As a lover of milk (used to drink almost a gallon of whole milk a day) the D.R. has been a PITA. The best and "most like the U.S." milk is the fresh milk from Rica (ex:.
Rica Leche Entera 32 Oz. ). That is if you can actually find it "fresh". Dominicans have problems keeping cold things cold unless its beer.
I actually went to the Rica factory (on Kennedy) and bought the milk directly from them. Amazingly, out of 10 times that I went there to buy the milk, 2 or 3 of those times, the milk was already going bad. Very hit and miss with anything so sensitive to heat like milk. Finally gave up trying to find fresh milk and started tasting all the UHT (
leche rica listamilk) milk brands we find in the D.R. trying to find something that is at least drinkable.
Listamilk is a milk that has gone through a UHT process so that it does not need refrigeration. IMHO, I hate the way UHT milk tastes compared to fresh whole milk but since fresh milk is so hard to find I had to get used to it.
Listamilk is UHT prepped whole milk.
La Vaquita is UHT prepped 2% milk.
As far as I know, Rica is actual milk and not powdered milk. You never know in this country though...
They're both from Rica and about as good as milk gets in this country. Some people like the Parmalat brand but that crap tastes like dirty water to me.
I have a friend who tried to get into the "milk business" years ago. Bought millions in pesos in milk cows, millions in a modern factory to get the milk and sell it to Rica, and has yet to this day to turn a profit. Just dont think Dominicans care too much about milk..... not like in the U.S. where you open up the fridge and pound a gallon of red topped heaven.
Damn I want some fresh whole milk now... Capn Crunch deserves it! lol