With a passion
for cigars
For Conny Andersson, enjoying life is a passion and he is one of Swedish Match’s most devoted cigar experts. His love of cigars goes back to his childhood roots in Spain. Today, he trains Swedish Match’s customers and tobacconists in the fine art of cigar appreciation. BY: KAROLINE HAMMAR
Asked why he has such a
burning interest for cigars,
Andersson does not answer
at first. Instead, his brown eyes sparkle
and a smile spreads across his face.
“I grew up with a tradition in
which both my father and my
grandfather smoked cigars,” he
says “It was a natural part of my
childhood. Later on, I developed an
interest when I became a restaurant
manager. It seemed only natural that
I should take care of the restaurant’s
humidor, and I was more than happy
to describe the different cigars and
their characteristic aromas to the
guests. I smoked my first cigar in Spain
with my father and my grandfather.”
For Andersson, cigar production from
tobacco leaves to the finished cigar is a
fascinating and demanding handicraft.
“Succeeding in producing tobacco
that tastes the same from year to year
while simultaneously developing the
tobacco’s tastes into completely new
products is challenging, demanding and
fun all at the same time.”
Conny Andersson has worked at
Swedish Match since 2001. He began
as a sales representative for snus and
cigars and worked with the company’s
customers in both retail and with tobacconists in Sweden. Today, his role has changed, and he conducts training in the fine art of cigar smoking and how to combine different types of snus with different drinks and food dishes.
“Through my work in the restaurant business, I came into contact with Swedish Match sales representatives who were aware of my interest in cigars. After a few years as a sales representative, I saw new challenges and wanted to learn more about cigar production. I therefore spent some time in the Dominican Republic and worked in one of our cigar factories there. I learned the entire manufacturing process, from planting to the finished cigar. I am now responsible for both snus and cigar training for our customers. If they have knowledge that they can pass on to consumers, it increases interest and more products are sold,” he says.
In addition to conveying Andersson’s extensive knowledge to customers, the training programs are an excellent means of strengthening relationships with customers.
“If we succeed in communicating better knowledge of our cigars, customers will display them on their shelves and sell them to a greater extent. It is important to be able to talk about the cigars and the tobacco. You can give advice about what they go best with, chocolate, whiskey or other beverages. This is valuable for the tobacconist who can provide added value to the customer.”
Andersson would never dream of working in another industry or with anything else than tobacco. He considers his passion for cigars to be for life.
“When I have finished a training program for customers and then hear from consumers who say how good the store is in terms of both product range and service, I feel great satisfaction. I know how much care and how much work it takes to make a finished product,” says Andersson.
One of Andersson’s dreams has not yet been realized, however.
“In five or ten years, I would like to be a tobacco purchaser. Traveling around the world and selecting the right tobacco for our products is the basis for the business. Without high-quality tobacco, we would not have quality products. I have tremendous respect for all craftsmanship involved in cigar making. It is a tradition and a constant learning process that never ends,” concludes Andersson.
CONNY ANDERSSON
AGE: 37.
FAMILY: Married, two children aged eight and two.
RESIDENCE: Stockholm.
INTERESTS: Cigars, food and drink. Has his own tobacco plantation on the island of Ekerö outside Stockholm. Previously played football, but this interest is now limited to being a spectator.
BEST TRIP: Ilha Grande Nature Reserve on an island south of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, which was a prison island and thus not exploited by tourism. The landscape is fantastic with both jungle and beautiful beaches.
BEST CIGAR MEMORY: One morning at 5:00 a.m. on a beach in the Dominican Republic. The cigar was a Bolivar.
FAVORITE CIGAR: Macanudo Maduro Diplomat because it has a very pleasing sweetness and goes well with a glass of Calvados, which is also slightly sweet.
