Swisher (company)
| Company type | Public |
|---|---|
| Industry | Tobacco |
| Founded | 1861 |
| Founder | David Swisher |
| Headquarters | Jacksonville, Florida , United States |
Area served | Worldwide (70+ countries) |
Key people | John Miller (CEO) |
| Products | Cigars |
Swisher—previously known as Swisher International Inc.—is a U.S.-based tobacco firm established in 1861 by David Swisher. Its main office is situated in Jacksonville, Florida. The company produces more than two billion cigars each year and distributes them across upwards of 70 countries. Manufacturing operations are carried out in Santiago, Dominican Republic and Wheeling, West Virginia.
History
The Swisher Sweets brand, notable for being machine-produced, was launched by Swisher in 1958. By 1964, the company was manufacturing four million cigars daily, supplying both domestic and global markets. In 1986, Swisher expanded by acquiring Universal Cigar, which was recognized for its affordable machine-made Optimo cigars.
In 1966, Swisher was acquired by American Maize-Products under William Ziegler III, who held the chairman position until his passing in 2008 and assumed CEO duties by 1992. He rebranded the company as Swisher International and took it public under the name Swisher International Group in 1996 after separating from American Maize-Products.
The company's portfolio grew in 2014 with the purchase of Drew Estate Tobacco Company, a Miami-based business founded in 1996 by John Drew. After experiencing integration difficulties, Drew returned as president in 2016 to restore brand stability.
Peter Ghiloni stepped down from his roles as president and CEO in 2018, with John Miller succeeding him. In August 2020, the firm simplified its name from Swisher International, Inc. to just Swisher.