The story of a shrewd countryman from Minas who, on discovering he had little skill for rolling his own smokes, began hiring help to have the cigarettes prepared. Alert to the opportunity, José Haroldo Vasconcelos saw a market to be explored: Souza Paiol was born in 1998, in Pitangui, Minas Gerais.
A story made in Pitangui.
Created in 1998 in Pitangui, Minas Gerais, Souza Paiol was the first company in the world to sell straw cigarettes and today leads the Brazilian market. Its products are entirely natural: the ingredients receive no additional mixture and are selected and inspected at every stage, from sourcing to refining and preparation.
In the beginning a few small boxes were made, already with a defined style, and distributed to bars in town and nearby — the start of the straw cigarette trade in the world. In March 1999, formally registered as a small company, production moved to scale without ceasing to be entirely handmade.
The name came from joining the family surname with an element of rural life: the paiol, the barn where corn is stored. Before long, Souza Paiol was known across the country.
1998
Souza Paiol begins in Pitangui from a local initiative led by José Haroldo Vasconcelos.
ARQ. 001
PIONEER
For those with no knack for rolling their own, straw cigarettes start arriving ready-made, in small boxes, at bars across town and the region. The world’s first straw cigarette trade begins there.
ARQ. 002
MAR. 1999
Formalized as a microenterprise, Souza Paiol scales up production while remaining entirely handcrafted.
ARQ. 003
TRAJECTORY
Souza Paiol straw cigarettes reach the whole country, and the brand becomes a national reference in its segment.
ARQ. 004
TODAY
Leader in the Brazilian straw cigarette market, Souza Paiol expands its range with Artisanal Cachaça, keeping the same quality and tradition.
ARQ. 005
The company today
Roots that support the future.
We preserve what brought us here while continuing to invest in what matters: people, processes and long-term relationships.
The production line employs direct and indirect workers, and Souza Paiol stands as a typically mineira company, a reference in straw cigarettes throughout Brazil. The range has grown too: it now includes Souza Paiol Artisanal Cachaça, with the same quality and tradition.
Mission — To provide handcrafted products with the best of the ingredients — with quality, efficiency, responsibility and commitment — ensuring smooth flavors and pleasant aromas.
Vision — To maintain leadership in the Brazilian straw cigarette market in a responsible way, carrying out our work with excellence and simplicity, focused on results.
⌾Origin
Pitangui, Minas Gerais.
⌖Presence
A contemporary presence with local roots.
✋Craft
Control and care stage by stage.
Timeline
Documents, memory and continuity.
active record
- 1998
Born in Pitangui
Souza Paiol begins in 1998 in Pitangui from a local initiative led by José Haroldo Vasconcelos.
ARQ. 001 - PIONEER
The first little boxes
For those with no knack for rolling their own, straw cigarettes start arriving ready-made, in small boxes, at bars across town and the region. The world’s first straw cigarette trade begins there.
ARQ. 002 - MAR. 1999
Production at scale
Formalized as a microenterprise, Souza Paiol scales up production while remaining entirely handcrafted.
ARQ. 003 - TRAJECTORY
Recognized across Brazil
Souza Paiol straw cigarettes reach the whole country, and the brand becomes a national reference in its segment.
ARQ. MEMÓRIA - TODAY
Leader in Brazil
Leader in the Brazilian straw cigarette market, Souza Paiol expands its range with Artisanal Cachaça, keeping the same quality and tradition.
ARQ. ATUAL
Roots that support the future.
The archive is not meant to freeze the company in the past, but to make clear where its commitments come from.
Pitangui, Minas Gerais.
A local story in motion.
Knowledge passed on and refined.
Tradition renewed without losing its roots.