Home Blog Page 25

César Guevara, president of the National Association of Cocoa Industrial Processing: “Our niche is in the gourmet market”

By
Redacción
-
0
SONY DSC

By Juan Pablo Crespo

Photos: Liliana Elías

Either at home or in his office there is not a shortage of chocolate. How could it be? The first job of the current president of the National Association of Cocoa Industrial Producers was in in Barlovento in 1969, Venezuela’s northern coast, where this exquisite seed is grown. Cesar Guevara has been linked to this wonderful world for more than 45 years.

By the hand of Humberto Reyes, author of the book “El Cacao de Venezuela” he started those adventures that seem to have no end, now with different responsibilities and valuable experience. “Once you get involved in cocoa it doesn’t let you go” he says, from his office in Caracas.

During a conversation with Vivaelcacao.com, the expert pointed out that the sector should aim towards the gourmet chocolate market, which has grown steadily over the past 10 years. “The niche is there.” He also emphasized the active and creative promotion of Venezuelan cocoas in the world as well as “to establish production targets of 500 kilos per hectare.”

Guevara is a geographer who runs the association consisting of 10 companies in the industry since 2001: Nestlé, El Rey, Caronero, Nucita, Cacao Real, El Globo, Cavencal, La Marcona, Zisnella, Fesa Group and, on the path to join it, Chocolates Franceschi. He is also president of the Agricultural Aprocao CA.

 – What do you think it can be done in Venezuela to increase cocoa production on farms?

-The first task is rehabilitation. We talk about technical assistance to small producers, who are the majority, to enhance their farming techniques as well as improve methods for taking care of plantations. This work spread over 30 or 35 thousand hectares could easily double cocoa production in four or five years. The second task needs the development of new cocoa plantations, but with a different vision, more focused on medium producers and basically in the western part of the country.

 – And for the rest of cocoa growing areas, what do you propose?

– For the rest, quality is the key. If Venezuela has the finest aroma cocoa, one has to be very careful when it comes to hybridize more the production. We must rescue the Criollo cocoa genes in the different research centres and also that new plantations have the seal of fine aroma cocoa. Once more, with all these approaches we could double production in four or five years.

 – When you use the word “rescue”, does it mean that fine flavour cocoas are in danger?

-The Venezuelan cocoa is, generally, a Trinitario cocoa with different levels of fine aroma cocoa. For example, those from the west tend to have more genetic contents of fine aroma cocoa, also those from the centre and slightly less those from the east. But every effort must always take into account the genetic quality of what is done and therefore, the post-harvest techniques. The latter refers to the fermentation and handling of the grain, which have a direct impact on the future usefulness of the grain.

Cesar Guevara: Regarding primary production, it is necessary to attain significant improvements in both production and quality"
Cesar Guevara: “Regarding primary production, it is necessary to attain significant improvements in both production and quality”

Rowing to diversifying and increasing production

Increasing cocoa production is the key, a goal that must be achieved with an entire united sector rowing together in order to meet the goals, never neglecting the distinctive quality of Venezuelan cocoa.

In comparison, Venezuela has a very low productivity per hectare. While here it barely reaches 300 kilograms, in Ecuador it reaches 2,000 kg per hectare, and in Colombia it can reach up to 1,000 kg.

– And looking beyond our borders, what quality standards we need to polish to gain a niche in the international market?

– We need to raise productivity. In this way, a range of production of 280 to 300 kilos per hectare per year is very difficult. Regarding primary production, it is necessary to attain significant improvements in both production and quality.

Marketing is another issue. Traditionally, we have exported cocoa beans, but we have never made any effort to export semi-finished and a lot less, finished products, excepting two or three brands, such as Chocolates El Rey and Franceschi, which are both pioneers in this area.

If we have the best cocoa in the world, why don’t we make finished cocoa products with this label? The Foreign Trade Bank is now clear on that idea, something similar to what it has been done with Venezuelan rum, meaning to bring appreciation for the national product quality and introduce it in the international market. Of course, we refer to going to the gourmet market or to a higher price level market, which demands these types of cocoa and is willing to pay for it.

We are not going to compete with African Forestero cocoas or Amazonian origin, which, despite they may have more productivity per hectare and resistance to blights, they have nothing to look for in the world of fine aroma cocoa. Venezuela has to remain in that niche and also presents itself on that basis.

 – Specifically, what is the Foreign Trade Bank doing?

– It is promoting exportation. In this sense, they have done a wonderful job with the rum. Now they are beginning to work with cocoa, bringing together the necessary people, providing assistance and participating in international fairs. That is the way to commercial development in order to inspire exports.

 – Is our cocoa industry profitable?

– At current prices and at field level, if our productivity were 600, 700 or 800 kilos per hectare, it would be profitable. However, this is hard to reach with a range of productivity of 250 or 300 kilos. Although there are interesting incomes as well as enthusiasm in the field producers at the moment, any change in the international market or a variation in the exchange rate place us at a disadvantage. I believe we must improve productivity to enhance competitiveness. We have to set out the aim of achieving 500 kilos per hectare, which, by the way, there are experiences, like in Zulia, Miranda or Eastern areas, introducing relatively simple improvements in caring the plantations, such as pruning, shadow relief, drainage maintenance and, of course, keeping a correct amount of plants per hectare. Let’s say around a thousand or eleven hundred.

"A product must have a consistent presence in the market in order to be successful".
“A product must have a consistent presence in the market in order to be successful”.

On the lookout for a niche

The gourmet chocolate market has been expanding in the world in recent years, always chasing the finest cocoa possible. Abroad there are customers with the check book ready to pay for the best seed, no matter where it is located. Guevara is convinced that we have to aim to those markets.

-Tell us about that niche that we must focus on…

-In the last 10 years the demand for gourmet chocolate has increased, thus, there is a niche. Which countries? Basically Asian countries like Japan, our main customer of cocoa beans, as well as Europe. We talk about a world that produces four million 200 thousand ton of cocoa a year while we place about five or six thousand ton, just because the rest is consumed locally. Supposing that our production is doubled, we would be able to place 15 thousand or 17 thousand ton in the international market. Nevertheless, still it would be a small amount it would be interesting for the fine chocolate market. We are not interested in competing in the ordinary cocoa market.

 – Colombians, to provide just one example, are very proud of their coffee and they know the subject very well. In Venezuela we have the best cocoa in the world, but we know very little about this.

– When you travel to any other country and take a package of chocolate with you, whether it is Franceschi, El Rey or Savoy, people get the best out of it. You might be asked why it is not sold there. Well, that is not easy because it involves work, and that’s what I mean. We make an excellent chocolate, but one thing is to produce and another is to export. We have to keep in mind that export has two fundamental criteria: quality and consistency. A product must have a consistent presence in the market in order to be successful.

 – Does that inconsistency cost us market share?

– I would say no, because we have not been in this market. The cocoa we export, between five to six tons annually, has its own market and its own demand. Exporters have done their job and conquered that market. Recently, in February, in France, a Romanian Chocolatier won the first prize to the best chocolate, using Venezuelan cocoa. This means that there are sound basis. When you see a chocolate bar from Chocolates El Rey in a display cabinet in France or anywhere else in Europe, you say, “Look, what a pride!” Perhaps we have not granted any privilege to that fact. For example, Ecuador has their slogan “the country of cocoa” and you arrive there, especially in Quito or Guayaquil, the first thing you come across is a big banner bearing the slogan. We have no cocoa slogan. It is not enough to say we have the best cocoa in the world but we also have to promote it. We have to work both in quantity and quality.

