Understanding Minimum Order Quantities (MOQs)

One of the first practical questions in custom cigar manufacturing is: “What is your minimum order quantity?” MOQ stands for Minimum Order Quantity—the smallest quantity a manufacturer is prepared to produce for a particular product or project. But the number itself is only part of the story. An MOQ exists because custom manufacturing involves preparation, setup, material requirements, and fixed costs that must make economic sense before production can begin. It is therefore better understood as a production threshold than as an arbitrary rule.