LA DESPENSA FAMILIAR 2017 SL

What LA DESPENSA FAMILIAR 2017 SL does

LA DESPENSA FAMILIAR 2017 SL is a family-owned Latin American food distribution and retail company founded in 1996 in Waltham, Massachusetts. It operates as part of a family group that includes Three Cipotias LLC and D' la Nena Inc, combining a retail storefront with wholesale distribution to independent and national retailers across New England, including Walmart, Market Basket, Stop And Compare, American Food Basket, La Riqueza Market, La Oaxaqueña Market, and Vicente's Tropical Brockton. The company serves the Hispanic/Latino community in Massachusetts and the broader New England region.

The company offers 12 product categories spanning Latin American groceries, snacks, beverages, and household goods, complemented by two proprietary brands: Three Cipotias (snacks, plantain chips, bread, and desserts) and La Ricura (Salvadoran creams and cheeses). Its go-to-market is sales-led, with distribution relationships and a recently introduced OFERTAS promotions channel supporting consumer-facing engagement. Reported headcount is 23 employees, and no AI/ML or digital infrastructure is disclosed.

The business model combines wholesale distribution revenue from retailer accounts with retail revenue from the company-operated store, monetizing through standard grocery margins on branded and unbranded Latin American SKUs. The differentiated ethnic focus and long-standing community relationships provide the basis for its market position, though the company operates without disclosed financial scale metrics.

Name

LA DESPENSA FAMILIAR 2017 SL

Legal name

Despensa Familiar Inc.

Website

https://ladespensafamiliar.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

LA DESPENSA FAMILIAR 2017 SL is a family-owned Latin American food distributor and retailer founded in 1996 in Waltham, MA, serving the Hispanic/Latino community across New England with wholesale distribution to major and independent grocers plus proprietary brands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Latin American / Hispanic Food Retail and Distribution

NAICS

Other Specialty Food Retailers (44529), All Other Specialty Food Retailers (445298), Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing (3118), Packaged Frozen Food Merchant Wholesalers (42442)

SIC

Retail-Food Stores (5400), Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products (5140), Bakery Products (2050)

akta.pro primary industry

Ethnic Convenience & Bodega-Style Stores (CRAHAFAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Bread & Pastry Specialty Stores (CRAHAGAC), Frozen Ethnic & International Meals (CRADADAE)

Keywords

• Latin American groceries
• Hispanic food distribution
• Ethnic food retail
• Central American products
• Grocery wholesale

Headquarters

HQ city

Waltham

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Retail Sales: Direct retail sales through their bodega/store in Waltham, MA selling Latin American grocery products to end consumers.
2. Distribution/Wholesale: Distribution of Latin American products to other retailers and supermarkets across New England region.
3. Remittance Services: Originally offered remittance services alongside retail operations as part of their convenience store origins.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

LA DESPENSA FAMILIAR 2017 SL operates a retail bodega in Waltham, Massachusetts selling Latin American and Central American food products across 12 categories (beverages, hot beverages, bakery, dairy/cheeses/desserts, candy, snacks, grains, frozen foods, spices, grocery, medicinal products, and deli meats/seafood). The company also distributes these products wholesale to other retailers across New England and operates sub-brands including Three Cipotias and La Ricura.

Product overview

Despensa Familiar Inc. operates a comprehensive Latin American grocery distribution business with a multi-category product portfolio organized into 12 product categories: Beverages, Hot Beverages, Bakery, Dairy/Cheeses/Desserts, Candy, Snacks, Grains, Frozen Foods, Spices, Grocery, Medicinal Products, and Deli Meats/Seafood. The company distributes its own sub-brands including Three Cipotias (plantain chips, breads, snacks, and desserts) and La Ricura (Salvadoran creams, cheeses, and frozen foods), alongside a wide range of third-party Latin American food brands such as Herbacil teas, Diana snacks, Broncolin remedies, and various Salvadoran/Guatemalan/Honduran specialty products. The product line emphasizes authentic Central American ingredients and traditional foods.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Three Cipotias: Brand for snacks, bread, plantain chips, pastries, and desserts including gelatinas, tres leches, arroz con leche, and flan.
• Three Cipotias LLC
• D' la Nena Inc

