How It All Started
Mayan Monkey Mijas was founded in 2012 by Eli McCarthy and Jason Godwin in the beautiful mountaintop village of Mijas Pueblo, famous for its whitewashed streets and friendly donkeys. What started as a small chocolate workshop has grown into Andalucia's most-loved chocolate experience, with a multi-cultural team of around seventeen people from all over the world.
From day one, our mission has been simple: make extraordinary chocolate, share the joy of making it, and do it all ethically. We are Spain's only Slave-Free Chocolate certified factory — because great chocolate should never come at someone else's expense.
What Makes Us Different
Our Chocolate Promise
- No palm fats or cheap substitutes — our single-origin dark chocolate uses just two ingredients: cacao beans and cane sugar
- Fresh cakes baked every day — including a wide range of gluten-free products
- Organic milk gelatos — we buy beautiful organic milk from Galicia at over €1 per litre (vs standard milk at ~45 cents)
- Sorbets for everyone — handmade options for lactose-intolerant visitors
- Slave-Free Chocolate certified — the only factory in Spain with this certification
Our chocolate factory is fully viewable — you can watch us making chocolate, ice cream, and baked goods any time you visit. We offer free tours whenever possible, with absolutely no obligation to buy anything.
The Team
We're a small, passionate, multi-cultural crew. Here are some of the people who make the magic happen:
Eli McCarthy
Organised, methodical, and a superb linguist who can regularly be found speaking seven languages. Adept at product design, graphics, and keeping everything running smoothly. Her passion is finding, creating, and communicating meaning.
Jason Godwin
When anything breaks in the factory, Jason gets it fixed. Practical, hands-on, and endlessly curious. When he's not restoring antique cacao machinery, he's chatting with visitors to Mijas about the history of chocolate.
Lynn
Originally from Belgium — so she knows a thing or two about chocolate. Lynn has been with us for over 10 years and brings a wealth of experience to the factory floor. When she's not making chocolate, she loves travelling.
Hal
Hal has been part of the Mayan Monkey crew for years. He has a degree in law, but his real passion is music. A reliable, dedicated member of the team who helps keep everything running smoothly.
Our Home: Mijas Pueblo
We're located in Plaza Virgen de la Peña — the main square of Mijas Pueblo, right next to the town hall and the famous donkeys. The village sits high above the Costa del Sol with stunning views of the Mediterranean, and it's just 30 minutes from both Málaga and Marbella.
Mijas Pueblo is one of Andalucia's best-preserved white villages, and we're proud to be part of this community since 2012. Whether you're on holiday, living locally, or visiting with your school — you're always welcome at Mayan Monkey.
Visit Us
Address: Plaza Virgen de la Peña 15, Mijas Pueblo, 29650 Málaga
Phone: +34 600 088 542
Email: info@mayanmonkey.es
Open: Every day, 10:30–18:00
Ready to Make Chocolate?
Book a hands-on workshop and create your own chocolate to take home.
See Our Workshops