#aristidou

A Greek immigrant named Andreas Aristidou, singlehandedly brought ice cream to Colombia in the 1930’s — and since then, three generation of Greeks have expanded the business to become the ice cream kings of this Latin American country.

Based in the coastal city of Barranquilla, in north Colombia on the shores of the Caribbean, “Heladeria Americana” has become a bit of an ice-cream empire, with six, soon to become seven, outlets in the city.

A Greek immigrant named Andreas Aristidou, singlehandedly brought ice cream to Colombia in the 1930’s — and since then, three generation of Greeks have expanded the business to become the ice cream kings of this Latin American country.

Based in the coastal city of Barranquilla, in north Colombia on the shores of the Caribbean, “Heladeria Americana” has become a bit of an ice-cream empire, with six, soon to become seven, outlets in the city.

Antonis Mandralis-Aristidou, the general manager of the ice cream empire, was born in Colombia but grew up in Greece, which he loves. Speaking to the Greek Reporter, he says he is proud to continue the business founded by his grandfather.

Andreas Aristidou founded Heladeria Americana in Barranquilla in 1936. “Heladeria Americana was founded in 1936 by my granddad, a Greek immigrant from the Peloponnese. It was a time of great opportunity and growth for Colombia. He brought the idea of ice cream, sweets and generally speaking the idea of “dining,” in Barranquilla.”