Cocoa gains ground in Venezuela's new trade chapter with the United States

The recovery in trade between Venezuela and the United States is beginning to extend beyond the energy sector. During 2026, Venezuelan cocoa has gained a foothold in that market, driven by private companies with greater scale, continuity and responsiveness.

One of the most prominent cases is Grupo MVC, a Venezuelan company that has shipped approximately 1,150 metric tons of cocoa beans to the United States so far this year, according to publicly available maritime manifests.

The records show recurring operations between January and September, with cargoes destined mainly for Cargill and received through the port of Philadelphia. This volume places Grupo MVC among the leading private Venezuelan cocoa exporters to the U.S. market in 2026. The continuity of its shipments demonstrates financial capacity, quality control, logistical coordination and compliance with international requirements.

"Our goal has always been to send a clear signal to the international market: Venezuela's business sector has the capacity to compete effectively in global commodity trade. That means guaranteeing supply stability, standardizing quality and complying with every operation. We want to be the direct channel between major international companies and the cocoa-growing communities of our country, generating trust and value for both sides," said Francisco Vieira, chief executive of Grupo MVC.

The rise of cocoa is taking place within a broader commercial recovery. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. imports of goods from Venezuela reached approximately $8.228 billion between January and July 2026, more than double the $3.697 billion recorded for all of 2025. Although the energy sector remains the main component of that relationship, agricultural growth points to opportunities to diversify exports and attract private capital.

Grupo MVC has built a supply network that includes more than 3,000 small and medium-sized producers across the country's cocoa-growing regions. Its operations cover purchasing and collection at the source, processing and quality control, logistics and international marketing of cocoa.

According to MVC's medium-term outlook, the sector's next goal should be to increase national production by at least 20% over the next 12 months. Achieving this does not initially require new plantings, whose results take more time and investment. The fastest route is to raise yields per hectare on existing plantations through better pruning practices, shade regulation, recovery of productive trees and technical support.

This goal will only be possible through effective alliances among the public sector, private enterprise and producing communities. Venezuela can look to neighboring countries such as Ecuador, where investment, technical assistance, crop improvement and connections to international markets have helped expand cocoa production capacity.

The challenge is to turn the 2026 export growth into a scalable and sustainable operation. For investors, the rise in shipments shows that opportunities exist outside the oil sector and that Venezuela can develop a more diversified export platform, backed by private capital and long-term trade relationships.

Note: Grupo MVC's figures correspond to publicly available maritime records consulted as of October 1, 2026, and may be subject to updates.