History of Cobal
The cobal In the old days:
Image description: This is an old black-and-white photograph. The image shows a street with old buildings on the left and a mountain in the background. On the left, there are buildings with open gates, possibly warehouses or sheds. On the right, there are lower structures, which appear to be shacks or storage buildings. In the background, a large steep rock formation stands out, partially covered with vegetation. Power lines cross the image. At the bottom, there is text that reads "Rio. Largo dos Leões car barn from Rua Voluntários".The well-known Cobal was once a streetcar garage; this photo dates from around 1919 to 1922, and it is part of the Moreira Salles collection.
Inauguration:
Image description: The image shows a sign with text in Portuguese. The sign is mounted on a green surface. The text is written in white on a black background. The text mentions the government of President Emílio Garrastazu Médici and Minister Luiz Fernando Cirne Lima. It states that the Companhia Brasileira de Alimentos-COBAL built a market on September 9, 1977.The Cobal was inaugurated in 1971, and there are families of merchants who have worked at Cobal do Humaitá since it opened. In Rio de Janeiro there are 4 Cobal locations: Humaitá, Leblon, Méier, and Campinho.
What does "cobal" mean?
COBAL was the acronym representing the Companhia Brasileira de Alimentos (Brazilian Food Company), created by the João Goulart government in 1962. It was part of a series of social programs for the supply and sale of staple food products, which mainly served low-income families.
