A privately held intercontinental conglomerate of ventures — from start-ups to the largest pharmacy chain in Central America.
The companies that form 3C.
A conglomerate spanning ventures from start-ups to large, mature companies — together representing the largest pharmacy chain in Central America.
“What do you mean, skin the public, Mr. Rearden?” asked the boy. “If it’s true, as I’ve read in your ads, that your Metal will last three times longer than any other and at half the price, wouldn’t the public be getting a bargain?”
“Oh, have you noticed that?”
Headquartered in Costa Rica, operating across three continents.
From our base in Costa Rica, our companies reach across Central America and the Caribbean — and into South America and Africa.
- HeadquartersCosta Rica
- Honduras
- Guatemala
- El Salvador
- Nicaragua
- Panama
- Dominican Republic
- Mexico
- Chile
- Brazil
- Kenya
~7,500 people and growing — rooted in Central America and the Caribbean, with operations reaching into Chile, Brazil and Kenya. Founded in 2001, headquartered in Costa Rica.
Investment criteria.
Market-based mechanisms over central planning — a disciplined filter for the ventures we choose to back.
A meaningful industry
Central America is made of small economies. We target ventures that can create roughly $30M in annual value within 5–7 years — niche bets aren't worth our time.
A market inefficiency
We look for sectors with inefficient competitors and outdated business models — straightforward opportunities, not crowded races like textiles or fast-food.
A competitive advantage
Usually the skills and knowledge of the people who will run the business — or the platforms our existing ventures already provide, such as our pharmacy customer base.
Managing principles.
Once we own a business, a lean set of operating rules keeps it accountable, decentralized and meritocratic.
Decentralized P&L
Profit-and-loss responsibility sits as low as possible in the org chart. Each pharmacy runs as its own unit, deciding locally on staffing and inventory.
Lean staff structure
It is the line that creates value, not central staff. Business units stay lean and fund any support roles from their own results.
Trust, but verify
We give unit managers a lot of leeway, paired with timely and precise reporting. Every unit closes its books daily and submits complete financials.
Meritocracy
From lower-management up, 20–30% of pay is variable and results-based. Careers advance on demonstrated performance — not on pedigree.
Founder · President · Shareholder
Massimo Mazzone
3C's equity is held by its leadership, with no outside financial investors — giving the group a great deal of freedom and an unusually fast decision process.
An Italian national now based in Monaco, Massimo holds a business administration degree from Bocconi University in Milan, and spent ten years at Boston Consulting Group, which he considers his real alma mater, across Milan, Chicago and Monterrey. He later led PuntoCom Holding's operations in Mexico and Motorola/Celtel in Honduras before founding 3C in 2001 — first as a management consultancy, then growing its ventures well beyond the start-up phase.
Massimo is a member of the Mont Pelerin Society and the Entrepreneurial Committee of the Fundación Internacional para la Libertad.
“We do not recruit when a position is open. We recruit all the intelligent, committed and entrepreneurial people we can find as soon as they are available — and we worry about what to do with them later.”
If that sounds like you, send us your CV. We hire for intelligence, commitment and entrepreneurial drive — fluency in Spanish and English required.