We already know that the late Ike Cohen was an excellent businessman, he set up things right. First the hotels and the restaurants, then a support circle, including a distribution agency, TEC INC, on Arendstraat, Oranjestad. TEC was always a quiet-water-runs-deep type of operation, with a steady management, selling reputable brands with a no nonsense attitude.
Famous for being the Polar Beer distributor, the amber Venezuelan elixir was not the only product imported, and distributed by TEC, which incidentally stands for The Eight Continent, a kind of romantic name, hinting perhaps at the company’s size, big, and its diversity of products.
Ike founded it in 1971 to service the F&B industry here, and then a few years ago it also expanded successfully into generic pharmaceuticals. Last year it ventured into spirits and hired a good, experienced gun, Kavey Yarzagaray, assisted by Robert Anjie as the marketing counterpart, to set a complete liquor department up.
Last week TEC INC. inaugurated its new liquor division, with swanky offices, and a spacious air conditioned warehouse, on Arendstraat 105, just across the mother ship.
On the occasion of the festive opening, they invited a good number of people for a food & wine tasting and a tour of their cellar. It was impressive. We uncovered Minuty Rose, and Chateau Minuty Rose 281 in the cobalt blue bottle, from the Cotes de Provence, Provence, France, a magnificent Sunday brunch wine; a great variety of Rioja from Northern Spain, including Machoman and the Invisible Man, the entire ConoSur line from Chile including their top of the line Ocio, Silencio and 20 Barrels. A traditional blended Scotch Whiskey, High Commissioner, which has been a solid seller on the island for many years. Several labels of Flor de Cana Ron, premium Rum from Nicaragua, and Mamajuana Rum Caribeno, from the Dominican Republic. French Meukow cognacs, in several aromas and most importantly Billecart-Salmon champagne and Comtesse La Fond Champagnes both very aristocratic labels, symbols of quality and elegance, which you should get for New Year’s Eve, I tried both, the tiny bubbles feel like angels dancing on the tip of your tongue.
The evening also promoted meat, seafood and pork products, Anchor butter, Anchor milk, and enjoyed an excellent patronage of industry insiders.
TEC INC is a privately held company, and is part of Cohen Enterprises, an organization whose portfolio includes, a resort, an airline catering company; catering to prestigious airlines like KLM and AA, liquor stores and real estate, in Aruba as well as in Florida.
