September 30, 2025 A Family Business Rooted in Tradition, Driven by Quality

Cibao® is a third-generation family manufacturer of Hispanic-style deli-meats and a co-manufacturer for private labels.

By David Soyka, Senior Editor, Industry Today

Time-honored family recipes stand out from their more generic counterparts because of Cibao’s unique authentic flavors and high quality, along with their association with cultural culinary traditions that “taste like home”.

Cibao Meat Products is a unique purveyor of what tastes like home in the Caribbean islands’ culinary traditions.

The company’s name derives from El Cibao, the largest region and cultural heartland of the Dominican Republic, and the native name for the entire island.

A third-generation manufacturer of premium Hispanic-style meat products whose family recipes offer a wide selection of flavorful salamis, smoked sausages, longaniza, and specialty cold cuts variously made with beef, pork, and/or poultry ingredients specifically tailored to Latin American tastes, Cibao Meat Products are produced under the strictest quality and safety protocols for their wholesale and retail partners.

“My grandfather started the business in 1969,” Cibao President Heinz Vieluf, Jr. says. “The first product was Salami Campensino, which was very popular within the Dominican community. It was made in a small facility in Washington Heights, New York, with about 20 employees. Over time, the company organically expanded, adding to our product line and our manufacturing capacity, all while maintaining Cibao as a family business now under third-generation leadership that continues our longstanding tradition of quality. We source from environmentally conscious farmers committed to provide high value and safety.”

He adds, “Cibao makes food products. But equally important, we make a cultural connection that resonates not only with Latin American consumers, but also increasingly with mainstream American palates.”

Today, Cibao Meat Products operates from a 124,000 square foot headquarters and USDA-certified manufacturing facility in Rockaway, New Jersey, with a staff of approximately 200 people. “The company has evolved considerably over the years, growing from a maker of a single salami to producing a variety of meat products under the Cibao brand as well as providing contract manufacturing services to other brands,” Vieluf says. “We’ve added manufacturing space as well as new technologies such as robotics that add to our capabilities while maintaining the highest quality and safety standards consumers expect from us.”

He emphasizes that installing automated systems to improve process efficiencies and gaining higher uptime are not intended to force labor reductions. “We always look to upscale employees,” Vieluf says. “So, if we install a new robotics line to replace human assembly, we can typically reassign those people to maintain the new components and concentrate on higher value tasks.” As one example, centralizing and digitizing its data collection processes allowed employees to spend more time developing customer relationships and marketing efforts to boost customer satisfaction and grow the business.

Reliable Distribution

He adds that, “Our team is committed to continuous improvement and we’re always receptive to employee suggestions. Cibao supports and encourages open dialogue in the workplace and takes active steps to elevate, respect, and encourage each other. Our employees are the ones working day in and day out and have the best handle on what is or isn’t working best. If they have a suggestion as to what might make something work better for them or make an operation flow more efficiently that makes sense, we’re always going to explore it. We’re always looking at new ways to accelerate the delivery process and to supply orders within 24 hours on a once or twice a week schedule.”

A robust logistics chain focused on B2B service ensures product freshness and consistency to all key markets. “We work with suppliers to ensure quality and stable pricing, “Vieluf says. “Our products don’t sit on shelves, they are highly popular and we strive to ensure our customers have the product they want, when they need it. Reliable distribution is just as important as providing a quality product.”

Vieluf notes that roughly half of the employees are bi-lingual. “Given the popularity of our products in the Latin American community, it helps to have a Spanish speaking staff to work with certain of our vendors.”

Cibao Meat Products markets to wholesale and retail customers in major metropolitan areas of the U.S., including Puerto Rico, as well as niche Hispanic markets. “We’re always looking to expand our partnerships with national distributors, grocery chains, and foodservice operators seeking culturally relevant products with strong consumer loyalty,” Vieluf says.

He adds, “Cibao has a strong brand identity that offers classic Dominican and Caribbean Island flavors that please both the Latin American community as well as mainstream American consumers looking for authentic, culturally relevant quality using proprietary recipes and blends. From spicy to savory, Cibao offers a wide variety of meat products in various packaging sizes ranging from large 10 oz. packages to snack packs that feature multiple flavors.”

Dedicated account support, bilingual marketing material, and private labelling help wholesale partners succeed. “We participate in tradeshows, radio and TV and other traditional marketing” Vieluf says. “But we are also active in social media marketing to extend brand awareness. If you are interested in traditional Caribbean-style meats, you are going to know about Cibao Meat Products.”

Premium Expectations

Vieluf says that what sets Cibao Meat Products apart is its premium ingredients, along with its authentic Dominican recipes that satisfy consumer expectations of quality and flavors, and we’re manufactured under the highest safety standards. “We’ve never had a recall in over 50 years of operation,” Vieluf points out. 

Our mission is to preserve the culinary traditions of the Caribbean while delivering consistent quality and safety that today’s foodservice professionals and retailers demand,” Vieluf emphasizes. “We’re proud to offer time-honored recipes, made in USDA-certified facilities, that meet modern standards without compromising authenticity.”

Subscribe to Industry Today