Weparepa: A Venezuelan taste has arrived

Weparepa is bringing the taste of Venezuelan flavors to Humboldt County with handmade arepas. Arepas are a traditional Venezuelan dish made of corn flour and different forms of fillings. 

“Arepas are life and whatever you put in your arepa there is an endless of options,” said  Grazibel Nani the owner of Weparepa. “Same in your life you know so whatever you stuff in, it’ll bring the joy to you.”

Some of the different types of fillings arepas can be filled with at Weparepa are beans, plantain, cotija cheese, avocado and more. All the optional fills are up to the customers and there is also a menu to choose from. According to Nani, the customer’s favorite is the Sifrina arepa.

“I wasn’t planning on starting any business because I am a full-time mom,” Nani said. “But wherever I go, I make arepas for my friends. So my friends were like, ‘You should definitely make arepas, yeah, people will love them.’”

Owner of Weparepa Nani started cooking and selling gluten-free and vegan option arepas in March 2023 after receiving encouragement from her friends. She felt inspired to begin this business after noticing there isn’t much Venezuelan food in Humboldt County. People can find Weparepa at the Sea Goat Farmstand in Mckinleyville on Saturdays. Nani mentioned that people can place orders through Instagram at weparepa.ca and people can also receive further information about the business there. 

“For me, an arepa represents my mom, my home and my country,” Nani said. 

Nani’s future hope for Weparepa is to get a food truck or restaurant when she has the ability to expand. She said she wants to be able to provide people of the North Coast with more Venezuelan cuisine but for now, she will sell arepas and her signature sauce, Guasacaca. This sauce is a must when eating a Venezuelan arepa.