 – Suppose you walk down any street in Europe or New York, and someone known in the business stops you and asks about the Venezuelan cocoa, how would you sell it?

– I would say that we have a very distinctive cocoa in terms of aroma and flavour, I mean, in the world there are two kinds of cocoa, the Forestero, typical from the Amazon basin, and the Criollo cocoa from the South Lake of Maracaibo basin. What do we have? Basically, we have a hybrid between these two cocoas. However, we have the pure germplasm banks. It means we have to work on that. INIA people have much experience. All sowing material must be selected in a way to ensure productions bearing their characteristic tone of aroma and flavour.

 – What type of cocoa is your favourite?

-The South Lake type.

 – Why is that?

– For me it holds the higher percentage of Criollo cocoa. It is a very soft cocoa with almond tones and honey flavour, tasted in dark chocolates. You taste a chocolate with 70% cocoa and think it is too sweet, but it is not so, it only has those features that are perceived in the mouth. The eastern cocoa produces a different but also very pleasant sensation. Therefore, I do not like to talk about Venezuelan cocoa, but cocoas from Venezuela.

Each region has its own cocoa. Having said that, there is a fabulous cocoa, which is the Guasare. We have failed in its exploitation, thus, there is very little production. The best known in South Lake is Porcelana cocoa, but I think the Guasare is an exceptional cocoa. Our cocoa does not hold the solution to our economic problems nor it´s a competitor to oil business. We mean to compete with a product with Venezuelan roots and outstanding features for becoming a giant in export with worldwide recognition.

Precisely, in our roots we can find lots of responses and paths to follow. A careful analysis of the local environment together with a comprehensive action plan for cocoa can make a difference. Technical assistance to producers and the increase of cocoa plantations are part of César Guevara’s proposals. The expert and president of the National Association of Industrial Cocoa Producers also believes the country has both natural and human assets to focus on the gourmet chocolate market, an exquisite and dynamic niche that requires reliable and high quality sources. Venezuela can push hard in the world with one of its best cards: its cocoas.

 

More and better cocoa in Barlovento by the hand of Chocolates El Rey

By
test
-
0

 

Juan Pablo Crespo

Barlovento is to cocoa as El Rey is to chocolate. However, as Barlovento is much more than cocoa, this Venezuelan company with almost 90 years of history is also much more than their internationally awarded high-quality product.

Beyond the conquest of the world palate by Chocolates El Rey it is necessary to look behind to see those men and women increasingly engaged with a high production and productivity of cocoa, a pairing that boosts a ripple effect in which everyone wins.

In the sub-region of Barlovento, specifically in the municipality Acevedo, Chocolates El Rey has continuously shown over time that social responsibility and good agricultural practices can walk hand in hand. In fact, they intertwine and produce results as tangible as waves, Devils of Yare’s masks or the drums resounding in Barlovento during Saint John festivities.

In Acevedo, agriculture is the main economic activity and, of course, cocoa raises the baton in a natural green spectacle as fertile as warm and humid. There, Chocolates El Rey assists through a programme named “Más y mejor cacao” (More and Better Cocoa) about 1,200 people linked to the seed, as representatives of 300 families ancestrally connected with the work of Barlovento of cultivating the “food of gods”.

For the producers, the tropical fruit and chocolate are as a sacred apostolate
For the producers, the tropical fruit and chocolate are as a sacred apostolate

Hand in hand with the producer

“Basically, what we do is to provide comprehensive care tools thus performance and plantations production may be improved,” explains Francisco Betancourt, Agricultural Engineer and head of the company’s Unit of Agricultural Management which uses 100% Venezuelan cacao, fermented, sun-dried and processed through cutting-edge technology.

The programme “More and Better Cocoa” has made possible the rehabilitation of 150 hectares per year, where production has been even doubled in some cases. “There were some areas in Barlovento with a production range from 250 to 300 kilos per hectare, but now their productions range from 500 to 600 kilos per hectare,” explains Betancourt, an expert in plant breeding with a Master in Cocoa Cultivation in Mountain Conditions from the University of Guantánamo.

In other cases the rehabilitation plan has allowed to obtain productions ranging from 800 to 900 kilos of cocoa per hectare, and increasing.

As a head of the Agricultural Management Unit of Chocolates El Rey, Betancourt’s professional life is focused on meeting the needs of cocoa producers. For him and his working team, the tropical fruit and chocolate are as a sacred apostolate. “Cocoa goes far beyond the seed or the plant. In fact, it is about human beings who deal with a culture, going through a way of feeling and working in such a wonderful world.”

Francisco Betancourt, Agricultural Engineer and head of the company’s Unit of Agricultural Management
Francisco Betancourt, Agricultural Engineer and head of the company’s Unit of Agricultural Management

Edges for a joint success

When production and productivity are improved, it is boosted a profit that seeps up all the cocoa family. Hence, Chocolates El Rey launches several united edges, such as agronomy edge (rehabilitation) and organizational edge. The latter allows producers to create and structure the historic cooperative system (cayapa). “We also have the marketing edge, where producers who belong to our programme receive bonus for the quality of their cocoa. In this sense, we mean a fine aroma cocoa, “said Betancourt from Barlovento, Miranda State, Venezuela.

“We also have the productive infrastructure edge in order to build or improve processing units as appropriate, which are parts of drying and fermentation structures which allow the producer to increase quality of the grain as well as cocoa prices, as a result.”

Although Chocolates El Rey pays more to cocoa producers, it gets a raw material of the highest quality in return. “We do not use intermediaries (traffickers). We carry out direct commercial transactions using the platform of an institution called Aprocao (cooperative), “said Betancourt.

Rolling dryers used in Barlovento
Rolling dryers used in Barlovento

A suitable process

The joint efforts company-producers turn into making a world-class chocolate by using good agricultural practices as a seal of guarantee. Although it is true that Venezuela has the best cocoa in the world, to become this reality it is necessary to process it adequately. Chocolates El Rey, with its program “More and Better Cocoa” carries out along with its allies in the field the monitoring, tracking and control of the whole process of fermentation and fermenting doughs.

“We make a whole fermentation protocol that allows us to enhance an average cocoa to a very high quality one. We refer to a cocoa approximately 76% of fermentation, a mould to a lower level of 3%, a cocoa whose plain grains, sprouts and insect bites are not more than 3%, and also with humidity content below 8% “says Betancourt.

An ideal fermentation is more than essential because in this phase there are chemical reactions and changes in the grain to improving its organoleptic features, typical of fermented cocoa. “This step is fundamental for the production of high range chocolates. World-class chocolates are made with cocoa class F1 or fermented cocoas” says the Agricultural Engineer graduated from the Central University of Venezuela.

Carenero, a very popular type of cocoa from Miranda State.
Carenero, a very popular type of cocoa from Miranda State.

Honour to perseverance

The outcome of the process in which art and science combine is historically known as cocoa Carenero Superior, with excellent colours, aromas and flavours. It is important to recall that since colonial times this cocoa has had a great demand in the world for obtaining a supreme chocolate.

With the logbook of good agricultural practices and environmental protection (sustainable cultivation that promotes natural cycles without using pesticides or fertilizers) taken as a focal point by the producer, Chocolates El Rey at present exhibits in its display cabinets, and as a Venezuelan pride, awards that appoint the company as the only Latin American representative on the list of “Top 50 Chocolates in the World” (2011) in “Good Living Guide”. A year later, Chocolates El Rey was awarded the gold medal for its white chocolate Icoa Carenero Superior in the “International Chocolate Awards”. Thanks to these and other awards, the company has been globally acknowledged as a pioneer in the country in the use of a single type of cocoa for making fine chocolates.

