Terroir: VENEZUELA
A demoted "cocoa motherland"...
With its hills and climate, Venezuela has the right heat and humidity to produce the best cocoa in the world. It was the world's biggest producer in the 30s before oil took over. Accounting for under 1% of the world's production, Venezuela is now a "quality over quantity" producer with first class aromatic beans.
The Carenero, a rare cocoa
Chocolaterie de l’Opéra only uses CARENERO Superior cocoa beans (a Trinitario hybrid) since launching the origin in 1995. Its signature fruity, spicy and nutty aromas are complex and highly sought-after. It is grown mainly in Barlovonto but is unfortunately even rarer because the region has a fairly high level of natural cadmium. Chocolaterie de l’Opéra works with a hand-picked network of intermediaries to keep up its Carenero supply.
