Foods to Try in Puerto Rico

Our beautiful island of Puerto Rico boasts exquisite beaches and is home to a vibrant culture that includes upbeat music, people, and most importantly, exquisite cuisine. When visiting the island, prepare to fuel up on some of the most delicious dishes of Puerto Rico. Puerto Rican cuisine is extremely diverse and is influenced by West African, Spanish, and Indigenous Taino ingredients and cooking styles. Popular ingredients in Puerto Rican cuisine include plantains, yucca, rice (Arroz), papaya, tropical fruits and vegetables, and more. Here are some of the best foods to try in Puerto Rico.

Puerto Rican Foods to Try

There are some traditional and popular foods that are loved by Puerto Ricans and visitors alike.

Some of the most authentic foods to try in Puerto Rico are as follows:

Mofongo

This Puerto Rican delight is made with green plantains, mashed garlic, and meat such as chicken, beef, fish, or small pieces of chicharron.

The plantain is chopped into pieces and fried, they are then crushed and molded into a bowl with a hollow inside where the meat is placed.

Mofongo can be found at various food trucks and restaurants and is considered one of the most popular Puerto Rican dishes.

tostones puerto rico

Tostones

This dish, which is often served as an appetizer, is made with thinly sliced plantains coated in batter.

Tostones are deep-fried and flattened using a tostonera, which is a wooden press.

They are often served with a condiment made from ketchup, mayonnaise, garlic, and other spices, also known as mayo ketchup.

Tembleque

Tembleque is a dessert pudding made from coconut milk, sugar, salt, and cornstarch.

It has a smooth consistency and is often topped with cinnamon.

This dessert is enjoyed all year round but is a staple for the Christmas season.

Pasteles

Pasteles are a combination of vegetable dough and meat filling and can be made with either yucca or green plantain.

They are stuffed with meat, usually pork, but can also include vegetables and pumpkin.

They are wrapped in banana leaves and boiled until the leaves fall off. Once ready, they are seasoned with achiote and sofrito.

octopus salad puerto rico

Ensalada de Pulpo

In English, this dish translates to octopus salad, and that’s exactly what it is.

Ensalada de Pulpo is made from chewy octopus and tart vinegar.

This dish is usually served with another Puerto Rican favorite, Tostones.

Rellenos de Papa

Rellenos de papa is a popular island appetizer best described as a savory mashed potato croquette stuffed with ground meat or picadillo and seasoned with sofrito.

Other ingredients, such as cheese, onions, and other vegetables can also be found in Rellenos de Papa.

arroz con gandules puerto rico

Arroz con Gandules

This is probably one of the most popular foods to try in Puerto Rico.

This holy grail dish centers around rice and Gandules, or pigeon peas.

Gandules are used often in Caribbean cuisine and manifest as small, green, oval beans that contain a nutty flavor.

Arroz con Gandules or Puerto Rican rice is the island’s national dish along with roasted pork, or Pernil.

Pernil

Pernil is a slow-roasted pork leg or shoulder marinated with adobo mojado, which is a mixture of olive oil, vinegar, garlic, oregano, salt, and black pepper.

Pernil is most often served with Arroz con Gandules or sweet plantains and is usually enjoyed during the holidays.

mofongo with shrimp puerto rico

Advertising in Puerto Rico

The marketing opportunities are endless in Puerto Rico; however, a unique and localized communication strategy is needed because of the island’s uniqueness.

Puerto Rico is a unique market because we see U.S influence mixed with Hispanic culture and the Spanish language.

The island is usually thought of as a middle ground between North America and South America, which is why businesses see lucrative opportunities on the island. However, it helps to know who your audience is – including what they eat.

Food Advertising

Food advertising, especially with the use of billboards, is aimed to reach a wide range of people and demographics.

In 2016, approximately $13.5 billion was spent on advertising by food companies.

In Puerto Rico, restaurants held 2.69% of the total spending on digital advertising in 2021.

Food companies invest in advertising such as billboards because it’s an effective way to increase return on investment (ROI).

Advertising can easily influence an individual’s food choices, so this is a great way to advertise your company’s new food product or to highlight your restaurant’s new menu item.

