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About Us

Empresas Fonalledas consists of a privately owned group of companies in Puerto Rico companies committed to the island where it was born and developed: Puerto Rico.

Empresas Fonalledas, Inc. provides services to its sister businesses. Its tradition of business excellence began in the 19th century in the town of Toa Baja.

The group's assets include properties in urban, suburban, and rural areas, dairy farming operations, a fresh milk, juice and fruit drinks processing and bottling plant, a premium soft serve ice cream retail chain, a super-regional shopping center in the heart of San Juan, a regional shopping center in Ponce, three office buildings and the company that operates Starbucks stores in Puerto Rico, among others. Together, these companies contribute significantly to Puerto Rico's economy and are promoters of education, art, and culture through the group's philanthropic organizations.

Empresas Fonalledas' Trajectory

Timeline

End of the 19th century

Jaime Fonalledas Garriga arrives in Puerto Rico from Tossa del Mar, Catalonia, with his brother Gerardo. Together they established a grocery store in the Media Luna neighborhood in Toa Baja.

1890

Jaime Fonalledas and his wife Serafina Córdova acquired the Santa Elena Sugar Mill in Toa Baja, where they also established a small business milking and selling milk. The main business was the production of sugar.

1918

Their children Jerónimo, Rosita, Jaime and Gerardo continued his father's work and acquired 527 acres of land on the "Las Monjas" farm in Hato Rey. They grew sugarcane and established a dairy farming operation that brought milk to homes and grocery stores in the area, resulting in the only purely Puerto Rican fresh milk processing plant today: Vaquería Tres Monjitas.

1963

The Fonalledas Foundation is established to contribute to the improvement of the quality of life of Puerto Ricans.

1968

The Fonalledas brothers expanded their operations and inaugurated the first shopping center in Puerto Rico to house more than 70 stores under one roof and with central air conditioning: Plaza Las Américas.

1971

Vaquería Tres Monjitas makes history with the transition from glass to cardboard containers.

1979

The first soft-serve ice cream store in Puerto Rico was established, using derivatives of fresh milk: Soft & Creamy.

1984

The Plaza Las Américas Foundation was established to contribute mainly to educational and social welfare programs.

1992

The first regional shopping center in the Ponce area was inaugurated: Plaza Del Caribe.

2010

The Plaza Del Caribe Foundation is established to contribute mainly to educational and social welfare programs in the southern and southwestern regions of Puerto Rico.

2014

PLAZAad was established as a company specializing in selling advertising and exhibition space in shopping centers.

2015

Baristas del Caribe is created to operate Starbucks stores in Puerto Rico.

2016

The Mano Amiga Program is created to contribute to Puerto Rico's social, educational, and cultural well-being through alliances with non-profit organizations and other public services aligned with the program pillars.

2019

Vaquería Tres Monjitas launches the first long-life fresh milk in the world, using MST (Millisecond Technology) technology.

2022

Launch of the first phase of PLAZA+, an essential tool in the multi-channel strategy of Plaza Las Américas and Plaza Del Caribe that allows the opportunity to plan visits to these shopping centers and search online for merchandise available in participating stores.

2023

Vaquería Tres Monjitas achieves the leadership in fresh milk market share and the regulator authorizes the extension of the expiration date of fresh milk in coolers.

2024

Vaquería Tres Monjitas becomes the only fresh milk manufacturing plant on the island to serve all Puerto Ricans.