Likewise, social responsibility and the programme “More and Better Cocoa” are also implemented, and according Betancourt, in all cocoa production areas in the country from west to east, passing through the Venezuelan South.

Thus, Chocolates El Rey and producers are engaged in a symbiotic relationship with one of its focal points is in Barlovento what incidentally, etymologically means “where the wind comes from”, but we might add that it is also a land where one of the best cocoas in the world comes from. Of course, provided that it is handled with the required international standards.

Venezuela has a “Monument to Cacao” in Miranda state

By
Redacción
-
0

By Joselina Rodríguez

On top of hosting delightful beaches, colourful traditions and friendly people, Barlovento is known for being one of the most important cocoa growing areas in the country, whose crops have been declared Cultural Assets, according to the Institute of Cultural Heritage of Venezuela, under the Resolution No. 003-05 dated February 20, 2005.

This appointment was done thanks to the historical, cultural and environmental value of these crops to local people, who, in their honour, have erected a monument to cocoa /”Monumento al Cacao” at the entrance of the village of San José de Barlovento in Miranda State.

This imposing and gleaming work created by the local artist and sculptor Nelson Batatino shows their gratitude and love towards the aromatic fruit, which was a product coveted for Europeans for many years during the colonial period.

The gigantic sculpture exhibits the ripe cocoa pod completely closed, standing on a base in the centre of a cosy plaza. At the moment, this about 10 meters tall “Monument to Cacao”, according to local people, is a tourist attraction which gives a great welcome to a town where the beaches, drums and cocoa are felt everywhere.

This slender figure represents a prospect of what can be found in the cocoa drying yards, where both humble houses as well as recognised farms offer tours of their facilities. There, on their concrete floors, you can see kilos of the exquisite seed exposed to the sun, waiting for drying and their subsequent grinding. The whole process could take from three to six days, depending on the atmospheric conditions of the region.

If you have the opportunity to visit this village on the coast, do not forget to get your pictures taken at this steady and solid monument, plentiful of art, culture and history, expecting to welcome you to this fertile, friendly and passionate land: Barlovento.

 

The correct drying process of cocoa: guarantee of good taste and aroma

By
Redacción
-
0
SONY DSC

By Maria Mercedes Rodriguez Z.

It is said that every mind is a universe and each universe has its flavours. Some prefer to eat very salty, others with just a little. Others flavour the sweet and overly sweet, or towards the acid. The fact is that whatever your preference is surely chocolate takes up a valuable place in your memory and portrays moments of greater pleasure. Either with milk or very dark, we all love chocolate and, like any other pleasure in life we rarely stop to think what’s behind such a delicacy. We simply are carried away by its aroma and flavour, longing to feel its explosion of sensations.

From Vivaelcacao.com we go into the insides of the feast of gods, paying great attention to the importance of each process cocoa must be through to become the best chocolate. One of these processes is drying of the seed.

During our visit to the drying patios we clearly learned the importance of drying cocoa properly. After a certain time of fermentation, cocoa is ready to dry in the sun. We looked for the producers, who are responsible for this task, in order to get the process described in details. Francisco Betancourt, agronomist from Chocolates El Rey, joining the experience of these land lovers led us to the fields sharing his valuable knowledge to further illustrate the process.

The grain moisture must be reduced up to 7 or 8%
The grain moisture must be reduced up to 7 or 8%

Dry, but not too much 

For experts in the subject, this is the last stage of cocoa processing, which consists in removing the excess of moisture from the grain after fermentation.

The grain moisture must be reduced up to 7 or 8% because if it goes below those parameters the seed becomes susceptible to diseases, acquires an unpleasant odour and loses its marketing value, as a consequence. As stated by Reyes and Capriles (2000) in their book “El Cacao in Venezuela”.

During drying the enzymatic biochemical processes continue to take place, so necessary to develop the substances originator of flavour and aroma proper of a good quality cocoa. The process must be carried out slowly, because an inadequate drying damages the final quality.

This explains how essential this step is to obtaining a good cocoa. Since drying must be progressive, it is important to remember that this process takes time. If the kernel is dried very quickly, it might be left wet inside, providing an out of standard acidity.

According to some experts in the subject, the best way to dry the kernels is in the sun and progressively since this gives them a fruit flavour and the necessary moisture to allow their safe storage and a secure move.

Mobile driers which prevent rain affects the drying process
Mobile driers which prevent rain affects the drying process

Benefits of drying

According to Reyes and Capriles, if the kernels are fermented before drying, we can obtain the following changes:

– Decreasing of moisture levels to allow handling and storage.

– Loss of volatile acids by evaporation.

– Total development of the characteristic chocolate flavour.

– Kernels change colour to brown chocolate.

During our visit to Barlovento, Miranda state, we could witness the drying processes in El Milano sector, where producers told us how a kernel must look and taste when it is completely dry. The kidney-shaped and velvety brown colours are key features to know that the grain has gone through a good process for its marketing.

Another innovation that producers have is the implementation of sliding roof dryers to prevent that water affects the adequate drying process when it rains. When it comes to speak about successful examples of drying processes, it has to be mentioned those carried out in South Lake, western Venezuela, where Chococao builds rolling wooden dryers, which are as capacious as modern.

Rolling wood drying
Rolling wood drying

It’s on concrete or wood?

Each producer has his own way to dry his cocoa, but in Barlovento, Chocolates El Rey has carried out a great guidance for cocoa producers, on how important is having a patio exclusively for drying their product, thus, together they have built cemented yards for this function.

According to Betancourt, there is a project in course to build a cocoa processing centre in the region where the cocoa could be dried in wooden crates, in prevention of cement corrosion as it happens in most of the yards we visited.

Drying cocoa is similar to other stages of cocoa cultivation. It requires patience, care and above all, full-time commitment to be able to obtain a high quality product that ultimately comes into exquisite chocolates bearing the stamp “Made in Venezuela”.

 

Cocoa? Fermented, please…

By
Redacción
-
0
SONY DSC

By Maria Mercedes Rodriguez Z.

Many people believe that the word “fermented” means damaged or rotten. In fact, in the gastronomy world and handcrafted preparations, the fermentation process involves the growth of microorganisms in food to change its flavour and lengthen its preservation. Among the products at the top of this list are yogurt, tofu, cheese, beer and of course, cocoa.

Apart from drying, is the most important process to obtain a high quality cocoa.
Apart from drying, is the most important process to obtain a high quality cocoa.

Let’s ferment!

There are many countries producing and exporting cocoa but do not carry out the fermentation process which, apart from drying, is the most important process to obtain a high quality cocoa.

By fermenting the slime the slime that coats the almonds is removed and also the substances to accentuate chocolate aroma and taste are formed. If this process is not carried out properly and the grain is directly dried in the sun, it comes into being an ordinary cocoa (also known as F2) without its characteristic chocolate aroma.

Fermentation crates
Fermentation crates

The right procedure

Humberto Reyes and Lilian Capriles (2000) in their book “El Cacao in Venezuela”, state that fermentation process is divided into two phases: hydrolysis or alcoholic phase and oxidation.

– Hydrolysis or alcoholic phase: microorganisms convert the pulp sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide, which are oxidized during the process. When enzymes make contact with polyphenols and proteins, it starts the hydrolytic reactions that allow the change of pigmentation and begin to transform into the chocolate flavour we know.

– Oxidation phase: This stage of fermentation process begins at the moment of higher penetration of oxygen. The condensation of polyphenolic compounds into complex products takes place. During this process, the lack of moisture in the grain holds the enzymatic activity. When oxygen penetrates the cotyledon cells, the colour changes, the drying starts and oxygen penetration is much easier.

