Northern coast of South America, neighboring Colombia & Brazil

Cacao is grown throughout Venezuela, from coastal valleys and grassy plains to the Andean foothills. Each region’s beans have distinct flavors. Gail works with Chocolates El Rey, one of the oldest Venezuelan chocolate manufacturers.

The company sources its fairly traded beans directly from small- and large-scale growers across the country. In addition to paying its growers above-market prices and teaching sustainable agriculture, El Rey makes incredible single-origin chocolates that inspire some of Gail’s most creative concoctions.