Caribbean Breweries History: Imperial Beer
On August 5, 1908, the Lindo Morales brothers founded Florida Ice & Farm Co.
in San José. The company owned a farm in La Florida de Siquirres, in the province of
Limón, which had facilities to produce ice. Hence the company’s name – in English,
which was widely spoken in Costa Rica’s Atlantic zone during that era.
In 1912, Florida Ice & Farm acquired the Traube Brewery. Two years later,
Spaniard Manuel Ortega founded the Ortega Brewery and began brewing Imperial and
Bavaria, among other brands. In 1957, Florida Ice & Farm bought the Ortega Brewery,
and continues to produce Imperial and Bavaria to this day.
Due to the need to expand production and move its operations outside San José’s
metropolitan area, Florida Ice & Farm began construction of a new plant in Echeverría de
Heredia. In 1966, the new plant was inaugurated and named Cervecería Costa Rica (Costa
Rica Brewery).
That same year, a group of Cuban immigrants yearning for Tropical, a once well-known
Cuban beer, persuaded investors from Costa Rica and abroad to found the Tropical Brewery.
In August 1970, Tropical beer entered the Costa Rican market. After several years of fierce
competition, Florida Ice & Farm acquired a majority share of the Tropical Brewery in 1977.
In 1998, it bought out the remaining shareholders, and the two companies merged into one.
In 2002, the company adopted a new corporate structure, in which Florida
Ice & Farm Co. became the holding company for three main subsidiaries: Florida
Bebidas (Florida Beverages), Florida Inmobiliaria (Florida Real Estate) and
Florida Capitales (Florida Capital).
In addition, Florida Bebidas distributes internationally renowned beers such as
Budweiser from the U.S. and Corona from Mexico. The company also produces and distributes
Cristal bottled water, Tropical natural fruit drinks, Tampico citrus punch and the soft
drink Maxi Malta.
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