When a grain is fermented properly, it is formed a little brown ring on its edges, indicating that it is ready to be taken to the drying yard. This indicator appears on the Criollo cocoas approximately the third day of fermentation and on Trinitarios about the sixth day.

Not to mix different cocoa types because each type requires different fermentation time.
Not to mix different cocoa types because each type requires different fermentation time.

Step by Step

To obtain a well fermented grain there are some preliminary steps that must be followed in order to attain a higher quality at the end of cocoa processing. These are to harvest healthy and ripe fruit, not to mix fruits without the required quality with the good ones, and classify them depending on the type of cocoa.

Other considerations that should be taken into account are:

– To brush thoroughly (without water) the fermentation crates before filling them with another batch of cocoa.

– To schedule this process in order to collect the required number of pods.

– To cover the crates very well in order to maintain the adequate temperature for fermentation.

– To aerate the grains frequently to ensure that the process is achieved.

– Not to mix different cocoa types because each type requires different fermentation time. Likewise, all grains should be left the necessary time to ensure an even fermentation.

Fermentation is one of the essential processes for obtaining excellent quality cocoa and chocolate. Therefore, the key for success is to follow the recommendations and keep in mind the correct way to carry out this phase.

 

 

CHOCOCAO, FUTURE WITH FLAVOUR TO SOUTH LAKE

By
test
-
0
???????????????????????????????

By Joselina Rodríguez

Photos: Liliana Elías

Retaking the prestige and quality of cocoa produced in the South of Maracaibo Lake, provenance of this precious Venezuelan seed is the daily task undertaken by those who make life in Chococao, the processing centre of the only cocoa of this kind in the area. Established more than 3 years ago in Los Positos, Municipality of Sucre in Zulia state, Chococao currently has the largest drying facilities in Venezuela as well as 31 fermentation drawers and 69 drying drawers. Its president, Armando Parra said that the history of this company started long after a cocoa farm was acquired in the village Las Virtudes, in Merida state.

Armando Parra, president of Chococao
Armando Parra, president of Chococao

Armando is a young entrepreneur and visionary who knew how to see cocoa as Venezuela’s new hope, which motivates him to go out every day for work in order to provide producers what they require for implementing best practices on their cocoa farms and haciendas.

“My entry into the cocoa world occurred after my father purchased a property 15 years ago. Who sold it said that it was a paradise and so I confirmed. There I learned the basics of cocoa: how to plant it, harvest it, dry it and then, sell it. My clients were neighbours producers, who I began to sell cocoa mucilage to, and afterwards I started buying them the grain to dry it, until when the opportunity arose to officially make up Chococao “he says.

The challenge to get involved completely in the sweet world of cocoa, led this young entrepreneur together with his brother and his father to buy substantial amounts of seed slime to other local producers and dry it in an old landing field that served as drying yard. On one occasion, due to three continuous days of heavy rain, he lost a large quantity of kilos of cocoa, situation which led him to look elsewhere to establish the company.

“With the incomes obtained from the sales of cocoa, I invested in buying an old brick fabric, whose facilities helped me set the processing centre Chococao. We distribute the spaces where commercial offices, the fermentation area, drying, storage, sampling and traceability currently operate, “says Parra.

All cocoa obtained is organized for proper distribution
All cocoa obtained is organized for proper distribution

Chococao in figures

The total production capacity of this company is 1846 tons of cocoa grain annually. Expert in improving the process of postharvest by applying interesting techniques in their fresh wood collecting sheets, drying yard and door canopy in order to offer a quality product both to producers and chocolate companies.

“The processed cocoa by Chococao comes from more than 800 producers from seven municipalities of Merida, Trujillo and Zulia states, creating direct employment to more than 40 people and about 150 associates, in addition to technical assistance to producers, hoping that this becomes an exclusive area of fine aroma cocoa. This cocoa actually competes internationally as the best.” Parra emphasizes.

Chococao barn in Los Positos, Zulia state
Chococao barn in Los Positos, Zulia state

Beyond being of benefit to these producers by buying their cocoa, this unique collection centre in South Lake provides them with care and advice to implement sustainable agricultural practices in order to increase productivity and quality in their plantations. These include pruning, genetic improvement of plants, use of bio-organic supplies, scheduled collection of cocoa mucilage as well as other activities such as training, education and awareness.

“More than 100,000 cocoa plants have been delivered to producers thanks to our logistics team, who is able to reach almost unexplored areas. We mobilized to where they are if they need to get their cocoa mucilage. We listen and respond to their needs. Their voices are critical in our organization because it allows us to know their situation. We share knowledge about cocoa and learn from them. Chococao always makes every effort to buying cocoa in the area, so that the producer does not feel bad due to lack of buyers, “he says.

On an interview with the spoke-person from the Audit Office of the Communal Council of Positos in Zulia, Ali De Villareal, Mr. Parra stated that the praiseworthy work done by Chococao in this community has benefited not only many families working for the company, but also the entire student population of South Lake.

“700 people representing 84 families in this area have been benefited from the work done by Chococao. Since its integration to the area it has created sources of employment, it has greatly contributed to the training of our children and also has given financial resources to school Muyapá 1, it has provided them with uniforms, fans, cleaning products and others, including the Communal Council. As an act of appreciation, school uniforms are embroidered with a logo of Chococao on them” he says.

Cocoa plantations, the future on the land - "Sowing the Future"
Cocoa plantations, the future on the land

 “Sowing the Future”

Behind this slogan that identifies Chococao, there is a much more lucrative human and cultural vision: to educate producers to make South Lake an exclusive area of fine aroma cocoa or what they call nowadays “Modern Criollo Cocoa”. Its aim is not only to retake prestige nationally and internationally, but also to increase production from 500 kilos of cocoa per hectare to 1,500 kilos, as it happens in other countries currently.

“In order to think about a future of Venezuelan cocoa, we must make cocoa permeate in its people. And how do you do it? By listening to those who are involved in this world, sharing information, meeting their needs and expanding greatly this knowledge to new generations. Our mission, beyond benefiting, marketing, distributing cocoa beans and offering a quality product, is geared to providing with opportunities of growth and improvement to our producers, employees and families who live in the municipalities we assist “he says.

The closest example that this company has given is the motivation and support to its employees to plant cocoa and be able to have other earnings in years to come. To make them understand that if it is treated well and cultivated with love, by taking into account the recommendations of specialists, the vision of harvesting just for the sake of harvesting might change to harvest for earning and improving their quality of life.

“The future of cocoa is in the field and, this is being demonstrated by those who are migrating from the cities in search of better conditions. If they believe that, why don’t other sectors do? They are proving that with patience, love, perseverance and dedication, you can achieve great changes to extol the seed which has given us much recognition outside our borders. Thus, why don’t we repay it with more work? ” Says Parra.

Chococao has the largest cocoa drying yards in the country
Chococao has the largest cocoa drying yards in the country

 Vision and expansion

The vision of Chococao is being a leader in commercialisation of the best cocoa in Venezuela and the world, exploiting the potential of this majestic coveted seed in Europe and Asia. To achieve this, they work with a great effort and perseverance by the hand of a family team work, fostering primarily environmental preservation and leaving aside any industrial process that might change the flavours and aromas of cocoa.

“In Chococao we praise human talent and play just as it is done on a chessboard, because if you do not work in team, it will not simply be attained anything. Here we all help, from the producer to who works in the field, creating community leaders. We are currently expanding our facilities, including a cocoa laboratory, a conference room, a library, a waiting room and others, in order to serve all those who wish, as we do, to continue sowing the cocoa future in Venezuela, “he said.

