What comes to your mind when you hear: Venezuelan cacao?
For Venezuelans, cacao is a sense of place. It is home. It’s part of their culture, even their identity. Good Venezuelan cacao is sweet, nutty and fruity. Its elegant flavours have a special place in the hearts of many chocolate makers!
Although Venezuela produces 20k MT now, a tiny fraction of the global supply, it was once the world's main supplier. Venezuelan cacao has been blessed with amazing genetics and flavour.
It is not a secret that Venezuela is going through the deepest political, social, and economic crisis ever in history. It has the highest inflation in the world and a worthless currency. The daily life of many Venezuelans is a constant struggle. The reason why we don’t hear it anymore on the news is, because the situation has been like this for so long it can’t be called ‘news’ anymore
We, as cacao agents, also struggle and juggle… We will tell you why.
Over the past months, we have stumbled across people who sell cacao from Venezuela at prices that are way below the stock market. How can we have a discussion about sustainability and living income, if not even the stock market prices are being respected? If we offer Venezuelan cacao beans below bottom prices, then how can quality be maintained? And, what should farmers receive at origin?
We often hear from buyers that our Gaia prices are too high and we need to lower them, but how can we?
There is no margin to lower. Change can only happen if we are in this TOGETHER!
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People in Venezuela are selling from an impulsive act, driven by the need of income in a devastated country that is in urgent need of currency. The consequence of this is: harm to the reputation of Venezuelan cacao.
Explaining the pricing mechanisms and the situation is our way to clarify to our buyers why our prices are what they are. We know we can do this together, united and conveying the influential role cacao has played in the country. If we can withstand the notion of buying cheaply because you can, and pay the right price for special cacao, then it can truly be a driver of change for many people.
We are a small team and slowly working to create a more transparent price mechanism which is available upon request when you purchase Venezuelan beans from us.
Want to know more about our work at origin, our prices and our bean portfolio?