The Fanjul Family
The Family
The Fanjul family ran one of pre-revolutionary Cuba's great sugar enterprises, and like the Bacardís, they lost their Cuban holdings to the revolution and rebuilt in exile. Starting over in South Florida, the brothers Alfonso ("Alfy") and José ("Pepe") Fanjul built Florida Crystals and acquired major sugar brands, expanding cane operations in the Everglades agricultural area and the Dominican Republic into one of the largest sugar businesses in the world.
The family became known not only for sugar but for political influence, cultivating relationships across both U.S. parties — a frequently cited example of how a Cuban exile business dynasty translated commercial scale into Washington access, particularly around sugar policy and the embargo.
Why They Matter
The Fanjuls are, with the Bacardís, the definitive case of the dispossessed Cuban elite reconstituting itself at global scale — proof that the exile could rebuild not just businesses but dynasties. They tie Miami to U.S. agricultural policy and to the politics of sugar, and they exemplify the exile community's combination of commercial power and political engagement.
They also connect the city to the Everglades sugar economy and its long environmental controversies — a reminder that Cuban exile capital reshaped rural Florida as well as urban Miami.
Where You See Them Today
The family's businesses remain major forces in sugar, and the Fanjuls are fixtures of South Florida and Palm Beach business and philanthropy. Their influence over sugar policy continues to draw attention, and their story is a standard reference in accounts of exile economic power.
Further Reading
- Reporting on the Fanjul family and the U.S. sugar industry
- Accounts of Cuban exile business dynasties
Neighborhoods: Coral Gables Eras: The First Cuban Exile Wave · The Latam Capital Era Movements: The Cuban Exile Wave Related dynasties: The Bacardi Family