It all started in San Francisco de Macorís, with a visionary rancher and his desire to do things right. The story of Oleaga Cheeses It is a chronicle of hard work, constant training and commitment familiar; where each generation has known how to build on the foundations of the previous one.
Don Juanito Oleaga He had his farm, his cows and an innate business sense. In addition to selling his dairy production, he worked as a commercial agent, which allowed him to build a wide network of contacts. However, in the 1980s the livestock crisis affected milk prices, forcing many producers—including him—to reinvent themselves.
Here comes his son, Don Darío, current president of Oleaga Cheeses. Trained in the dairy industry with Dr. Mueses as a mentor, a renowned Dominican expert in dairy processing, he adopted quality as a guiding principle. With vision and determination, he proposed to his father to diversify the farm and focus on cheese making. Don Juanito, trusting in his son, said yes that would transform the family’s destiny. Shortly after, Don Darío founded ADOPROLAD, the Dominican Association of Dairy Processors and Derivatives, reaffirming his commitment to the development of the sector.
From that decision was born a company that today celebrates more than three decades of history. Inspired by tradition, but with an eye to the future, the Oleaga They decided to create an authentically Dominican product: white cheese. Shortly thereafter, their production grew to such an extent that they went from selling milk to third parties to dedicating themselves entirely to cheese making. Currently, they purchase 18,000 liters of milk daily from farmers in Cibao Central and produce about 8,000 units of cheese monthly.
Innovation has been a constant. Today they produce more than 30 varietiesincluding cream cheese, ricotta, and versions with herbs and spices. New projects, such as smoked cheese, rosemary cheese and a premium cheese that will bear the name of don Juanito, continue to mark its evolution.
The 90s brought a new crisis: trade liberalization flooded the market with imported products at very low prices. However, the Oleaga They didn’t give up. They decided to open a hostel at the entrance to their hometown of San Francisco de Macorís and sell their production directly, which allowed them to grow and redesign their strategy. That bet led them to have a presence in six points of sale nationwide today. The third generation is already leaving its mark. Darío José, Food Technology engineer, joined as general manager with a modern vision and a focus on innovation. He was the one who introduced the production of private brands, a path that has led to further development of the company and strengthening the relationship with CCN since 2023. “With a client like CCN We feel committed to improving ourselves every day, to offering more and better products,” he comments.
Following his father’s philosophy, Darío José also promotes collaborative work. He founded the Avanza Network association in San Francisco de Macorís to promote new projects and support other entrepreneurs. His leadership has been key in the expansion of the plant and the development of new product lines.
The link with CCN It has been a strategic alliance that promotes mutual growth. Since they began as suppliers of CCN In 2014, the relationship has strengthened and today its production also supplies more than 40 stores of Supermercados Nacional, Jumbo and Merca Jumbo.
Thanks to this collaboration, Oleaga expanded its portfolio and ventured to produce Líder brand yogurts, reaching an annual production of 720 thousand litersin addition to the development of a new product for the brand: butter, producing 30 thousand units per month.
“The relationship with the team CCN It is very close; We are always attentive to what is new we can offer, to any detail to improve and how we can innovate to continue growing together,” says Darío José.
Today, Oleaga Cheeses It is a reflection of how passion, dedication and teamwork can transform challenges into opportunities. Three generations later, the family Oleaga continues to advance with the same pioneering spirit that gave rise to the company: maintaining quality as an essence, innovation as a drive and collaboration as a path to continue growing. With strategic allies such as CCN and a constant commitment to excellence, Oleaga Cheeses reaffirms its purpose to continue evolving, taking flavor, tradition and Dominican pride ever further.
