Canoabo — Venezuela

“Venezuela has the world’s best cacao” – Luis Morales has heard this phrase many times. So he started dreaming about a life in the countryside and about cacao. He found the best cacao in Canoabo, in western Venezuela. This region is the birthplace of criollo cacao. Luis Morales and his wife Doraliza fell in love with the small beautiful town, not only because of its beauty, but also because of its history. In fact, cacao cultivation was practiced there as early as the 17th century. And so in 2005, Luis Morales founded Hacienda San Cayetano, a cacao farm with its own chocolate manufactory.

In the 18th century, cacao was a highly profitable industry in Canoabo. It brought great wealth to its farmers. Due to this increasing economic prosperity and wealth, many residents of Canoabo migrated to the city. Things got to the point where the cacao fields were eventually abandoned, and cacao cultivation was discontinued. Motivated by the village’s history and potential, Luis Morales and his son Rodrigo Alejandro Morales saw an opportunity to take the village back to its cacao roots.

Today, Rodrigo Morales is the second generation of the Morales family to grow cacao on 120 hectares of land. They produce their own chocolate called Chocolate Valle Canoabo, which plays an essential role for the town. These days, there is some sort of chocolate tourism in Canoabo: at so-called “Cacao Weekends” they teach about the Venezuelan cacao cultivation or the chocolate production. Increasing tourism created jobs and business opportunities.

Hacienda San Cayetano has also become a training center for cacao farmers and young students who want to learn how to grow cacao. They work closely with the school and the universities, and offer internships to the young people, showing them that they have a future in their town with cacao, and that they don’t have to migrate to the city. Luis Morales’ initiative has now come to fruition. In 2005, only 7 families were growing cacao; today, there are 42 families. Little fun fact: The village of just 5000 inhabitants has four chocolate stores.

We produce three different products with the cacao from Hacienda San Cayetano, the 73% Dark Chocolate, 68% Farina Bona and the Nibs for in-between snacks.