On Thursday, Cuban leader Miguel Díaz-Canel paid a visit to "La Chocolatera," a family-run fine chocolate workshop nestled in the San Agustín neighborhood of Havana, according to reports from the state-run Canal Caribe.
The report highlights that this artisanal project has been in operation for seven years, utilizing just over 60 square meters within the home of Carlos Luis Menéndez Jorge, a master chocolatier who manages the enterprise with his family.
The business offers a selection of 40 different chocolate products, all crafted exclusively with locally sourced materials, including the packaging. These products are sold in the national currency across three markets in Havana and Matanzas, the report elaborates.
"Here we have 40 varieties, and all are made with national ingredients. This is science. This is national chocolate," Menéndez Jorge emphasized.
His mother, María Cristina Jorge, who has nearly 50 years of experience researching cocoa and chocolate in Cuba, and is the founder of the Latin American and Caribbean School of Chocolate, Pastry, and Confectionery, advises the chocolatier.
The business launched just three months before the COVID-19 pandemic struck but managed to continue operations without interruption.
"Three months after opening, the pandemic hit, but we persevered because stopping was never an option for us," the entrepreneur recalled.
During the visit, Carlos Luis expressed to the president his pressing needs: more physical space to increase production, the opening of new stores—including one at Havana's airport to attract foreign currency—and the resolution of pending issues with bank accounts.
The family is also working on a larger-scale project: a farm in El Chico where they cultivate 14 varieties of cocoa. In about a year or a year and a half, they aim to produce cocoa for launching their own line of origin chocolates.
"What truly holds value here is the identity, the artisanal fine chocolate with a sense of origin, which distinguishes this product," the chocolatier emphasized.
The visit from the unpopular Cuban leader occurs amidst a broader official engagement with the private sector. At the end of August, Díaz-Canel met with Cuban private entrepreneurs, acknowledging obstacles and biases against them. The day before this visit, he defended private investment in Cuba on his radio program.
Such visits to private production centers are part of the regime's communication strategy to demonstrate support for entrepreneurship during an economic crisis that leaves most Cubans without access to basic goods. However, Díaz-Canel's tours rarely result in tangible solutions to the issues raised by entrepreneurs.
Insights into Cuba's Chocolate Industry
What is the significance of "La Chocolatera" in Havana?
"La Chocolatera" is a fine chocolate workshop that stands out for its use of locally sourced ingredients and its artisanal production methods. Managed by Carlos Luis Menéndez Jorge and his family, it reflects a growing trend of private entrepreneurship in Cuba.
How has "La Chocolatera" managed to sustain itself during the pandemic?
Despite opening just three months before the COVID-19 pandemic, "La Chocolatera" continued operations without interruption, showcasing resilience and commitment to their craft.
What future plans does "La Chocolatera" have?
The family plans to expand their production space, open new retail locations, and launch a line of origin chocolates from their cocoa farm in El Chico in the near future.