Social Responsibility

From tree to bar,
no shortcuts.

Our chocolate is born of direct relationships with Venezuelan fine cacao growers. We invest in training, technical assistance and full traceability so that every bean reaching our plant is the result of a clean, sustainable and fair chain.

Cacao flower on the tree trunk Small cacao pod developing Fresh cacao beans on a green leaf
Our philosophy

Quality begins at the root.

The aroma and flavor attributes of Venezuelan fine cacao are intimately defined by place of origin and by the genotype of the varieties grown there. Those characteristics degrade if growers do not receive the right agronomic support.

That is why we buy cacao directly from partner growers, without middlemen distorting the chain, paying quality-based premium prices. The grower receives a fairer income, the bean keeps its excellence, and the Venezuelan cacao chain recovers its balance.

See our pillars
Our pillars

Four commitments to Venezuelan cacao.

Our social responsibility program rests on four practices that reinforce each other: a better chain, a better bean, a better chocolate.

Pillar 01

Technical assistance

We support growers with specialized advisory in selection of elite cacaos, grafting, selective pruning, fermentation, drying and quality evaluation.

Pillar 02

Direct commercial relationship

We buy cacao directly from partner growers and pay quality-based premium prices, without middlemen distorting the commercial chain.

Pillar 03

Agro-ecological management

We promote organic and agro-ecological plantation management, with biological pest control and sound environmental practices that protect biodiversity.

Pillar 04

Tree-to-Bar traceability

We control the chain of custody from plantation to chocolate bar, monitoring every step of post-harvest processing, storage and manufacturing.

“More and Better Cacao” program

Four regions, one shared commitment.

The unique quality of Venezuelan fine cacao depends on the constant technical support and training of our partner growers.

Tap each card to discover our community program in the region.
01

Paria Peninsula

Historic cradle of Venezuelan fine flavor cacao. We support growers in plant health, fermentation and drying to COVENIN standards.

See community program
01 Community program

Paria Peninsula

Río Caribe · Trinitario
320families supported
224harehabilitated
2processing centers
180growers trained
Special program

Technical direction of 4 estates dedicated to preserving heirloom Criollo cacaos native to Paria.

02

Barlovento

Fertile lands in northern Miranda where we work on plantation recovery, post-harvest training and the rescue of Criollo varieties.

See community program
02 Community program

Barlovento

Carenero Superior · Trinitario
1.152families supported
4.608harehabilitated
12processing centers
920growers trained
03

Andes foothills

High-altitude microclimates where we support the conservation of niche cacaos and train growers in modern sustainable cultivation.

See community program
03 Community program

Andes foothills

San Joaquín · Modern Trinitario-Criollo
345families supported
1.400harehabilitated
14processing centers
620growers trained
Special program

Nursery production of elite cacao plants.

04

Sur del Lago de Maracaibo

A region with deep cacao tradition where we strengthen agro-ecological management, batch-level traceability and quality control at the processing centers.

See community program
04 Community program

Sur del Lago de Maracaibo

Sur del Lago · Criollized hybrids
250families supported
556hasupported
185growers trained
Special program

Advisory work with 5 estates producing ancestral Criollo cacaos.

Comprehensive technical training — nursery, grafting, pruning, nutrition, harvest, fermentation, drying, storage and traceability.

Tree to Bar

Full traceability,
from bean to bar.

We implement a chain of custody that covers every stage of the process. That is how we guarantee transparency, certified origin and compliance with international standards.

01

Plantation

Selection of elite cacaos, grafting, selective pruning and biological pest control. We train growers so every estate becomes environmentally and economically self-sustaining.

02

Harvest and post-harvest

Bean-quality verification, fermentation percentages, moisture levels and mold control — all under Venezuela’s COVENIN cacao standards.

03

Processing centers

We manage more than fifteen community processing centers that standardize fermentation and drying quality across the entire supply chain.

04

Processing plant

Zoning of estates, batch sampling and heavy-metal monitoring — cadmium, lead — to comply with international regulations and guarantee food safety in every bar.

Our programs

Two axes that transform the chain.

Behind every bar lies sustained work with growing communities. These are the two programs that anchor our commitment to Venezuelan fine cacao.

01

Technical Assistance Program

We provide specialized technical assistance to cacao growers in several regions of Venezuela, including the Paria Peninsula, Barlovento, the Andes foothills and the Sur del Lago de Maracaibo zone.

The program promotes good agricultural and environmental conservation practices to sustainably improve plantation productivity and harvest processes. In the post-harvest phase, we verify bean quality, fermentation percentages, moisture and mold levels.

In the field with Venezuelan fine cacao growers.
02

Socio-Economic Improvement

We contribute to growers’ socio-economic improvement by training them in modern agricultural techniques and upgrading their plantations.

The ultimate goal is to help cacao growers become true entrepreneurs of their land and ensure their plantations are environmentally and economically self-sustaining.

Hand in hand with the grower: hand-selected fine cacao beans.
More and Better Venezuelan Cacao program

Preserving fine cacao biodiversity.

Through this program we drive the creation of new production units with fine niche Criollo cacaos. We have developed more than twenty projects that recover flavors and aromas never before distinguished, allowing us to produce unique cacao liquors and chocolates.

Every project is conceived as a living laboratory: partner growers bring tradition and territory, our team brings technique and support, and together we give the country back varieties that could have been lost.

See our products
Chocolates El Rey anniversary poster — Est. 1929

Venezuelan fine cacao isn’t bought — it’s nurtured. A bean’s quality begins in the hands of the grower who plants it.

— The El Rey team
Let’s work together

Grower, cooperative or organization?

If you grow Venezuelan fine cacao, represent a cooperative or work in rural development programs and want to join forces, we’d love to talk.

Contact the team