MOCKSVILLE ó Renegade Holdings Inc., parent company of Alternative Brands Inc. and Renegade Tobacco Co. Inc. has bought the cigar lines of the House of Windsor of Yoe, Pa.
No terms were released.
The transaction includes House of Windsor, Wolf Bros., Rum River and Caribbean lines of large cigars. Renegade will relocate the cigar manufacturing plant equipment into an Alternative Brands’ facility in Mocksville.
“The House of Windsor is a long-standing respected name in the premium machine made cigar business,” said Calvin Phelps, chairman and CEO of Renegade Holdings. “We are excited to add the large cigar line to our existing business of small cigars and cigarettes. This move will enhance our long-term growth momentum as we participate in this rapidly-growing sector.”
House of Windsor was founded in 1918. Its blending and flavorings have attracted a loyal following. Machine-made large cigars account for about half of the total U.S. cigar market of 10.5 billion units. The market has continued to grow by around 4 percent annually since 2003.
According to Mike Mebane, president of Renegade Holdings, “House of Windsor is an excellent fit, creating multiple synergies with our other core businesses in terms of operations and distribution.”
Production in Mocksville is expected to reach full output by the end of the year. The operation will employ 10-15 initially, growing to 20-25 at full production.
Phelps, who grew up in Clemmons, bought the 22-acre Chinqua-Penn Plantation outside Reidsville in 2006 for $4.1 million.