This space will be conditioned as the new collection centre Chococao
This space will be conditioned as the new collection centre Chococao

The Chococao expansion plans include the installation of a new warehouse which will be located in the town of Campo Alegre in Merida state. As it is pointed out by Armando Parra, this will have a nursery, a canopy, a drying room and a cocoa storage area to add new buyers into this market from the hometowns of Barinas and Tachira.

SOUTH LAKE: THE CRADLE OF THE BEST COCOA WORLDWIDE

By
test
-
0
SONY DSC

By Joselina Rodriguez

Photos: Liliana Elias

Venezuela not only was the place where Providence arranged that the first seed of Criollo cocoa germinated, known as “superfine cocoa” as well, but is also the place where it is better grown. Likewise, if we had to be more specific about the origin of the best cocoa, no doubt we would have to go to the south of Lake Maracaibo.

The secret is hidden in the ancestral lands that make up the foothills of the Venezuelan Andes, in Tachira, Merida, Trujillo and Zulia states. It was precisely in this geographical strip, where the Spanish conqueror Hernan Cortes reported the existence of a cocoa plantation in his arrival to Venezuela, as it is highlighted by Iraima Chacon, coordinator of the Socialist Research Centre and Cocoa Development (CESID-Cacao) at Corpozulia. “Cortes saw 100,000 tress of Criollo cocoa that were planted by the indigenes in Ancon de Maruma, geographically located nearby the Pocó river, between the boundaries of Merida and Trujillo” she says.

The historian Luis Alberto Ramirez is added to this statement in his article “The cultivation of Venezuelan cocoa from Maruma,” noting that “the first areas of spread of cocoa cultivation in the South of Maracaibo Lake were located bordering the course of Chirurí river in Maruma, where the peninsular Spanish found splendid cocoa plantations, showing their foliage and fruit with surprising exuberance “.

Porcelana cocoa, sought after for his excellent flavour and aroma -
Porcelana cocoa, sought after for his excellent flavour and aroma –

Entrails of Porcelana Criollo Cocoa

Beyond being the cradle of cocoa in Venezuela, South Lake is known for being the only region in the world where the coveted Porcelana criollo cocoa is produced and harvested. A variety of criollo cocoa prized worldwide for its organoleptic properties. For this reason, engineer Iraima Chacon claims that its aroma, taste and texture are quite different from other varieties of cocoa throughout the world.

“It tastes like raw cane sugar, malt, candy and it’s very aromatic. Thanks to its superfine quality and flavour it is the favourite of all chocolate makers worldwide. It is also characterized because its crust is very thin and soft, its almonds are great and the colour of the seed varies from matte white, as the porcelana, to creams and pink colours. From that is its name. A white pink call them segregated white, because the almond in the middle is white and its edges are pink or light violet “explains the expert

Other qualities that define this precious and delicate fruit are detailed by Reyes and Capriles in their book “Cocoa in Venezuela”, where it is described by its short and cylindrical shape, narrow at the tip to form a short end, perfectly marked by five grooves, which are slightly defined or totally missing.

SONY DSC

OTHER VARIETIES

According to the Coordinator of the Socialist Centre for Research and Development of Cocoa from CORPOZULIA, Iraima Chacon, in South Lake other varieties of criollo cocoa such as Merideño, Lobatera and Novillero as well as Forestero and Trinitario cocoa are also grown, treating this last as “Modern Criollo cocoa” said Juan Carlos Motamayor known Venezuelan researcher expert in cocoa genetics.

“Each and every one of those Criollo cocoas is considered ancestral, because they are the beans sowed by our indigenes that at colonial period were sheltered in the mountains by the tribes. This is the reason why it is said that the Western area of the country is the origin of our ancestors’ Criollo cocoas and therefore, the cradle of the best cocoa in the world, “he says.

South Lake visitors could see the variety of pods in the different farms, whose green, yellow, orange and burgundy hues adorn the cocoa crops from the tree stem up to its slender branches.

SOUTH LAKE IS A FERTILE LAND AND EXCELLENT FOR GROWING EVERYTHING, SPECIALLY, COCOA

SOUTH LAKE IS A FERTILE LAND AND EXCELLENT FOR GROWING EVERYTHING, SPECIALLY, COCOA

SOUTH LAKE IN FIGURES

Nowadays in South Lake there are over 5,100 hectares of cocoa fields throughout various farms and haciendas, surrounded by majestic plantations of other crops of fruits and vegetables, such as bananas, coffee, guava, pineapple and papaya, among others. According to engineer Chacon, those 5,100 hectares of cocoa crops produce 3,800 tons per year, a figure that is expected to improve thanks to the recent agreement made between Nestle and Corpozulia, consisting of planting 80 hectares of Criollo Porcelana cocoa in order to encourage the production of this food sector in the region. They also have Nestlé Cocoa Plan, a company that promotes the development of cocoa crops by training and supplying quality plants to producers.

Germoplasma Bank
Germoplasma Bank

GERMPLASM BANK OF CRIOLLO COCOAS, UNIQUE IN THE WORLD

Another strength offered by “The cradle of cocoa in Venezuela” is the Germplasm Bank under the aegis of Corpozulia, located in km. 41 of the parish El Moralito in Zulia state, unique in the world having 15 hectares of Criollo Porcelana cocoa, 1.5 hectares of Criollo Guasare cocoa and 1 hectare of Criollo cocoas harvested in Zulia and Tachira states.

“This bank, as well as the nursery with an annual capacity of one million seedlings, allows us to increase the seed production in the area, an advantage for new cocoa producers, who are taking first steps on plantations, and also for those who are already formally established ” the coordinator of CESID-Cacao said.

MANY YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE UNDERSTOOD THAT THE LAND PROVIDE THEM WITH NEW OPPORTUNITIES
MANY YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE UNDERSTOOD THAT THE LAND PROVIDE THEM WITH NEW OPPORTUNITIES

FROM THE CITY TO THE COUNTRYSIDE

It is said that when crises arise opportunities appear, and as an illustration of this is South Lake. The region is giving welcome to new cocoa producers moving from the city to the countryside in search of better living conditions due to Venezuelan economic situation, caused by a fail in oil prices, insecurity, scarcity of food, high cost of living, among other factors.

A perfect example is the family business Chococao, c.a. presided by Armando Parra, who, at his young age, works hard to assist more than 800 cocoa farmers that live in South Lake supporting them through the Cocoa Plan, an initiative that Nestle has put at the disposal of local cocoa producers to provide them with tools towards an adequate management of the product. Chococao also serves as a stockroom, aimed to get an organised distribution of cocoa in the market.

“What in previous decades had meant abandoning the countryside, today it has become a new life project for many city dwellers that have seen the potential of South Lake lands, especially for planting cocoa, bananas, soursop, among others. Who in the past were attracted by oil, today return to get reconciled with nature, cultivating and making a living off the land as their main livelihood “he points out

IT IS EXPECTED THAT SOUTH LAKE INCREASES PRODUCTION TO MEET PART OF WORLD MARKET DEMAND FOR COCOA
IT IS EXPECTED THAT SOUTH LAKE INCREASES PRODUCTION TO MEET PART OF WORLD MARKET DEMAND FOR COCOA

BIG CHALLENGES

Although Venezuelan cocoa is recognised worldwide as the best of all, still it does not even mean 1% of world production, a situation that forces many producers, unions, government, technicians, specialists and students to evaluate and design new projects, programmes and plans to change this reality.

South Lake is aware of this scenario. However, beyond changing the vision of quantity in terms of production, the cocoa sector wants to mainly improve and retake the prestige of Venezuelan cocoa, improving its quality through processes, such as fermentation, to enhance their flavours and aromas.

