the Joya de Nicaragua factory in Estelí, Nicaragua
Joya at 50 Monumental Milestones:
As Nicaragua’s first cigar factory, the history of Joya de Nicaragua parallels the birth and growth of Nicaragua’s flourishing cigar industry, a journey largely against the odds of adversity. > STAFF REPORT
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n an industry that loves to celebrate anniversaries, legacy brands tend to earn the spotlight, some dating back over a century. It’s much rarer, though, for a company itself to hit the half-century mark— especially in Central America where cigar making is a much newer endeavor than in well-established origins. Add in the tremendous impact of the country’s civil war in the late 1980s and the U.S. economic embargo which closed off the company’s largest market, and it’s no understatement to say Joya de Nicaragua’s resurgence today, much less survival at all, defied the odds. In Estelí, Nicaragua 50 years ago, Joya de Nicaragua literally pioneered the Nicaraguan cigar industry. In 1968, it became the first tobacco factory to craft premium
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handmade cigars in the Central American nation. Since its inception, Joya has been committed to achieving the highest levels of excellence, and establishing itself as the standard for Nicaraguan cigar quality. The company is widely regarded as the patriarch crafter of robust, unique puro blends of locally grown black tobaccos, but has greatly diversified its portfolio. As for the company’s survival, its employees can take well-deserved credit for that, as it was the shear will of the owner-employees during and following the country’s civil war that kept Joya de Nicaragua afloat. It’s been said that Joya de Nicaragua isn’t just a cigar company; it is lifeline, it is struggle, it is will to forge ahead and renew—a mirror of Estelí and Nicaragua itself.
In its 50 year history, Joya de Nicaragua has evolved to become Nicaragua’s most international brand, with presence in over 50 markets, and counting. This success is unprecedented and attributed to its skillful and resilient people. The history of Joya de Nicaragua is intertwined with the history of Nicaragua itself. From being the official cigar of the White House, and at one point being partly owned by dictator Anastasio Somoza, to having the factory bombed and burned down during the revolution only to be reconstructed by the workers later, Joya de Nicaragua’s history is rich and complex, a one of perseverance and resilience. “At the end of the day, Joya de Nicaragua is a brand that sells cigars,” said Dr. Alejandro Martínez Cuenca, chairman of Joya de Nicaragua and owner of the company since 1994. “But what matters to me is that this brand has been the force through which the people of the factory have helped shape the history of Nicaragua itself.” Joya starts its next half a century with a diverse, yet solidified portfolio accompanied by a packaging update for most of its brands. While in 1968 Joya de Nicaragua was the first and only brand of the factory, Joya’s offerings have dramatically evolved. Its portfolio now includes the Joya line, Antaño family, Cuatro Cinco, and more, representing a wide variety of brands and blends for all type of smokers and at different price points. “We don’t just want to celebrate our 50th anniversary, but rather put all our
> Where it all began: Joya de Nicaragua Clásico is back in the U.S. market, with revamped packaging, exclusively available through Casa de Montecristo and JR Cigars.
