Your smoke shop's profits live or die by one thing: keeping your shelves stocked with products customers actually want to buy.
Empty humidors mean lost sales and, worse, customers going straight to your competitors. If you want to win customers and keep them loyal, you need quality wholesale distributors — which means you need to find distributors who can offer competitive pricing, exclusive products, and reliable deliveries.
But how can you find the right cigar wholesale distributors for your store?
This guide covers the most trusted cigar wholesale distributors serving independent retailers like you, including each supplier's strengths, coverage areas, and unique offerings.
Let’s get started.
Without the right products, you’ll struggle to keep your smoke shop in business. But when you partner with the right suppliers, you can build a profitable business with consistent operations and happy customers.
Before we discuss our favorite cigar wholesale distributors to consider for your smoke shop, here are the advantages of choosing the right partners for your store:
Related Read: Smoke Shop Vendor Management 101
With this context in mind, let's explore some of the most trusted distributors serving tobacco retailers across the country.
Alliance Cigars is an employee-owned company that focuses on premium, imported cigars. The owners have over 70 years of combined industry experience, so they know what sells and how to source it.
Some of Alliance’s products include:
One thing that sets Alliance apart is its line of exclusive products manufactured specifically for them. When you partner with Alliance, you also get first access to new releases and limited editions, so you can keep your shelves fresh with the latest offerings. They’re located on the East Coast, meaning stores from Maine to Virginia can get next-day delivery.
Alliance offers discount pricing, selling most options at manufacturer prices. For further discounts, check the specials and promotions they send via email.
Related Read: 23 Products Every Smoke Shop Needs
Meier & Dutch offers delivery to all 50 states and includes comprehensive tax compliance data that helps make multistate regulations easier for their customers. They keep over 60 million cigars in stock with same-day shipping when you order by 2:00 p.m. EST.
Some of Meier & Dutch’s top offerings include:
Their catalog includes popular brands like Buffalo Trace Cigars, Macanudo, and CAO. One of the advantages of Meier & Dutch is that they don’t have a minimum order threshold, which means you can test new products without big commitments.
Related Read: What Do Smoke Shops Sell? 6 Most Popular Products
Meier & Dutch offers competitive wholesale pricing, as well as different deals and promotions throughout the year.
Phillips & King has over 100 years of experience serving independent tobacco retailers in all 50 states and U.S. territories. They understand what small businesses need to compete in the modern market, and they make it their goal to offer it.
Phillips & King’s product catalog includes:
One of the benefits of partnering with Phillips & King is their private-label cigars. These are exclusive products that competitors who don’t work with Phillips & King won’t be able to carry, giving your store an edge.
Phillips & King has a Price Match Guarantee — this means that if their prices aren’t competitive, they’ll match their competitor’s rate. They also offer volume-based discounts and special promotions — plus, they handle tax compliance industry regulations in all 50 states, territories, and military bases worldwide.
Santa Clara Cigars is located in North Carolina and operates one of the largest tobacco distribution networks in the U.S. They serve licensed retailers and focus on selling premium products rather than bottom-shelf, budget options.
Some Santa Clara Cigars products include:
With over 300+ brands of cigars in stock, they can fill your shelves with proven sellers like Romeo y Julieta, Montecristo, and ACID. They also offer private-label products in greater variety than most of the other distributors on this list, giving you more options for exclusive products to carry.
Santa Clara offers competitive pricing and includes a deal for free shipping if your order is over $1,000. They also offer volume pricing, so you have multiple opportunities to save some cash by buying from Santa Clara in bulk.
Prestige Import Group doesn’t sell cigars, but they specialize in the accessories that complete your cigar offerings. They carry humidors, storage solutions, and smoking accessories. They’ve been in business in Florida since 2008, giving them experience and fast East Coast shipping timelines.
Key items from Prestige Import Group’s inventory include:
Prestige has a leg up on the other distributors on this list that offer accessories because they can fulfill any size order, from single pieces to thousands of units. Their drop shipping programs also let you offer a massive accessory selection in your e-commerce store or for buy online, pickup in store (BOPIS) offerings without tying up cash in inventory.
They offer custom pricing for custom pieces or personalized products, but competitive, wholesale margins on all standard products.
JR Cigars has been in business for nearly 50 years, and they have a massive product mix and a history of retail success — they know what sells and what doesn’t.
Some of JR Cigars’ top offerings include:
One of the biggest advantages of working with JR Cigars is its sampling program. This option allows you to find new favorites without forcing you to invest in a massive stock of unproven product upfront. JR Alternative products are some of the most popular private-label cigars on the market, so if you’re able to carry them, you’ll see the benefits in your business.
JR Cigars offers wholesale pricing, and you can save even more on large orders. They have an established logistics network to keep deliveries running on schedule, so you don’t suffer from dreaded stockouts waiting for a late order.
Related Read: Managing Tobacco Store Inventory: 5 Best Tools
These six wholesale partners offer great selection and pricing, but they aren’t the only things to keep in mind when evaluating your perfect partner. Let’s look at all the factors you need to consider when choosing your cigar wholesale distributors:
Take time to review distributor agreements and ask questions about any policies that might affect your store’s operations. The right partners help you grow your store, but the wrong ones can throw a wrench in your work. Choose carefully.
Running a profitable cigar and smoke shop is all about making the right partnerships and relationships — they help you operate more efficiently, offer the right products in the right quantities, and make smart decisions to protect your profit margins.
But finding the best suppliers is just the beginning.
If you want to run a profitable store, you need the right solutions to help you manage inventory and operations on a daily basis — and the most important tool in your toolbox is a top-tier POS solution designed specifically for tobacco and smoke shops.
Ready to optimize your operations with the right tools? Schedule a demo of Cigars POS today to see how our specialized system helps you manage multiple supplier relationships, track inventory efficiently, and more.