BEGINNING OF THE BUSINESS
Early 20th Century
1919: At the age of 31, João Moreira Salles, an accountant by training, driven by the coffee production boom in the region, opened Casa Moreira Salles in Poços de Caldas. It was a general store located in a strategic area connected to by train, which became a frequent destination for the elite and ruling classes, as well as a thriving business center.