What began as a week-long trip to Santa Bárbara in 2019 turned out to be the mere start to a relentless and lasting journey of producing the highest quality Central American spirits while also forever impacting the lives of the people who live there and their environment. Introduced to the locally-grown breadfruit of Honduras, La Zona’s founders were enthused by the fruit's remarkable and versatile qualities. Among its numerous applications, the fruit's fermentation and distillation created a smooth and unique tasting vodka that was sure to excite whoever tried it. Why not – they thought – benefit from such an abundant fruit to produce not only a sustainable product, but also community and environment? 

 

However, life under constant climate threat soon revealed itself as the town of Santa Bárbara was cataclysmically struck by back-to-back hurricanes in November 2020 while people were also contending with a global pandemic. It became clear that for a company to succeed it needed to be nimble and not reliant on one thing. So, the distillers began incorporating yuca, chato (a readily-grown plantain), corn, and sweet potato with breadfruit, producing a one-of-a-kind, all local and sustainable vodka.

 

Along with potential infusions made only with the freshest, Honduran-grown ingredients, this vodka would be sure to thrive in a community needing all the support it could get. With just one vodka still in the country’s mainland, along with the help of multiple members of the community, the dream of Honduran vodka started becoming an exciting reality. Today, Destilería La Zona proudly serves as Central America's only vodka distillery and imparts the founders’ initial excitement of a possible future in Honduras to countless people, starting with just a sip.