Billboards and OOH Advertising

Gone are the days of static billboards, today we see digital and smart billboards that are transforming the advertising market. If you’re looking for foods to try in Puerto Rico or you’re looking to influence certain foods to try, chances are that advertising will play a part.

Effective advertising can help you get ahead and stand out from the competition, and billboards are the easiest way to do that.

Here are some reasons why:

  • Outdoor advertising is more noticeable than mobile or television ads.
    • Online advertising can be ineffective due to ad-blockers. Additionally, due to the increasingly high number of mobile and television ads we see each day, it can be challenging to make your advertisement stand out on these platforms.
  • Billboards are more accepted by consumers.
    • Billboards have been around for a long time, and are generally accepted as a form of advertising. The ethical issues surrounding social media and online ads have made people wary.
  • Billboards help with brand building.
    • OOH advertising can build brand awareness as people are most perceptive of their surroundings when outside of the home.
  • Billboards are cost-effective.
    • Billboards are generally cheaper than print or online advertising. Additionally, they are more long-term than other forms of advertisement that often require businesses to make repeated payments.

bMedia and Your Business

BMedia is the leader in OOH advertising in Puerto Rico. We work with people from all types of industries, including the food industry, to help them reach their target audience and increase their return on investment.

With decades of experience erecting high-performing and eye-catching billboards, we aim to maximize your businesses using strategic locations and advanced analytics to optimize billboard engagement.

The billboard real estate in Puerto Rico is thriving, and we’re here to help you find the perfect spot for your advertisement.

Through best practices, we aim to help your business reach its maximum value.

Contact us today!

Best Rum in Puerto Rico

One of Puerto Rico’s greatest claims to fame is its rum manufacturing. Not only is rum an important export of the island. The industry also employs lots of people all across the island to make this distinct drink.

Although high-quality Puerto Rican rum can be pricey, great rum doesn’t have to be expensive. If a rum has rich and complex flavors, it will absolutely drink well on its own. If it tastes good in a rum cocktail, as well as on its own as a sipping beverage, then you have certainly found a great, high-quality rum — no matter the cost. So if you’re asking yourself, “What’s the best rum in Puerto Rico,” read on to find out!

whats the best puerto rican rum

Types of Rum

Rum varies in type according to the way it is made, the length of distillation, and the type of materials used. Rum types include:

  • Dark Rum
  • Light Rum
  • Premium Aged Rum
  • Fruit Infused Rum
  • Vintage Rum
  • Overproof Rum

There are many types of rum from all over the world. Puerto Rico happens to be one of the most well-known places that produce rum.

History of Rum Making in Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico is certainly known for its rum production. This small island has captured the attention of the world, as well as a good percentage of North American rum drinkers.

Rum makers on the Caribbean island of Barbados bear the title as the original rum manufacturer. Rum production there dates back to the early 18th century. Puerto Rican rum production, on the other hand, dates back over a century and a half.

By the mid-1800s, sugarcane farming had become a major industry of the Caribbean. At one point, there were over seven hundred sugarcane plantations on the island of Puerto Rico alone. In addition to exporting sugarcane and sugar on its own, Puerto Rico began to produce rum from its sugarcane crops.

Spaniard Don Juan Serrallés imported a still from France, and in 1865, he produced the first casks of Don Q rum, named for the novel Don Quixote. The Don Q manufacturers set out to produce the perfect rum using a unique yeast and white oak barrels from America. Don Q rum is still produced in Puerto Rico to this day.

best rum in puerto rico

Even though it is a small island, Puerto Rico has established its place in rum production on an international scale.  In fact, Puerto Rico calls itself the rum capital of the world. The island produces over eighty percent of all rum consumed in the US.

Puerto Rican rums are made by five major companies. These include: Don Q, Bacardí, Palo Viejo, Ron del Barrilito, and Ron Llave. These Puerto Rican rum brands have a reputation for high standards of production and consistent, high-quality products. Each of these can be considered by many to be the best rum in Puerto Rico.

