Heladería Coromoto

Neon sign at Heladería Coromoto.

Heladería Coromoto, commonly known as Coromoto, is an ice cream parlor in Merida, Venezuela, known for offering a Guinness World Record of 860 flavors. Coromoto was established by Manuel da Silva Oliveira, who began his ice cream career at well-established ice cream firms, before founding the store in a bid to create more appealing ice cream flavors. Coromoto sells 60 different ice cream flavors in accordance with factors such as the weather. Lonely Planet Venezuela calls Coromoto a popular tourist destination.

History

Manuel da Silva Oliveira (right), founder of Heladería Coromoto, with Guinness Book, 1996 issue, with a visitor at the shop in 2008.
Full range of Heladería Coromoto's ice-cream flavours in 2006.

Heladería Coromoto was founded in 1980[1][2] or 1981[3] by Manuel da Silva Oliveira, an immigrant from Portugal. Prior to that, Oliveira served as a worker for "the big ice-cream companies". Wanting to create ice cream flavors that would appeal more to consumers, he broke out and started Coromoto. The parlour started out with four common flavors, vanilla, strawberry, chocolate, and coconut, however when its avocado favour, launched for its novelty value, became a hit, he started experimenting. By the time, he created flavour No. 593 called "Chipi Chipi", after its ingredient a saltwater shellfish, the Guinness Book incorporated his name in their book.[2] In 2006, the shop opened its first franchise, "Coromoto" at Portimão on the southern coast of Portugal and 185 miles south of capital Lisbon. It is opened by his eldest son, also named Manuel Da Silva Oliveira, and Oliveira thereafter divides his time between Venezuela and Portugal.[2]

For unknown reasons, Oliveira no longer patrons the store; Jose Ramirez manages the store.[1]

Products

Inside Heladería Coromoto.

Coromoto is known for offering 860 ice cream flavours – recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the most in the world – although only around 60[1][4] to 75,[3] are sold each day. Among others, the store sells garlic ice cream and chilli ice cream, as well as quirkier-sounding flavours such as "British Airways" and "Viagra Hope".[1]

Operations

Coromoto is located in Merida, Venezuela,[1] and operates Tuesday through Sunday from a one-level building[3] across from a church.[1] Lonely Planet Venezuela calls Coromoto "the most famous icecream parlor in South America"[5] and Frommer's calls it one of Merida's "chief tourist draws".[3]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Heladería Coromoto.
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Grant, Will (January 16, 2010). "The Venezuelan ice-cream parlour with 860 different flavours". BBC News.
  2. 1 2 3 Danna Harman (June 28, 2006). "831 ice cream flavors – and more to come". Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved July 4, 2013.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Hughes, Holly (2009). Frommer's 500 Places for Food and Wine Lovers. John Wiley & Sons. pp. 436–. ISBN 9780470480649.
  4. ↑ Peter Greenberg (8 May 2012). The Best Places for Everything: The Ultimate Insider's Guide to the Greatest Experiences Around the World. Rodale. pp. 392–. ISBN 978-1-60961-830-8. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
  5. ↑ Kohn, Beth (2007). Lonely Planet Venezuela. Lonely Planet. pp. 195–. ISBN 9781741045451.

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