Cacao San José | Valrhona Chocolate

Venezuela

Carupano, Sucre
10°33’46.2”N
63°10’41.3”W

Cocoa growing in Venezuela

Venezuelan cocoa is a centuries-old tradition with a rich history. Today, it is thriving despite the challenges posed by the country's current political situation.
Nestled between Venezuela's majestic mountains and lush valleys, this valuable agricultural heritage dates back centuries, when indigenous peoples were already cultivating the precious plant. Despite the political and economic turbulence facing Venezuela, local cocoa farmers are keeping this age-old tradition alive.
Venezuelan cocoa, with its bitter notes of raisin, chestnut, and licorice and roasted nuances, remains a symbol of resilience and national pride.

High-quality cocoa

Cacao San José is a family business that has been growing cocoa in Venezuela since 1830. The company's goal is to promote economic prosperity and long-term business relationships, contributing to social well-being and sustainable development. They do this, for example, by helping to create educational programs for children from communities in the surrounding areas and by promoting entrepreneurship.

For Cacao San José, the quality of their cocoa goes hand in hand with their aim of having a positive social impact and with their work on the family plantation to preserve the genetic variety of cocoa. It is this commitment that led us to build a long-term partnership with them in 2016. Our desire to forge a lasting relationship is stronger than ever, despite the political and economic crisis facing Venezuela today.

8years Partnership

Partnership signature : 2016 - length of partnership : 10 years

25 years Exclusive rights

over the cocoa varieties from the plantation we are creating together

1057 Producers

Our social and environmental actions together

Since 2020, we have been developing a family-owned micro-entrepreneurship project in coordination with UNDP (United Nations Development Program)

2022: Development of an education project for young people who have dropped out of school for cocoa and agroforestry

2020 - micro-entrepreneurship project

We have been developing a family-owned micro-entrepreneurship project in coordination with UNDP (United Nations Development Program)

2021 - education

Renovation of a primary school

2022 - traceability

Development of an education project for young people who have dropped out of school for cocoa and agroforestry
Mapping of the producers' plots, 100% traceability at the plot level

2024 – biofertilizers

Extending a production plant which turns cocoa by-products into bioinputs, for onward distribution to cocoa producers.
Extending a factory making fertilizer from cocoa plantations’ organic waste, for use by cocoa growers.

The impact

120 children

whose schooling conditions improved

50 families

trained in micro-entrepreneurship

60 young people

in difficulty trained in cocoa-related professions

Find CACAO SAN JOSÉ cocoa in

Dark

Single Origin

dark chocolate Araguani 72%

Araguani, a Venezuela Single Origin, A Valrhona full-bodied dark chocolate with sweet spice and slightly woody notes

Pure Paste

The Valrhona dark chocolate Pure Pastes are ideal for your mousses, crémeux and ganaches, ice creams and sorbets

valrhona.com-Pure Origin Bar Dark Araguani 100%

Cocoa

For Tasting

dark chocolate bar Araguani 72%

Araguani’s touch of vanilla, woody notes and hint of bitterness take you on an adventure through Venezuela’s patchwork of mountains, forests and salt water lakes. Araguani, Single Origin Venezuela, A Valrhona full-bodied dark chocolate with sweet spice and slightly woody notes, with cocoa beans from the Sur del Lago region (Las Virtudes, Tucani).