Nubar, the eldest of three children, began this business endeavor before he was even aware of it. As a college student, studying Mechanical Engineering during the early 90’s, he bought and sold fresh, handcrafted cheese and pistachios to his neighbors and friends to earn spending money.
One day he ventured to a wholesale market to buy nuts, and curious as he was, began talking to the merchants asking about the nuts they bought, how they bought them and where; before he knew it he took his savings and asked for an additional loan from his father, who became his partner and advisor from the beginning, to import and wholesale his first container of pistachios from California for these merchants, offering better quality and prices.
One container led to the next, now adding almonds. The next included walnuts and hazelnuts, and soon after nuts were accompanied by luscious dried fruits: apricots, dates and figs. In 1995, the new adventure now became a formal company: Casa de Frutas, or House of Fruit.
By the end of the century, a great time to envision the future, Nubar visualized the company as one that would bring fine foods from different parts of the world. Its portfolio of products began to include premium canned fruits and vegetables, delicate olive oils, specialties, olives and capers from Europe, and dairy products from Switzerland and Holland with Dutch style cheeses such as Gouda, Edam and Maasdam, all under the newly established brand of premium food products: Monaco.
Soon after, the company obtained representation of reknown international food brands such as Sun Maid, Dole, Pietro Coricelli, Italdoro, Emmi, Crespo, Zanetti, Dutch Lady, to mention a few.
By 2004, Monaco Foods was established as a wholesale distributor in the United States, serving the American Foodservice market as well as the Latin American Market. Nubar’s sister and brother-in-law, since early days runned operations in the United States and acted as Casa de Fruta’s fundamental partner.
