Ramón López Irizarry
Ramón López Irizarry | |
---|---|
Born | July 25, 1897 Puerto Rican |
Occupation(s) | Educator and scientist |
Spouse | Georgina Ramírez Banuchi |
Ramón López Irizarry
Early years
Ramón López Irizarry, born in Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico, was a professor of agricultural sciences at the University of Puerto Rico. In the late 1940s, the Government of Puerto Rico gave a grant to the University of Puerto Rico to assist in the development of Puerto Rican industries.[1]
Coco López
In 1949, López Irizarry, with the use of some of these funds, was able to work in his laboratory on an idea that he had. López Irizarry set out to find an easier way to extract the cream from the coconut pulp. The heart of the coconut has always been an important ingredient in many of the desserts in
López Irizarry kept the ingredients of the product a secret. The project was so successful that López Irizarry soon left the University and commercialized it. Coco López became the basis for the famous piña colada drink, which made its first appearance in 1954. The piña colada is also known as the "Official Beverage of Puerto Rico".[2]
Later years
López Irizarry was very successful. He packaged his product at the Industrias La Famosa canning factory, owned by
Personal life
López Irizarry was married to Georgina Ramírez Banuchi and had four children: Rosabel, Myrna, Ramón and Jorge. He resided in Ocean Park, San Juan, where he spent his last years. Ramón López Irizarry died a multi-millionaire on October 8, 1982. He was buried at Cementerio Buxeda in Carolina, Puerto Rico.[4]
See also
- List of Puerto Ricans
- Puerto Rican scientists and inventors
Notes
- Spanish name, the first or paternal surnameis Lopez and the second or maternal family name is Irizarry.
References
- ^ ProQuest Historical Newspapers Archived 2007-10-29 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Coco López
- ^ Slammed Magazine
- ^ Famous Puerto Ricans