In San Agustín del Sur, an enterprising young couple is dedicated to the production and sale of Venezuelan chicha criolla, a refreshing traditional drink made from boiled rice liquefied with milk. teleSUR
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00:00 [Music]
00:18 Our colleagues Adriana Sibori and Luis Horacio Gutierrez keep touring Venezuela,
00:23 finding stories that prove that when there is a will, there is a way.
00:27 This time, let's know about a familiar enterprise that makes and sells cold chicha
00:33 and have a faithful clientele that looks for a delicious way to cope with the Caribbean sun
00:38 and the heat in Caracas' streets.
00:41 And here is more about this traditional beverage,
00:46 and by Carlos and Bedsaid's story in the following material. Enjoy.
00:53 Breaking the ice. Then, Carlos and his wife prepare every detail before leaving.
00:59 This is boiled rice blended with milk. It's the base of the traditional Venezuelan chicha.
01:07 Now they face a long way to set up their stall.
01:11 This business started when we were dating. I was 16 years old and he was 20,
01:17 and we have been selling chicha for a long time.
01:19 We had a break of five years because we left, but we came back stronger than ever.
01:24 We both do it for our children and because of our children.
01:28 During that pause, they emigrated to Peru, looking for other opportunities.
01:36 They also set up their business there, but selling a frozen beverage in cold weather was not convenient,
01:42 and it was also difficult trying to fit in a place with few acquaintances.
01:48 The decision was to come back, and they found a different situation.
01:52 A country where the market was already moving, there was trade,
01:57 there was no longer that problem of queuing for two products, and well, I've started up the business again.
02:03 And they do have a public. Some are interested in their prices, and others are just loyal customers.
02:09 Of course, here is where I come, the only one I drink. I don't drink it anywhere else.
02:16 It's 100% good, and I could tell you because I am 75 and I've worked a lot.
02:22 The chicha is present in many Latin American countries, but the way it is prepared is different.
02:30 This is chicha criolla, without fermentation. The hotter the day, the higher the sales.
02:36 Venezuelan chicha is very thick, very sweet, and it depends.
02:41 Others sell it thicker, some add syrup, or any other goodies they want to add.
02:46 But I particularly go with the traditional, just cinnamon and condensed milk.
02:51 The indigenous people were the first to brew this type of popular drink, but with a corn base and alcohol.
03:02 Luis Horacio Gutierrez and Adriana Sibori, Telesur, Caracas.