The Changing “FACE” of the Cigar Industry! The Faces of the Brands and the ones that could be changing another Editorial by David Garofalo We know a small business owner, as is in the cigar industry, must be a jack of all trades and one of the tools they should possess is being the face of their brand. Today even some of the huge corporations and brands have attempted to put faces and personalities to […]
Late last year, The Cigar Authority podcast teased that the 2017 Firecracker would come from Omar de Frias and Fratello cigars but very little information was given other than the fact the cigar would be released sometime before the Fourth of July. The line of cigars was launched by Two Guys Smoke Shop in 2006, when David Garofalo asked Don Pepin Garcia to roll him a cigar with a fuse on it. Garcia, hesitantly rolled […]
I was sitting at my desk in the back office at Two Guys Smoke Shop when I was contemplating what to light up for a review today. Just as I finished lunch which I promptly shared with my shirt, I received a press release that Omar de Frias would be leaving NASA to focus on his cigar company full-time even with looming FDA regulations that could wipe out his brand as it did not come […]
Omar de Frias, owner of Fratello Cigars, has resigned from NASA after more than a decade. “I set an aggressive goal for myself at IPCPR. I exceeded that goal. Given the enormous support I received and increasing demand for Fratello, this was the time to give the cigar industry the extra 50 Hours a week I was spending on our nations space program,” said de Frias. He continued, addressing the looming FDA regulations, “Although it […]
Today Omar de Frias, owner of Fratello Cigars announced a line extension to the Fratello Bianco line, the Bianco IV. The Bianco blend debuted at the 2015 IPCPR New Orleans trade show with three vitolas: Bianco I (6 ¼ x 44) Bianco II (6 x 50) Biacno III (5×56) Upcoming Vitola in July, 2016 Bianco IV (6 ½ x 54) The Fratello Bianco IV will be released in July 2016 at the IPCPR Trade Show. “We […]
In 2014, Fratello Cigars launched The Boxer, a cigar that was available in one size; a 6.25 x 52 box pressed Torpedo. This year they announced a limited addition 5 pack of cigars referred to as The Boxer Series that is limited to 3,000 boxes. Inside each package which is designed to look like a cigar press contains the original boxer with 4 new sizes. Those sizes are: Boxerito (4.75 x 46); Boxista (5 x […]
It’s been a crazy week at The Cigar Authority and we welcome Omar de Frias of Fratello Cigars into the studio where he will join us live as we recaps the Dance Off between him and his wife vs Mr. Jonathan and his wife… Then we will dig into Dave’s latest editorial called Remembering the Cigar Boom where we will look back to the 1990s and the cigar craze that led many of us down […]
Earlier today, David Garofalo penned an article about boutique cigars. If anyone is looking to start a cigar company and wants a model to look at, Fratello is a company that is the perfect case study. Omar de Frias built Fratello with the mix of a really good initial release and the hustle that hasn’t been seen since Pete Rose. All while maintaining his regular job with NASA. The Fratello Bianco is the second release […]
FRATELLO INTRODUCING THE FRATELLO TRAY AT THE IPCPR Springfield, VA (June 23, 2015) – Fratello will unveil the Fratello Tray at this year IPCPR in New Orleans. “We decided to combine the power of engineering with functionality and style. Cutting the total Fratello shelve space by 30% while increasing our cigar output by 10% was one of our main goals” said de Frias. The Fratello Tray will be available to IPCPR show attendees only and free with […]