Other big challenges for South Lake are: to increase the production range from 300 kilograms per hectare to 1,500 kilograms, to promote good agricultural practices, to educate new generations, to provide tools and machinery to producers, to fix fair prices and to strengthen the relations between public and private sectors in order to give cocoa its well-deserved value, highly praised abroad, in addition to seek its appellation of origin, deserved honour for the land where the best cocoa in the world was born.

MOUNTAINS, WARM PEOPLE AND TYPICAL TOWNS CHARACTERISE SOUTH LAKE -
MOUNTAINS, WARM PEOPLE AND TYPICAL TOWNS CHARACTERISE SOUTH LAKE –

TOURIST SOUTH LAKE

The natural diversity in South Lake regions make any visitor delighted with its mountains, waterfalls, streams, a bushy, generous and unique vegetation, trails, crops and other almost unexplored corners. All this picturesque scenery makes this geographical strip an excellent tourist spot for the enjoyment of tourists who love the peace and serenity that emerge from nature.

“In addition to a beautiful scenery, South Lake is plenty of human warmth and a family atmosphere in its small towns, which still preserve their past habits and traditions. Additionally, there are tours of cocoa farms, thus the visitor is seduced even more for this worldwide recognised seed, ” Irama Chacon says.

GOING ALL OVER COCOA PLANTATIONS IS A SPECTACLE

Every road going through South Lake is full of surprises and so we have checked from Vivaelcacao.com during our visit. This is the land where the best cocoa in the world is grown, the protagonist seed of our country. Here, people wake up to the smell of hot chocolate, in middle of those beautiful landscapes that take the breath away to anyone, and then go to work deep into the land that rewards them with privileged fruits. One of them is honoured on our website: cocoa.

The exportation of cocoa in Venezuela drags its fetters

By
Redacción
-
0
SONY DSC

By: Juan Pablo Crespo
Photos: Liliana Elías

Surrounded by bureaucracy and a weak post-harvest process Venezuelan cacao drags fetters that hinder it from retaking avid international markets, those that a century ago were under its control.

From the same ground where the tropical Theobroma cocoa grows the ordeal of the seed begins, which, despite its unique potential, does not reach to flood the world.

Let’s see, Venezuela has had, at least in recent decades, an inconsistent exportation policy on our cocoa. Evidently, this chain of weaknesses impacts directly the exquisite quality of the famed Venezuelan grain, previously coveted by Spanish colonists and now by the most famous global chocolate companies.

Abroad you can find experts, scientists, chocolatiers or institutions convinced that the Venezuelan cocoa is the best on the planet. Just to mention two opinions, we quote Moses Gomez-Miranda, Project Officer for the International Cocoa Organization, who said that “the Venezuelan cocoa is undoubtedly one of the best (For me personally, the best)”; and also the French expert in selecting chocolate, Chloé Doutre-Roussel, who said “Venezuela has the best cocoa in the world.”

Without going too far back in time, our seed was rated as the best in the world at the World Cocoa Conference 2016, held in June in Dominican Republic. There, it was confirmed that our country owns a motley array of fine and extra fine aroma cocoas.

Porcelain or Guasare (Zulia), Chuao (Aragua) or Carenero (East) are types of cocoa that symbolise a prominent value in the foreign market.

With the reputation that our cocoa enjoys, anyone might be forgiven for being boastful. However, what nature has given us is not enough without a rigorous transformation process and a sustainable strong industry for handling the fruit.

“The Venezuelan cocoa axis is the most affected in the country,” sums up Hermenegildo Sojo, president of the National Association of Cocoa Producers (ASOPROCAVE).

  

Jorge Redmond, president of Chocolates El Rey
Jorge Redmond, president of Chocolates El Rey

Papers and more papers

An evidence of this is that Venezuelan cocoa exporters get disorientated by a maze of bureaucratic procedures and some unorthodox practices which do not contribute to a win-win situation.

We consulted the issue with Jorge Redmond. Although he is not a cocoa exporter he knows the cocoa world by heart. In addition to being the president of Chocolates El Rey, he is also member of the board of the International Cocoa Organization (ICCO, for its English acronym) responsible for indicating which countries produce fine aroma cocoa in the world.

This Venezuelan industrialist, from Swiss ancestry, says that there used to be only four steps to be fulfilled in order to place a container of chocolate or any other product in foreign markets. However, after the Bolivarian revolution came to power, these procedures were increased substantially. “Today, there must be completed 90 procedures, allocated in 19 different ministries. It is somewhat cumbersome and expensive. “

So many procedures cause, in some cases, the increase of expenses since the company is forced, as it is the case of Chocolates El Rey, to open a department to track the processes step by step, which on the other hand, have different due dates and there must be fulfilled over and over again for each export process.

 However, there seems to be some interest in reducing the requirements in order to lighten the process. “We are dealing with the national government how to diminish the list of procedures. I consider that no more than 10 steps would be sufficient to ensure control over each product, adds the expert with studies in business administration.

Cocoa bags ready to transport
Cocoa bags ready to transport

 A bump in the road

Hermenegildo Sojo also speaks properly about the matter and denounces an unreasonable request of further requirements. “Although export licenses are signed at the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, Vegetable Division, it has become a bump in the road. This service is charged in dollars to cocoa exporters. “

The producer is established in Miranda state, the country’s largest cocoa production area, located in the idyllic northern coast of Venezuela. Sojo thinks about and asks: Would it be a way to end “this racket?” He figures it out by stating “as it was said by President Hugo Chavez at the time of creating the Cocoa Board District. This will be the way to realise who is who and also who the export permits will be granted to. “

Our cocoa is still waiting for better alternatives export
Our cocoa is still waiting for better alternatives export

Unsteady provider

Last year our cocoa faced serious problems with export licenses due to permit restrictions imposed by the Government, which affected the country’s reputation as a secure supplier of this commodity.

After the Ministry of Agriculture established new mechanisms for the exportation of the product the situation has been improving. “The root of that problem was that some exporters had not submitted their tax returns to Central Bank of Venezuela, so the government decided to hold all export licenses while all those involved were inspected. The issue was overcome and exports have been restored in a certain way with some exceptions, since some individuals are not being granted export licenses due to not doing things properly” explains Redmond.

In April 2011 the national government established by the Decree 8.157 that cocoa is an essential pillar of the security and food and agriculture sovereignty, as well as chocolate, its products and by-products. “With this statement, all farmers, artisans, producers, manufacturers and exporters were given the necessary support. Likewise, it was created the National Technical Cocoa Committee, but very little was done, “said Sojo, as the most representative voice of Venezuelan cocoa producers.

The statement declares that it will be encouraged the coordination, management and implementation among public and private bodies for training, research and innovation processes, specialized services, agro-productive programmes as well as technical assistance to producers, peasants, community organizations and workers involved in the seed.

 Our markets … and Japan

Venezuela produces from 15 to 20 metric ton (mt) of cocoa a year. The lack of accuracy of this information is due to the difficulty to finding updated official figures. This situation does not happen in other countries. According to Sojo, the production ranges from 19 to 20 thousand ton, while Redmond says that this fluctuates from 15 to 16 thousand ton. At the end of last year, the president of Venezuelan Chamber of the Cocoa (CAPEC), Alejandro Prosperi, informed that the production ranged from 16 to 18 thousand tonnes, as per the growing cycle.

The domestic industry consumes nearly 10 ton per year, and the rest is exported to our regular markets in the United States of America, Europe and Asia. “Our main customer is Japan, an extraordinary and attractive market”, said Sojo.

