What are your favorite Dominican Brands?

[DavidZ]

When buying canned goods, pasta, condiments, etc, do you look for a certain brand because you are confident in the quality. For example, in the States when I see Heinz, Helmans, Del Monte, etc, I assume it's going to be a good product.

Some Dominican products Ive tried have been Princesa (pasta), Famosa, Linda, and Victorina (canned veggies), Baldom (condiments). Everything Ive tried has been ok, one brand of canned corn was excellent (I think it was Linda brand), and one can of mixed veggies was pretty bad, but unfortunately I don't remember which was which.

[drloca]

Originally Posted by DavidZ

When buying canned goods, pasta, condiments, etc, do you look for a certain brand because you are confident in the quality. For example, in the States when I see Heinz, Helmans, Del Monte, etc, I assume it's going to be a good product.

Some Dominican products Ive tried have been Princesa (pasta), Famosa, Linda, and Victorina (canned veggies), Baldom (condiments). Everything Ive tried has been ok, one brand of canned corn was excellent (I think it was Linda brand), and one can of mixed veggies was pretty bad, but unfortunately I don't remember which was which.

Goya perhaps?

[MommC]

and I like the Parmalat milk products as well as Santo Domingo and La Perla Negra coffee (it is okay to use the word 'Negra' isn't it?? wouldn't want offend anyone!)

[adrianb]

morena y india! :-)

[DavidZ]

I've tried Goya and Parmalat, in the States as well as here, but I don't think either is a Dominican brand...?

[Hipocrito Mejia]

Dominican pasta is horrible; luckily Barilla, which is decent, is now available in most supermarkets.

The Linda products are usually pretty good; Famosa and Victorina are hit and miss; some good, some not so good. Goya started in Puerto Rico, but is now a US based brand. Their products come from all different parts of the world and you have to look at the label to figure out the country if origin.

[Hipocrito Mejia]

I'm not a milk drinker, but my sons hated Parmalat and love La Vaquita. They actually said that it was much better than what we get in the US.

[ffritz]

Presidente & Barceló
We don't cook .....

[DrChrisHE]

Why is it that the dairy products here taste SO different? My kids had the same response to the milk as Hipocrito Mejia's kids. Is it the variety of cow, the food they eat, the water, or what?

I can't drink milk but can have cheese and yogurt and definitely can taste the difference between the brands, as well as when we bring things back from the US. As an aside, one of my kids calls the sometimes orange blinders that the horse and cart drivers put on their animals "Dominican Cheese" (like American cheese but with even MORE plastic)...so now I can't look at one of those without thinking "Dominican Cheese" and laughing at the concept of a horse/donkey with cheese blinders

[J D Sauser]

Goya and Parmalat are not Dominican brands, just like Maggie and Knorr aren't (much to the contrary of most local's believe) or Coca Cola (which incidentally is also available in select locations around the world ). They just produce some of the goods they sell here locally or regionally, some are only packed here or the Caribbean or Latin American region.

Dominican brands that may bear the seal: "By appointment to his Excellency J-D. Sauser" :

• La Famosa, JaJa, Villa Campo (canned goods)
• Malta India (Cerveceria Vegana)
• BalDom ("Spices" and "sauces")
• Bohemia (Cerveceria Nacional... I'd prefer Presidente for the refreshing factor but it makes me sick, I mostly drink Brahma which I don't consider a Dominican brand either.)
• Barcelo Imperial (Ron, the only one I'd drink... anything else is to keep my cigars humidified)
• Kola Real (the Nacional answer to Coke... I actually like it better than Coke).
• Bon (ice cream)
• Rica (milk and chocolate milk, as well as their "100% pure" OJ with pulp actually beats the old time noble brand of Granini)

And there are more... J-D.