Just Days after completing the acquisition of Alec & Bradly Cigars, STG announces the purchase of the U.S.-based Dollar General store chain.
“This was the logical step in our assimilation plan for the US Cigar Market. It also aligns with our “Lean” business practices and overall plan.” Sarah Santos, President and Senior VP, North America Online & Retail Division.
“We are a business with shareholders, operating only to benefit the company’s bottom line. Sometimes that comes with benefits to our employees, like worker safety programs, so we don’t have as many injuries to our employees. Or even better automation, fewer employees equals less payroll and fewer injuries. That’s what I call a win-win.” Said Marianne Bock, STGs Executive Vice President & CFO.
STG will begin revamping all the existing Dollar General stores in the US to cigar retail spaces and smoking lounges. “We will begin winding down all the costly retail stores in our portfolio and shifting them to the newly rebranded “Cigar General” locations. Santos continued.
“Our brand acquisition plan is simple, align ourselves with a brand, become that brand’s number one customer, then it is a simple conversation. They either get on the STG train or they get left at the station.” Santos told CNT. “Either way, STG wins, the brand shuts down, or we own them.”
After the interview, the STGs IT department asked CNT to stay on the Zoom call after the executives left the meeting. When it was just CNT and the IT department, they begged us to ask the cigar brand owners to stop using the online forms on the STGs website asking for a meeting. Their servers are barely keeping up.