Putting duty first - Jan Mossel

Dutch-based entrepreneur Jan Mossel is in his 60s but he’s still a force of dynamism in the world of cigars. James Leavey spoke to him

The wind of change has long been blowing for the tobacco industry, which is partly why some cigar companies decided to expand into Duty Free and Duty Paid outlets in recent years. One of the first Europeans to seize this opportunity was Jan Mossel.

Now in his 62nd year, and married with three children, Mossel has lived in a converted 200 year old windmill in the heart of Holland for 35 years. His office in Holland is also the hub for the global cigar business he has been steadily expanding for more than 20 years.

Mossel entered the tobacco industry in 1985, as Ritmeester’s regional duty free export manager. In 1989, his role expanded to tax-free coordinator, worldwide, for the Burger Group of Companies, a massive global business owned by the Burger family in Switzerland, whose world famous cigar brands include Al Capone, Dannemann, Hajenius, Oud Kampen and Ritmeester.

Before he moved into tobacco, Mossel worked as a horticulturist for a nursery that was started in Holland by his grandfather.

“In those days, my interest in dendrochronology, the study of the annual rings of trees, came about when I was studying horticulture,” said Mossel, who founded the World Tree Foundation in the early 1990s.

“I’ve studied some of the oldest trees in the world – the oldest living elements on Earth - because you can learn a lot about the past from them, and understanding the past is a clue to understanding the future. The ring of a tree is the fingerprint of life.”

Mossel travelled aro.....

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By James Leavey

Section : Cigar Interviews

Page number : 12

Published in Cigar Buyer Issue 7 on 10/02/2006.

This article is 78 months old and some information provided may be time sensitive. Please check all details of events, tours, opening times and other information before travelling or making arrangements.



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	Putting duty first - Jan Mossel Dutch-based entrepreneur Jan Mossel is in his 60s but he’s still a force of dynamism in the world of cigars. James Leavey spoke to him The wind of change has long been blowing for the tobacco industry, which is partly why some cigar companies decided to expand into Duty Free and Duty Paid outlets in recent years. One of the first Europeans to seize this opportunity was Jan Mossel. Now in his 62nd year, and married with three children, Mossel has lived in a converted 200 year old windmill in the heart of Holland for 35 years. His office in Holland is also the hub for the global cigar business he has been steadily expanding for more than 20 years. Mossel entered the tobacco industry in 1985, as Ritmeester’s regional duty free export manager. In 1989, his role expanded to tax-free coordinator, worldwide, for the Burger Group of Companies, a massive global business owned by the Burger family in Switzerland, whose world famous cigar brands include Al Capone, Dannemann, Hajenius, Oud Kampen and Ritmeester. Before he moved into tobacco, Mossel worked as a horticulturist for a nursery that was started in Holland by his grandfather. “In those days, my interest in dendrochronology, the study of the annual rings of trees, came about when I was studying horticulture,” said Mossel, who founded the World Tree Foundation in the early 1990s. “I’ve studied some of the oldest trees in the world – the oldest living elements on Earth - because you can learn a lot about the past from them, and understanding the past is a clue to understanding the future. The ring of a tree is the fingerprint of life.” Mossel travelled aro..... To read the rest of this article you can buy this issue or subscribe to Cigar Buyer to have every issue delivered direct to your door. By James Leavey Section : Cigar Interviews Page number : 12 Published in Cigar Buyer Issue 7 on 10/02/2006. Subscribe Buy this issue More from this issue Preview other issues This article is 78 months old and some information provided may be time sensitive. Please check all details of events, tours, opening times and other information before travelling or making arrangements. Copyright Cigar Buyer © 1999-2012. All rights reserved. To use or reproduce part or all of this article please contact us for details of how you can do so legally.