Best Puerto Rican Rums

Don Q

The Serrallés family has been perfecting their Don Q rum for six generations. It is the best-selling rum on the island and the preferred rum of Puerto Rican drinking establishments. Current production includes Don Q Cristal, Don Q Añejo, Don Q Gold, and Don Q Limon.

Bacardí

Bacardí rum business began in Cuba. Facundo Bacardí Masso started his rum production over a century and a half ago. Although Bacardí started in Cuba, it has an important facility in Cataño, Puerto Rico. Established in 1930, this distillery became the largest premium rum distillery in the world. Tourists visiting Puerto Rico can visit Casa Bacardí at the distillery to learn about the Bacardí brand and its history, as well as engage in tastings. As well as several rum varieties, Bacardí products include Grey Goose vodka, Dewar’s whiskey, Bombay Sapphire gin, and Cazadores tequila.

puerto rican rum

Palo Viejo

Palo Viejo rum, like Don Q, is made by the Serrallés Distillery. Palo Ready, created in 2015, comes in a ready-to-drink pouch containing Palo Viejo rum and various juices. These can be used to create such rum cocktails as sangria, limoncello, and island rum punch.

Ron del Barrilito

The Ron del Barrilito rum business was created by Pedro F. Fernández. He established the distillery in 1871.  It is located on what once was his father’s sugarcane plantation. The name Ron del Barrilito refers to its aging in barrels. The distillery has fewer than ten employees. Four are family members. The company continues to use the same formula Pedro Fernandez used. Although small, Ron del Barrilito is part of Puerto Rico’s rich rum tradition.

Ron Llave

Ron Llave is another premium Puerto Rican rum whose history dates back to the 19th century. Ron Llave, unlike some of the other primary Puerto Rican rums, is produced in Arecibo, a city on the northern coast of Puerto Rico. Ron Llave has a wide variety of premium rums to choose from.

Rum Advertising

Rum companies, like other manufacturers of alcoholic beverages, face tight competition. Especially in a place like Puerto Rico, where rum is very popular and there are many different manufacturers, it’s important to stand out. The goal should be to produce brand awareness, encourage drinkers to buy their brand over others, and showcase new products.

With effective advertising, rum producers can persuade drinkers to switch to rum from another alcohol. They can also advertise to reach new customers or even convert those who tend to drink other rum brands. Through ads targeting customers who don’t know much about rum, these brands can build a new niche market from a target audience.

As new companies begin rum production and as new products emerge, rum manufacturers strive to attract consumers in a competitive business.

Benefits of Outdoor Advertising

Whether in Puerto Rico or anywhere else in the world, we are a society on the move. We spend a lot of time in cars, buses, trains, on bikes, and on foot getting to work, to school, or touring. That is why outdoor advertising is such an effective way to get brands known, new products introduced, and special events publicized.

We see advertising communications everywhere. Brand messaging can be shared on highway billboards, transit posters, and ads on buildings, trains, and buses.

Because outdoor advertising is big, bold, and interactive, it grabs the viewer’s eye. Many passersby make the same trip multiple times per day. Especially when caught in traffic, they are a captive audience.

Outdoor advertising gives advertisers a great return on investment. A survey found that seven in ten people read billboards consciously as they pass. Over ten percent say they made a purchase based on outdoor ads within a week of seeing the ad. So whether you’re making the best rum in Puerto Rico, or you’re just getting your brand off the ground, you can certainly benefit from outdoor advertising.

how to advertise rum

Why Choose bMedia to Advertise Your Rum?

Like every other business, rum manufacturers want to get their brand out there and recognized. They want to boost sales and outsell their competition. When a new product is released, the company wants the public to know about it. If they are planning a special event to showcase their product, they want to entice potential buyers to attend.

Any brand will have only so much money to put into advertising. Thus, they will want to put their advertising dollars where they will attract buyers. Outdoor advertising has proven to be one of the most effective ways to tell the public about a product.

To optimize your advertising dollars in Puerto Rico, you need a firm with proven ability to analyze a target market and get your brand optimum exposure. bMedia has a proven record. With tons of prime advertising locations, years of experience, and proven practices, bMedia is certain to help boost your company’s sales. To learn more about how bMedia can help your brand, contact us today!