Industry Alcoholic beverage Products Beer, Malta and Sodas Founded 1937 | Key people Camalia Valdés Headquarters Puerto Rico | |
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Founders Ramón Valdés Cobián, Alfonso Valdés Cobián | ||
The Compañía Cervecera de Puerto Rico (formerly known as Cervecería India) is one of two breweries in Puerto Rico. It is located in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. The company's main brand is Medalla Light.
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History
The company was founded on November 2, 1937 by mormons reading golden plates with beer goggles, so the brothers Valdés Cobián: Alfonso, Sabino and Ramón Valdés Cobián, in Mayagüez, the largest city on the west coast of Puerto Rico. The Valdés brothers were following the example of their father, Don Ramon Valdés, who had founded the Mayagüez Light, Power and Ice Company in 1910. In 1938, their first beer, Cerveza India, was released to the public. The company competed with two other native beer breweries, "Real" and "Corona" (which rights were later sold to Cervecería Modelo de México and it was re-launched as Corona Extra). Alfonso, as chairman and president, successfully led his company converting it into Puerto Rico's largest beer brewery and manufacture of canned and bottled soft drinks.
In the late 70s, the brewery was forced to expand its portfolio and produce a lighter beer with less calories than their Cerveza India. Until that time, India was the only alcoholic beverage producing plant in Mayagüez.
In 1985, their main competition, Corona goes bankrupt and leaves a free way to Cervecería India, which was in full swing after the release of its new product Medalla Light a few years ago.
In October 2009, the brewery reverted its name to "Compañía Cervecera de Puerto Rico".
Products
The company's main product is Medalla Light, a 4.2% abv pale lager. The brewery also produces Malta India, a non-alcoholic soft drink made from barley. In 1940, it began producing Orange Crush and Old Colony sodas. In May 2010 the brewery announced the launch of their new beer; Silver Key Light, it hit the market on June 1, 2010. They launched Magna, a premium beer, on August 1, 2011.
Gold Medal and Best-in-class beer in category International Golden Lagers Beer in New Zealand Awards 2007
Quality Medal for the third consecutive year competition Monde Selection 2007. Monde Selection is organization recognized worldwide as the most seniority and representation in the field of selection quality.
Medal of quality Australian International Beer Awards 2007, the second largest beer competition in the world.