LOS ANGELES, 2024
Our story.
Zhuofeng Weng.
Sean Chang.
Wenbin Chen.
ChiMolly began in Los Angeles in 2024. Zhuofeng Weng, Sean Chang and Wenbin Chen started developing the project during the final semester of their sophomore year in the United States.
Zhuofeng’s first connection to cigars came through his parents. In the United States, the three began learning about the industry together and discussing the possibility of establishing their own brand.
Their first step was porcelain accessories. With limited production contacts at the outset, this became the starting point for the business. Their interest in Chinese culture informed the designs and their approach to these objects.
While developing the accessories, they continued looking for manufacturing contacts and studying how cigars were made. At a cigar lounge in Los Angeles, they met Raul Reyner of Mi Havana. After discussing the project with him, the team travelled to Nicaragua to continue its development.
The work expanded to include leaf selection, blending and the rolling process, with manufacturing at Mi Havana in Estelí, Nicaragua. The team’s visit and the conversations there became part of the company’s early history.
In September 2024, ChiMolly introduced Pangu, its first cigar. The launch followed the porcelain accessories project and the team’s work in Nicaragua. These stages connect the company’s beginnings in Los Angeles with its manufacturing relationship in Nicaragua.