Last year this country did not buy large quantities of Venezuelan cacao because the product contained a slight concentration of the herbicide 2,4-D. Sojo indicates that this herbicide is not used by cocoa producers but in surrounding areas, that’s why it is found in the seed. “In ASOPROCAVE we have campaigned together with the CAPEC to eliminate these chemicals from our crops.”

According to Fernando Ross, an agronomist and consultant engineer on cocoa, part of Venezuelan producers still have not realised that the profit is in exporting. “Many of them are not prepared to get involved in this part of the business. In Aragua, for instance, the exportation is not as it should be because the production is being given to intermediaries. The government could become an influence to tell producers that export is the best course to follow”

A weak post-harvest

Before getting to paperwork there must be considered that processing cocoa is such a journey which requires special care in each of its stations. Otherwise the final product will be affected and thus, the ability to place cocoa in foreign markets.

From harvest to storage, all the rigorous procedures must be followed by the book. Postharvest handling is so important since the quality of cocoa depends a great deal on this set of procedures. However, Venezuela is not exactly an example to follow when it comes to postharvest, at least for the time being.

 “A cocoa pod in its optimum ripe provides the best expression of aroma. However, many producers, due to lack of time or space, harvest and mix ripe, unripe, half-ripen or damaged cocoa pods. The result is a very poor quality product”, explains the professor and cocoa researcher Elvis Portillo, Dean of the Faculty of Agronomy at the University of Zulia (LUZ).

 The stumbles continue in the fermentation phase, the most important stage of post-harvest because it will allow the development of all triggers of cocoa aromas as well as some typical aromatic compounds. “More than 70% of producers do not ferment cocoa for different reasons, either they ignore the existence of the process, they do not know how to do it, or due to the price factor. In this sense, prices of fermented cocoa (which ends up being of better quality) and not fermented one are very similar. Thus, as long as there is not a significant price differential between one another, there will remain a critical situation necessary to solve. “

There are usually many botches in the drying process. At this stage the grain moisture is reduced from 50% to 8% or 6%. “Drying process is not only to place cocoa in a courtyard and leave it there for a few hours or days, and just flip it. Drying should be done gradually so that the almond does not get an acidic or inappropriate taste, affecting the quality of chocolate, “says Portillo from his office at LUZ.

If cocoa were able to speak, certainly it would have much to say about its storage conditions. “The storage must be done in a well ventilated area, in sisal sacks on a pallet, at 10 to 15 centimetres above the floor. The bags must never touch the ground in order to prevent it from moisture absorption. Moreover, the barns should not be used for storing other products, such as chemicals”

To maintain innocuousness is vital to cocoa and subsequent chocolate. A mishandling while drying or storing the product can contaminate it with fungi or bacteria. It can also be contaminated with heavy metals and chemicals resulting from the misuse of pesticides and herbicides.

Portillo recalls that there have been always protocols in Venezuela, but unfortunately the standards are rarely met. He adds that sometimes “we do not demand quality either”. The whole chain is to blame. When we go to international markets we encounter higher standards. There are customers who demand that the grain is 100% fermented or free of odd particles”.

The French master chocolatier and pastry chef Pierre Mirgalet had already pointed out in one of his visits to the country. Venezuelan cacao “lacks of rigour in the processes of fermentation and drying”.

Hemeregildo Sojo: "The best cocoas in the world are Venezuelans, but we must keep united and boost just a sole objective,"
Hemeregildo Sojo: “The best cocoas in the world are Venezuelans, but we must keep united and boost just a sole objective,”

Pay Attention

To be able to get a comprehensive and sustained development of our cocoas in the course of time, Elvis Portillo recommends that the government establish policies on technical assistance and technology transfer to producers for having them know and properly handle the fermentation phase. He also believes that it is necessary that the fermented cocoa have a better price in order to foster the producer to fulfilling this key stage of transformation.

 Hermenegildo Sojo pointed out that it is necessary to get rid of the bureaucratic hindrance and its tentacles. He also believes that it is essential to retrieve genetics of cocoa and production “In every State since each area has its own particularity. That is the secret. “Production itself is a matter of honour. Currently Venezuela appears under the column “other producers” almost an imperceptible spot in the sky.

 Sojo then pauses, thinks about and adds that nurseries should be promoted concurrently. Likewise, plans should be created for taking the seed to schools as well as training the new generation of cocoa producers, since there is not a replacement generation, neither in quantity nor in quality.

  “The best cocoas in the world are Venezuelans, but we must keep united and boost just a sole objective”, the producer reflects, as who dreams about seeing the cradle of the “feast of gods” lifts the flags of excellence up to the top as well as reliability among a group of large or at least medium producers.

 

Birongo: The power of chocolate

By
test
-
0

In Barlovento, a few kilometres from the town Curiepe, in Miranda state, it seems that Birongo is hidden, and the story tells that it was so. This is a town founded by runaway slaves, rebels, fugitives escaped from Mantuanas colonial farms to settle in a place where they could run free. They went deep in the mountain and found a place along the river. This town has respected its roots for years. Its foundation was cocoa and now wants it to be again.

Text: Erika Paz (@erikapazr)

Photos: Raymar Velasquez (@raymarvelasquez)

The road to Birongo is tangled. When someone asks on the track where the village where the slaves hid is, everyone says: “straight”. The truth is we must overcome a few corners and intersections, follow the route to the mountain full of vegetation and then discover, crossing a bridge a small town whose central plaza is as modest as tiny is its church. This community is known by the sound of its drums, the magic of its spaces and the cocoa that sprouts from its soil. There are 300 plantations of this category since colonial times. They have endured for years; they have seen generations of families going through its crops. Not all of them are productive. Some found a way when nineteen descendants of local artisans decided to give a usage to cocoa, gold in seed they had there.

They prepare filled chocolates, squares, toppings and a sweet which is the business emblem.
They prepare filled chocolates, squares, toppings and a sweet which is the business emblem.

Sweat-scented chocolate

Before reaching the chocolate factory “Flor de Birongo” one can feel the aroma of this caloric sweet sin. At the door, Mercedes Zamora, Leonel Cardoza, Lupercia Blanco and a few other partners who make up the cooperative always receive visitors with a smile. This is the pride of the town and its residents, the positive answer to team work and the understanding of the importance of a product. Regularly there is a tour to visitors to narrate how the chocolates are produced within these walls as well as describe the path through producers went during nine years of struggle and efforts.

Mercedes says that they have cultivated cocoa all their lives, but before they used to sell it to foreigners who bought what they wanted paying what they decided. One day Empresas Polar arrived, and as a messiah, by its foundation, gave them the tools to set the base for a successful business. “A Swiss man” came and gave courses on confectionery and, so the experiment began at Lupercia’s home, “we started working a quarter of a kilo of cocoa,” said Mercedes, “I said, let’s take a chance and we will see that before reaching the bridge these chocolates will be sold, and so it was,” and she laughs “And our palates were not so exquisite as they are now, she says.

La Flor de Birongo produces about 1,200 squares of chocolate daily, which is distributed in Caracas, at Simón Bolivar airport in Maiquetia and in some other cities, thanks to the business owners who have opened their doors to the public and have become known through the tourism.

In this village they have learnt how to combine chocolate making with all the tasks they expect to help them sale the product. The tour of the chocolate farm consists in visiting the plantations and observing the harvest, fermentation, drying and roasting processes as well as what a tourist enjoys the most: the creation of the chocolate, the one made here very patiently and with the meticulous attention of a good craftsman.

