Conchita Foods Inc

It’s 1937. The setting… The tropical province of Pinar del Rio, Cuba – a province well known for its excellent guava farms. Our grandfather Sixto C. Ferro – along with some of his brothers – had a grocery store named Hijos de Pio Ferro. They decided to start making their own guava paste instead of purchasing it from other suppliers and selling it at the store. It was the best decision they ever made, because it became a hit amongst the people of Pinar del Rio. At that time, a worldwide depression was in full swing. Some inexpensive Cuban bread and guava paste (affectionately referred to by Cubans as “Pan con Timba”) went a long way in filling you up when you were hungry. It was comfort food for them. This success led the Ferros to establish Industrias Ferro, and before they knew it, they were selling the guava paste they made in their canning plant.

Skip a bit ahead to World War II. The US Government turned to us to assist them in providing their troops with food and drinks. They financed a new, modern factory that also led to the expansion of Conchita’s product line. Unfortunately, this success came to an end in Cuba when Fidel Castro’s government overtook the country in 1959 and nationalized our business along with many others. Our family fled to the United States, and by 1964, Conchita was up and running again but on a far lesser scale. We did the best we could to provide Cubans with the taste of their home.

Fast-forward to today. Conchita’s product line now includes over 150 items. The second and third-generation Ferros are working hard to ensure Hispanics keep Conchita Foods products in their pantries and use them when they want to make their guests comfortable by savoring food that’s made with love and the finest ingredients – and that reminds them of their home country and childhood.

That’s quite a story, huh?