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WHO WE ARE Cacao San José is a fully-integrated high-quality cacao supplier, from cacao beans harvest to fermentation, drying and size bean selection. Our main operation facility is located in Hacienda San José in the Paria peninsula, northeast of Venezuela. Cacao San José is part of Grupo Franceschi, a family-founded, owned and managed business since 1830. Grupo Franceschi develops different "cacao" related activities including, among others, cacao Criollo production, nurseries development, research and development of cacao varieties, agricultural techniques and post-harvest processing. Cacao San José is a fully-integrated high-quality cacao supplier, from cacao beans harvest to fermentation, drying and size bean selection. Our main operation facility is located in Hacienda San José in the Paria peninsula, northeast of Venezuela. OUR HISTORY In 1827, at the age of 17, Vicente Franceschi Vicentelli arrived to Carúpano, Venezuela, from the island of Corsica, France, seduced by the brown gold called Cacao. In 1830 he established V. Franceschi & Cía, S.A., an exporting cacao firm, which is nowdays one of the oldest companies in Venezuela.
Today, the business is still family managed with six generations of cacao producers and exporters behind us. Franceschi continues offering and guarantying the best high-quality cacao.
HACIENDA SAN JOSÉ Hacienda San José is our main cacao plantation or hacienda acquired in 1840. Currently, this hacienda is the premier world center for the recovery and cultivation of criollo cocoa trees for extra-fine cacao beans, the prince among cacao, with a very pale color, a unique refined aroma, low acid levels and low bitterness.
We have more than 180 hectares for the exclusive production of various criollo types, including, Ocumare 61, Ocumare 67, Ocumare 77, Porcelana, Chuao, Guasare and Canoabo.
In 2004, Franceschi established a partnership with Domori S.R.L (www.domori.com), a pioneer in the world of high-quality chocolate since 1994, to develop the HSJ Project –the production of pure criollo chocolate products from origin.
OUR PEOPLE Family tradition has associated with top-notch professionals that combine cacao agricultural and industrial expertise with world-class business experience. Our main values are quality and entrepreneurship. OUR PRODUCTS Cacao San José offers a selection of high quality Venezuelan trinitarios or fine-cacao, with an important percentage of criollo blood. Our cacao is benefited by fermentation, drying and size bean selection.
Rio Caribe Superior, a trinitario type from peninsula of Paria, northeast of Venezuela, with a strong flavor, reminiscent of citrus fruit and spices, good acidity and persistence.
Rio Caribe Natural, a trinitario type from peninsula of Paria, northeast of Venezuela, with low level of fermentation.
Carenero Superior, a trinitario cocoa from the Central Region impregnated with cherry and tobacco aromas and a medium smoothness.
Sur del Lago Seleccionado, a trinitario type from south of Lago de Maracaibo, with a delicate aroma, fruity, creamy, and almonds flavor. It has low acidity and astringency. It has natural fermentation.
OUR PROCESS We acquire fresh beans, generally collected directly from the plantations of small and mid-sized producers, and then taken to our state of the art post-harvest processing centre, in Hacienda San Jose, in order to increase product quality. FERMENTATION First, the cacao enters into the fermentation process which removes the raw bitter taste and produces the components that characterizes the flavor of chocolate. The process lasts 6 days. Cacao fermentation takes place in special containers and are moved every 24-hour to allow an even and uniform fermentation. DRYING The cacao pass-through the drying process aimed at lowering the humidity rate to the standard level. The beans are spread out on great open-air trays, where they are turned again and again until the sun and wind have dried them completely. The drying process is complemented by drying the beans in hot-air pipes until the desired humidity is reached. Later, the cacao is selected by gravity, a machine which is used to separate beans according to their specific weight in order to yield different product classes, to remove dust and defects, and to insure a homogenous bean count. SELECTION AND PACKING The beans are then stored in our warehouse in sisal bags of 60 Kilograms. QUALITY INSPECTION We conduct regularly quality inspections by taking random samples from the finished cacao bags, which are then tested in order to meet the quality standards required for exportation. Only the finest cacao beans are sold. We truly believe that our devotion to quality cacao distinguish our products. We promote excellence at every stage of the value chain. We acquire fresh beans, generally collected directly from the plantations of small and mid-sized producers, and then taken to our state of the art post-harvest processing centre, in Hacienda San Jose, in order to increase product quality.
CONTACT US: Caracas Office: Av. Venezuela, Torre Provincial, Piso 6, No. 6-A, El Rosal, Caracas 1060, Venezuela Phone: +58 (212) 951.05.70 Fax: +58 (212) 951.27.36
Operation Centre Venezuela: Hacienda San José, Av. Los Chaguaramos, Sector Quebrada Seca, Río de El Pilar, Municipio Benítez, Estado Sucre, Venezuela Phone: +58 (294) 332.00.01 / 332.29.56 Fax: +58 (294) 331.25.45
France & Switzerland Representative: Marcelle Borberg Franceschi 38 Avenue Gabriel 75008, Paris, France Phone: +33(0) 142563235 Mobile: +33(0) 663932507 email: mbfranceschi@cacaosanjose.com
Spain Representative: Max Josef Schmid R. Barcelona, Spain Mobile: +34(0) 669-387086 email: mjschmid@cacaosanjose.com
