Jacks: Picaritas Caldosas

From childhood snack to Costa Rican cultural icon.

Picaritas is one of Costa Rica’s most iconic snacks, but years of changing consumption habits and a ban on sales in schools had weakened its presence among younger generations.

In 2016, we discovered something unexpected: in the town of Palmares, Picaritas was the key ingredient in caldosas, a traditional street-food recipe that had become a local phenomenon. We saw an opportunity to transform that regional ritual into a national cultural platform.

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Strategy

Media

The Challenge

The answer was hiding in the last place we'd looked.

The challenge was to reconnect a heritage brand facing declining sales with a new generation of consumers without losing what made it iconic. The answer wasn't a new flavor or a redesigned package. It was something that already existed: a recipe, a tradition, and the pride of a community.

The Outcome

From local phenomenon to national pride.

What began as a pilot in Palmares and Naranjo grew into a nationwide movement in 2019. Picaritas returned to the center of Costa Rican culture and daily life, while creating opportunities for entrepreneurs and small businesses across the country.