Products and services

• Beverages Latin American and Central American beverage assortment stocked at the Waltham bodega and distributed wholesale to New England retailers.
• Hot Beverages Traditional Latin American hot beverages (including coffee and related products) sold at the Waltham bodega and through wholesale channels.
• Bakery Latin American bakery products stocked at the bodega and supplied to New England retailers.
• Dairy, Cheeses and Desserts Latin American dairy, cheeses, and desserts retailed at the Waltham store and distributed wholesale.
• Candy Latin American confectionery and candy sold at the bodega and supplied to retail customers across New England.
• Snacks Latin American snack assortment sold at the Waltham store and via wholesale distribution.
• Grains Central American and Latin American grains (rice, beans, corn products) retailed and wholesale-distributed.
• Frozen Foods Frozen Latin American food products sold at the bodega and supplied to New England retailers.
• Spices Latin American spices and seasonings sold at the bodega and through wholesale channels.
• Grocery General Latin American grocery staples retailed at the Waltham store and wholesale-distributed to retailers across New England.
• Medicinal Products Latin American medicinal and traditional health products sold at the bodega and through wholesale distribution.
• Deli Meats and Seafood Latin American deli meats and seafood items sold at the Waltham bodega and distributed wholesale.
• Private-label sub-brand: Three Cipotias Company-owned sub-brand of Latin American products under the Three Cipotias name, sold at the bodega and through wholesale distribution.
• Private-label sub-brand: La Ricura Company-owned sub-brand of Latin American products under the La Ricura name, sold at the bodega and through wholesale distribution.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Three Cipotias LLCcoreOthersPart of the same family-owned group of companies. Produces own brand snacks including plantain chips, bread, cookies (galletas), and desserts under the Three Cipotias label. Products distributed through Despensa Familiar network.
• D' la Nena InccoreOthersPart of the same family-owned group of companies operating within the Despensa Familiar family group structure.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Vallarta Supermarkets: Hispanic supermarket chain (West Coast) offering full Latin American assortment including bakery, dairy, deli, and frozen prepared foods. Comparable retail format and category breadth, though operating in a different geography.
• Goya Foods: Largest Hispanic-owned food company in the US — manufactures and distributes a broad range of Latin American groceries, beans, seasonings, beverages, and frozen foods. Comparable in product categories and customer base, though at vastly larger scale and with proprietary manufacturing.
• Cardenas Markets: Hispanic supermarket chain with full-service grocery, fresh produce, meat, and bakery departments catering to Latino shoppers. Comparable end customer and broad-category Latin American assortment.

Others

• Latin Foods Distributors: Regional wholesale distributor of Hispanic/Latin American food products serving independent retailers and foodservice operators — comparable to Despensa Familiar's wholesale channel serving New England retailers.

Direct peers

• Sedano's Supermarkets: Hispanic supermarket chain serving Latino communities with multi-category Latin American groceries, bakery, and foodservice. Comparable to Despensa Familiar's retail assortment and customer targeting.
• Compare Foods: Hispanic-focused supermarket franchise operating in multiple US markets, selling authentic Latin American groceries, bakery, dairy, and meats to diaspora communities — directly comparable format and customer base to Despensa Familiar's bodega and distribution model.
• Bravo Supermarkets: Hispanic supermarket chain on the US East Coast offering authentic Latin American groceries, fresh produce, deli, and bakery. Comparable customer segment (Hispanic/Latino diaspora), product mix, and bodega-to-supermarket positioning.
• Marquez Brothers International: Hispanic food distributor supplying authentic Latin American products to independent retailers and supermarket chains across the US. Directly comparable B2B distribution model and Central/Mexican product sourcing focus.

Regional players

• Tropical Cheese Industries: Manufacturer and distributor of Latin American-style cheeses, creams, and ethnic foods sold through Hispanic and mainstream grocers — comparable on authentic dairy and savory products carried by Despensa Familiar.

Emerging players

• El Rey Meats & Groceries: Regional independent Hispanic grocer/distributor with multi-category Latin American grocery offering, overlapping with Despensa Familiar on Latin American meats, dairy, and pantry staples for diaspora shoppers.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/despensafamiliar
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/la-despensa-familiar-2017-sl

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about LA DESPENSA FAMILIAR 2017 SL