FIU and CLE Cigar Co. Partnered on Tobacco Lab
The new Redlands facility aims to cut infrastructure costs and speed up the curing process for local growers.
Updated on Oct. 9, 2026 in Botany
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FIU and CLE Cigar Co. have finalized a research agreement to open the CLE Research Lab in Redlands. The collaboration with the FIU Agroecology Program seeks to modernize tobacco production methods for smaller operations.
Why it matters
By repurposing refrigerated containers to replace $70,000 tobacco barns, this partnership aims to shorten curing times and stabilize production costs for U.S.-based growers. The project looks to bridge the cost gap between American and Central American tobacco operations.
The partnership replaces traditional $70,000 tobacco barns with repurposed refrigerated containers at an FIU property in Redlands, roughly 20 miles from Miami. Researchers aim to reduce the duration of the tobacco curing process by nearly half.
The players
Florida International University
The research university collaborating with CLE Cigar Co. to study agricultural innovation.
CLE Cigar Co.
A cigar company partnering with the FIU Agroecology Program to test new curing technologies.
Daphne K. Sugino Souffront
A lead researcher tasked with overseeing the work at the new CLE Research Lab.
Jordan Prats
A lead researcher coordinating the experimental growing and processing methods at the lab.
The details
The CLE Research Lab will be based on university land in the Redlands to test growing methods for both wrapper and filler tobacco. Led by Daphne K. Sugino Souffront and Jordan Prats, the project focuses on reducing infrastructure barriers for small-scale tobacco farmers. Future work will center on proving that modular cooling technology can match traditional output efficiencies.
Timeline
The research agreement was officially finalized on October 7, 2026.
FIU began hosting industry events with the Premium Cigar Association late last year.
The university most recently hosted a Premium Cigar Association event last week.
Beyond the 305
The partnership formalizes the application of the FIU Agroecology Program's research to the commercial tobacco sector. It builds upon a series of industry collaborations that began at the university late last year.
The project serves as a test case for whether small-scale Florida farms can compete with international growers by lowering capital expenses. Local growers interested in the findings can monitor the lab as it begins planting its first test batches of wrapper and filler leaves.
The takeaway
This partnership highlights an effort to bring high-cost agricultural infrastructure within reach of smaller, local operations. Interested readers should keep an eye on the Redlands facility for future updates on whether container-based curing yields high-quality leaf consistent with market standards.
Further reading
For more on local agricultural research, visit the Botany section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Halfwheel.
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