They prepare filled chocolates, squares, toppings and a sweet which is the business emblem. They call it Triple X and it is made with almond cream, truffle liqueur, chocolate orange and peanut butter. Dilso Lobera, another partner, tells the visitors they have already learned the job, but now the task is to pass on that know-how to the next generation, thus the factory could remain active in time.

Mercedes looks, sighs and hand on her chest exclaims: “To me this work has given me everything I have.” The other 18 partners endorsed this statement.

Ancestral tradition

After the lesson of life left by the visit to this chocolate farm, the journey continues towards the river. You have to walk through a small forest and follow a path alongside the water for several minutes, to discover a well. There, Yorman Castillo, who calls himself “Professor”, was waiting. He says that he has always worked for the culture of his land. He explains that it is necessary for visitors and locals to know where they come from, in order to prepare their forthcoming life. At the beginning, he went from house to house trying to encourage the youngsters to become part of the group he leads: “Estrellas de Birongo / Birongo Stars”.

Nowadays, the boys of the community seek him, “many are interested in learning to play instruments, dancing, singing and understanding our story” You cannot separate the cocoa factory from the cultural activities this group offers, because chocolate was the inspiration for this community to become a village where everybody contributes to have it improved.

Las Estrellas de Birongo got prepared to show how they manage to make musical sounds with water. Castillo explains that this practice comes from colonial times. He says it was mostly a practice used by women when they went to wash their clothes at the riverside and being there, they used the “water drum” to call men to get loved by them.

The process appears to be simple but it has some difficulty. One has to rehearse a lot before getting a thud on the current. The idea is to form a sinkhole with one’s hands in order to produce an echo that simulates the sound of the hand on the leather drum. After this showing there is a party with instruments of the region.

The hospitality through food

The youngsters on Estrellas de Birongo play culepuya, quitiplás, guitar, four, almost any instrument that they can get. They know different local rhythms, but also they compose songs to share with tourists. When the show begins, there are village men and women carrying firewood, pots, vegetables and meats. A stew will be prepared on the river banks, the vegetables are peeled, chicken meat and ribs are washed. Among laughing, singing and cooking and a pleasant conversation it starts boiling the broth of happiness. They are the same people who were at the chocolate factory earlier.

Local women make the women guests something called bath of roses and consists in letting the female sorrows carry away by the river water. They spread flowers petals on them along with the liquid flowing through the track made by the sand and stones. Everyone laughs, the food is almost ready. A voice interrupts the song that has passed from original lyrics to local dances and even nostalgic lyrics. That call to stop the musical note means that the food is ready.

Now everyone takes “totumas” and spoons, line up for soup, sit on the riverbank and, the last activity of the day takes place, eat together with newly acquainted friends, sharing the table full of a town’s kindness, realising why their beliefs determine their destinations as well as their ancestors drove their future.

 

Hersheys’s, from the dream to the legend

By
test
-
0

 

With more than 6 billion dollars in sales each year, Hershey’s, the giant chocolatier in the United States offers one of the highest varieties of products in the area. In vivaelcaco.com we tell you a little history of this industry pillar worldwide. Likewise, from its headquarters, located in the city with the same factory’s name in Pennsylvania, they also give us their vision for the future. Michele Buck, Hershey’s Vice President and Operations Director for Central and South America, conversed with us about all these topics and some others we will try to disclose during this interview.

Pedro García

Michele Buck, Hershey's Vice President and Operations Director for Central and South America
Michele Buck, Hershey’s Vice President and Operations Director for Central and South America

Michele Buck, with over 25 years of experience in the candies and snacks industry, began his career at Nabisco / Kraft. Since 2005 is part of the board of directors of Hershey’s. Moreover, he is in charge of departments such as Development of New Products, Marketing, Innovations and Corporate Quality.

– Mr. Buck, welcome to vivaelcacao.com, we are very grateful for your time with us.

MB.- Thanks to you. For us in Hershey’s it is a source of deep pride to show our products to the world.

Historically, West African countries have been their major suppliers, although their focus has recently moved towards new countries such as Malaysia and Ecuador
Historically, West African countries have been their major suppliers, although their focus has recently moved towards new countries such as Malaysia and Ecuador

– Since the beginning, Hershey’s has been a company that has stood out not only to offer a product that pleases the consumer, but also to keep a high standard of quality in their chocolates. What is the source of this company success?

– Since Milton Hersey’s founded the company in 1894 our main task has been selling flavours and sensations. For us in Hershey’s a smile equals a sign of approval from our millions of satisfied consumers. We have products like a milk chocolate bar since the beginning of operations and still remains with us, continuing to be one of the best sales in the world. Hershey’s operates over a range of 140 countries where our products are directly distributed. Also, we have a supply chain of more than 40 nations what allows us to process all products and by-products from our successful formulas.

– It has not been a secret to anyone that these recent years have been somewhat hard for the company, with problems with foreign workers and complaints regarding the cocoa production chain in West Africa, which, over the years has been its principal provider. How could Hershey’s have managed to overcome these situations?

– Since the first day, Milton Hershey’s dream was to teach young people the whole manufacturing process as well as have a company to be a leader in training of personnel. That led us to the creation of scholarship programmes for foreign students who are paid directly by our company and its subsidiaries in order to train new talents in the field, as in this case, in chocolate. In all our subsidiaries we have annual programmes that gather students from 53 countries to learn everything about the creative process of candies, in addition to their sales and distribution chains. The outstanding ones are left to work for our companies, either as coaches for future students, or directly in any area of interest designed by us.

– What about Hershey’s Cocoa? Where does it come from?

– Historically, West African countries have been our major suppliers, although our focus has recently moved towards new countries such as Malaysia and Ecuador. In the past we used to have direct distributors in many countries, but their political instability and mass production load have made us resort to stock and distribution markets, where prices are more competitive and availability is immediate.

Hershey´s is synonymous with quality and success
Hershey´s is synonymous with quality and success

– Vivaelcacao.com is a website created in Venezuela, where cocoa is a very serious traditional matter. What is your opinion about Venezuelan Cocoa?

– It is widely known that Venezuelan cocoa is one of the best in the world and its production methods are the best. Nevertheless, Venezuela has lost strength in terms of production in the global market. The political and economic instability of Venezuela means a huge challenge for producers in the country, who, even so, struggle to maintain the quality of their product.

– Would Hershey’s buy cocoa from Venezuela?

– Of course. In fact, we did it for a long time, especially when Venezuela was considered one of the largest producers worldwide. Moreover, for gourmet products Venezuelan cocoa is a mandatory reference. There is no doubt.

– What are Hershey’s future plans?

– Up to now, to maintain the high production and quality standards we already hold. We have increased our sales from $ 2.2 billion annually in 1994 to $ 6 billion at present, and hope to double that figure over the next 10 years. On the other hand, we want to continue to support our partners in helping people and also our development programmes for new employees in order to maintain an employment average that keeps us as one of the best age average per employee within the United States.

Hershey´s factory, Pensilvania, USA
Hershey´s factory, Pensilvania, USA

– Michele Thank you for your time and for joining vivaelcacao.com family.

– Thanks to you. We look forward to your visiting our facilities shortly. Best greetings to you all.

When it comes to excellence and production capacity, Hershey’s family products are at the forefront of the global range. Viva El Cacao will keep you informed in detail about the leading producers in the world and will be offering the perspective of the key executives in the field.

Meanwhile, the giant of Pennsylvania continues to honour Milton Hershey’s dream for upgrading his legacy and legend.

1...242526Page 25 of 26
Contact us: vivaelcacao@gmail.com

EVEN MORE NEWS

POPULAR CATEGORY

© 2018 - Viva el cacao - Derechos Reservados