Retirees and cookies in Costa Rica

Chiky is the best selling cookie in Costa Rica; So much so that over 130,000 are produced daily by the Pozuelo cookie factor to meet the demand.

For decades both Costa Ricans and expat retirees have savored a delicious variety of cookies made by the bakery. In fact, the company just celebrated its 100th anniversary. Felipe Pozuelo Rivero founded the company in 1919 which was originally called, “Fábrica de Galletas y Confites Felipe Pozuelo e Hijos Ltda.” At first, the company was located in San José and on Paseo Colón. At that time it produced cakes, candy and cookies on a very small scale. The founder eventually went to Chicago to work in a cookie factory where he perfected the art of cookie making and acquired many recipes which he later brought to Costa Rica. Forty years ago the company moved its operation to its present location in La Uruca. I pass by the facility quite often and can smell the delicious scent of cookies which emanates from the bakery and pervades the surrounding air.

Today Pozuelo has more than 1.458 employees in the region with Costa Rica being the largest operation. In addition, the company has an active presence in 19 countries (United States, Panamá, El salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, Cuba, Guadalupe island Haití, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Trinidad Tobago, Dutch Guayana, Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of the Congo).

On May 18, 2006 El Grupo Nacional de Chocolates de Colombia purchased the company for $120 million dollars.

In addition to making cookies the company donates money to worthy causes and does volunteer work in the community.

The company’s motto “Mucha Galleta” which means “a lot of cookie.”