Oliveiros Cristina, an entrepreneur from Loulé, came to Portimão carrying the will to make business happen in the city that saw Dom Cristina liquor born. However, before the liquor there were other businesses, like factories for coffee milling, and even factories for chocolate and pastry products.
However, beverages were one of his greatest passions, and in his factories, he would bottle different alcoholic drinks. Due to his talent in managing factories he was invited to manage a factory, in Lagoa municipality, in Mexilhoeira da Carregação.
A new drink
In the Algarve, the emblematic medronho liquor is recognised by all, as well as its mixture with honey, called Melosa. However, Oliveiros Cristina realised that mixing it with lemon could create the perfect combo for what it is now known as Dom Cristina.
In Mexilhoeira da Carregação, Oliveiros Cristina was in charge of a canning factory, that later was deactivated and eventually became a support for all the other businesses he had, such has soft drinks, aguardentes and the liquors. However, the star of the whole company was Dom Cristina, which, at the time, was known by a different name.
Dom Cristina is now an exclusive product in the market, not only because of its flavours, but also because of the way of being produced. The drink is made in a manufactured way, and the drink ages in the barrells that usually store the wine, which gives Dom Cristina a unique flavour.
But, above all, the honey also makes the difference in the liquor. Rodrigo Cristina highlights the high quantities of honey that it used to produce this drink, which gives it an identity that cannot be found in any other drink commercialised in the country.
The aging method of the drink is also a way of making sure that the originality of the product is embedded in the product. Instead of using a storage method, Rodrigo Cristina mentions that Dom Cristina is maturated in wooden barrels.
The quality of the products used for the liquor is also guaranteed and made with national products only, such as the honey, which is produced in the Algarve.
Legal procedures
In the 80’s, Oliveiros Cristina sadly passed away, and for 10 years the renewal of the business was not formally requested by the family, which led to the loss of the original name of the drink, now used by another brand.
After long judicial processes, the Cristina family lost the case, and a new brand, Dom Cristina appeared, but the product remains the same. The family’s decision aimed to honour the work and life of the grandfather Oliveiros Cristina, who worked exceptionally hard to achieve what people already know.
References in the Algarve
Dom Cristina used to be the most commercialised liquor in the Algarve, and Rodrigo Cristina aims to achieve that again, since the Algarve needs brands references, in his opinion.
Currently, the family is betting on a strategy that aims to re-anchor the brand, starting in the liquor’s birthplace, which is Portimão. Rodrigo Cristina is aware that the consumerism habits are changing and that is also part of their strategy. However, adapting to the current reality is also what makes this work more challenging, nevertheless always rewarding.
New strategy
Within the scope of new discoveries, Dom Cristina turns out to be a great liquor to be used in cocktails, based on citrus, for example.
Besides the legal complications, Dom Cristina has been internationally awarded in the International Spirits Competition, in London, for example. They have also been present in other events abroad, like in San Francisco, in the United States, where a gold medal was also given to Dom Cristina.
Currently, the drink is made in other facilities, the factory has moved to Castelo Branco, however Rodrigo Cristina still wants to return to the Algarve and make sure that the drink is still produced in its original location.
Eternal
Rodrigo Cristina, above all wants people to know Dom Cristina and eternalise the history of his grandfather. He wants Oliveiros Cristina to be recognised as an entrepreneur who is still spreading the name of the Algarve region, through his liquor.