Breads of Nicaragua

  This is a traditional cookie that they sell everywhere in the North of Nicaragua.  You can see in the background that there are more people selling the same type of cookie in different variations at the same location.  This is at a local gas station in Matagalpa Nicaragua.  These are made fresh and this is the best way to purchase them.  I have not seen a package with these cookies yet but my guess is that the shelf life would be very brief.
Nicaragua holds many different types of pastries that you could never find in America or other parts of the world.  The amazing types of breads are present in all cities.  In Leon, they sell a sweet honey bread that is sweet and easy to chew. They cut this bread into triangles and in the middle is a sweet fresh honey center.  I have never had one warm, but can only imagine how wonderful that might taste.  Breads are really popular in Central America.  Many different bakers add all types of fruits to their breads to make them different.  There are several different types of bread and cookies that are sold fresh daily throughout Nicaragua.  The traditional packaging is the slim fitting plastic bags like in the picture.  Can these products survive in more traditional packages? Great question and one that would need to be researched before answered. The more obvious question would be, can we reproduce these breads without introducing preservatives?  The likely answer is no for now but not because it's not possible. A good system in place that can reuse the bread in other ways such as croutons or breadcrumbs might be the answer.  They use these methods in many other bread facilities around the world.



Honestly, I have eaten 10-15 different types of local breads and feel that I have probably not even breached the surface for the many different types of bread out there.  Everyone has a different style and taste. They would be well served with a bakery that operated such as a collaborative the same as the coffee trade. Maybe a co-branding deal between the two would do well.  If you are a bread lover, don't miss your opportunity to taste some of the best breads in the world here in Nicaragua.  The freshness and taste are second to none.

Jinotega Nicaragua Coffee Trip pt 1

Up in Jinotega Nicaragua just before the harvest. More videos to come in the coffee series. The beans are not ready just yet but will be in another couple of months. I plan on returning for the harvest. If you have any questions about tours or farms, send me a message and I can forward something to you.

Jinotega Nicaragua Coffee

In Jinotega Nicaragua the elevation is about 1200 meters and the mountains bring a cool breeze for a steady cooler temperature than in lower regions.  You will need a windbreaker at night with the temperature dropping and the wind blowing.  The coffee plants are shielded by banana trees in order to provide shade from the sun and wind.  They complement each other perfectly.  The views are spectacular and the color of the plants are a deep rich green that is much greener than 95% of all plants you have seen before.  The steepness of the hills is unreal like out of a movie and farms have roads cut out in most of them for easy passage.  You will need a four wheel drive. Our van needed to be towed out several times.  The van was equipped with a front hook that made it easy to tow from.
One of our stops was at Kilimanjaro Coffee Farm.  This farm was around 500 acres and was well equipped to produce electricity on their own with a water wheel that was fed by a fresh water stream 2 miles from the spill chute.
The crew were excellent and their coffee was superb. We were able to sit and chat and ask many questions from the multi-generation farm owner Andres Altamirano of Finca Kilimanjaro. He knowledge  was extensive and he shared his success and his faults in the business. He served us lunch and we discussed the future of the coffee business and what direction he felt it was going.
We took a horseback ride around the farm and through a wooded trail that was fairly steep at times.  The horses were well trained and the Vaquero or "Cowboy" was very skilled.  We moved through the trials and were able to view the farm from horseback and it allowed us to see how far back the rows went.  The use of space was great and the protective banana trees were perfectly spaced and added a tight and professional feeling about it.




Loved the chicken!  Our friend Bence swam in the fresh water pond that had filled from the mountain stream.  He assured us the water was cold! They also had rooms that slept several on two sides that allowed customers or students to stay on the farm and learn the coffee farming aspects of the business.
If you would like to get in touch with Andres his contact information is below.
andres882000@hotmail.com

You can book a tour and or a room.

Nicaragua Canal and Business

Hello all!
This is just a quick 2 minute video to talk about the canal and when its going to get started.  If you would like to leave a comment please do.  I think that this new canal will change the way the world ships it goods.  This will reduce prices on all types of things that we purchase.  The route the canal follows will be booming with business just like the Panama Canal has witnessed.

Nicaragua business video

Hello Nicaragua- Technology Is Coming Fast!

Hello all. I know I have not been here in a while, but I have been concentrating my efforts elsewhere and just wanted to make a brief video for all you Nicaragua buffs out there and tell you that I think soon our paths are going to cross.  I am doing consulting with all types of very successful and interesting companies where I think I will be able do some business in Nica as well.
If you have ever dreamed of doing  business in Nicaragua, your in luck.  Nicaragua holds all types of benefits and opportunities for businesses of all types and sizes out there.  If you are looking to export from Nica or provide a service there, the playing field is wide open and many will find the  benefits like I have.

If you are just simply looking to retire there, I can tell you from experience that the dollar goes a long way.  The houses are cheap and you can take full advantage of the surf or views of the volcanoes.  The people are extremely friendly and are always there to help.  The people of Nicaragua are some of the nicest I have met in my travels.  I have stayed in 4 star hotels and even in peoples houses there.  You find that the food is second to none and my favorite thing to eat is the chicken. You will love the cuisine and the fresh juice squeezed daily.

For the entrepreneur looking to dip his or her toe into the kiddie pool, there are several opportunities for you to try before you get seriously involved.  In the city of Managua you will find all the same type of things that countries in the West have such as famous popular restaurants and malls, auto dealerships, salons, even really high end stores in certain areas.
The coffee is amazing and second to none. You can tour the coffee plantations on your way to the volcanoes and taste it similar to how Americans do wine tasting tours.  You will find many of these and the coffee is always fresh.

I have visited the export office and spoken with the head of exports there in Managua and can tell you that the main exports are beef and coffee.  They have ample ports and harbors for your exporting needs and can accommodate any size ship to hold your containers.
If you are interested in doing business there and have any questions, feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn or even send me a message.  I have been almost everywhere over there and have checked out everything that an entrepreneur can.  So please don't feel shy to reach out and contact me.  I have advised all types of people exporting goods from leather belts to t-shirts.  There is not a stupid question. I have also lived there for more than three weeks in a row, so I am much more versed than a tourist.  I have several friends down there as well if you are looking for a contact or even tours they can help.  You will need someone there to at least translate and help you pick the right places to eat and stay.  So if you are looking for ideas, friends, or other entrepreneurs, please feel free to browse my blog because there is something for everyone here. Take care and have a great day.

http://privatelabelfoods.blogspot.com/

www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreybernhard/

   I receive emails and LinkedIn messages all the time from people looking to start businesses in Nicaragua  and other Central and South American countries.  If you are interested in producing a product or even moving your private label manufacturing operation to the area, feel free to contact me.  I have a private label manufacturing blog that you can follow for a more current up to date experience.  If you want to connect with me on LinkedIn, click here.  www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreybernhard/ 
If you are interested in reading more about manufacturing and labeling your private products click on my new blog here.  http://privatelabelfoods.blogspot.com/  It does concentrate on consumable products however if you are looking to package anything and sell it, this blog can save you tons of money.  Not because of the guidance that I can give you, but from the millions of dollars I have spent on mistakes alone.  Don't waste your money until you have read how I wasted mine and the business lessons that I have learned the hard way.  Pay attention to others mistakes instead of their success and you will go far.  A wise old man told me that once and I didn't listen until I was much older and finally realized what it was he was trying to teach me.

Jeffrey Bernhard MBA
www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreybernhard/