At 13, knew all about coffee and machines and now imparting his knowledge through seminars.

Francisco Javier Valero is a man born in the mountains of the Venezuelan Andes.  From a very young age, he accompanied his father for long hours while repairing professional coffee machines. This experience allowed him to discover his skills in the design and manufacture of bakery equipment. At the age of 13, he already knew the structure of a bakery coffee maker. During his early youth, he devoted himself to learning about bakery equipment, feeling a special fascination for ovens.

Self-taught in the manufacture of ovens

At the age of 25, he founded the company "Equipos Valero". By means of his company, Mr. Valero for years was representative of diverse international companies of the bakery branch. Francisco Javier offers services of maintenance and repair of equipment with which he accumulates wide experience. He was taken the final step in 2006 when he designed his first electronic panels for ovens. The following year he began to manufacture exclusive ovens. These ovens are designed according to customer specifications.

Mr. Valero is self-taught in the design of electronic panels for bakeries. He earned recognition from bread makers in western Venezuela and eastern Colombia for his excellent service.  The bakeries and restaurant of the region found in Francisco Javier Valero the oven specialist who not only repairs the machinery, but also the factory with national raw material.

Andean aroma coffee

The Valero family's empathy with everything related to the art of coffee comes from Francisco Javier's father, Mr. Francisco Valero. For more than 4 decades, Mr. Francisco provided technical services to bakeries in the Andean highlands. Francisco Javier accompanied his father from a very young age. Next to his father, he learned to distinguish the different flavors of coffee according to its origin and preparation. This is how Francisco Javier educated his palate to distinguish coffee by its aroma, acidity, and depth of flavor.

The family experience and the years of work with his father awakened in Francisco Javier the need to establish a unique space in his style:”Cataos Café”.

“Cataos Café” is a company that distributes coffee with certification of origin. In addition, Cataos Café offers coffee tasting seminary, baristas and Art Coffee courses. This is the first coffee tasting establishment founded in the State of Merida-Venezuela.

The “Cataos Café” initiative was a resounding success. The courses are attended by specialists, merchants, restaurant owners and coffee lovers of national and international origin. The success was such that to obtain a place in one of the seminars given by “Cataos Café” must be booked several months in advance.

Cataos Cookies

The next step in the entrepreneurial growth of this extraordinary self-taught entrepreneur was the foundation of a biscuit factory. During his innumerable travels through the Andean region, he discovered the need to produce biscuits that expressed the exquisite tropical flavors of Andean origin. Thus, Francisco Javier established in the spaces of his own home the factory "Cataos Galletas” in 2016.

“Cataos Galletas” burst into the Venezuelan national market and managed to position itself as one of the brands preferred by consumers. In fact, Mr. Valero had the audacity to launch to the market a high-quality product at moderate costs. Despite the deep economic crisis of his country, the strength and audacity of Francisco Javier managed to overcome the first three years of the brand. Today "Cataos Galletas" is a growing factory that has an extensive shed in the industrial zone of Tabay, in the province of Merida.

New ventures: “Cataos Chocolate”

Mr. Valero's experience includes coffee machines, ovens, biscuits, and everything related to the bakery industry. In 2018 he started designing and manufacturing chocolate tempering machines. That same year he started the "Cataos Chocolate" project, an Andean chocolate factory.

Francisco Javier Valero is the example of a man formed by himself. In a self-taught way, he developed skills in the area of electronics and mechanics that make him the first manufacturer of baking ovens in the Venezuelan Andes. His undertakings constitute an extensive network that grows exponentially. Today he continues to design and manufacture ovens, which has given him the recognition of bakers' associations in western Venezuela.

Mr. Valero is an entrepreneur who knows no boundaries. He grew up like any other boy in the Andean region and today is the designer and manufacturer par excellence of bakery equipment in Venezuelan soil. His accomplishments drive the development of his people and provide employment for hundreds of people.