What are the secrets of the success of cocoa in Ecuador?

Ecuadornews:

Odors and flavors that are born in the countryside and come to the city for a meticulous work, each grain is selected with criteria of quality and purity.

It is the pacari chocolate factory in southern Quito was born in 2008 by the initiative of Santiago Peralta and Carla Barbotó, married couple who thought about giving a turn in this market.

Ecuador is the main exporter of cocoa in the Americas and the fourth in the world according to the Ministry of Agriculture.

“We began to question ourselves if we have the best raw material in the world why can’t we have be the best chocolate in the world” Carla Barbotó

“Refresh the world chocolate industry and show flavors of Latin America and not only the flavors that were not common in the market” Santiago Peralta

These flavors originate from the mixture of ingredients such as: passion fruit, uvillas, cuzco salt, mortiño, lemon verbena and even roses. Chocolate bars that according to this couple claim the Latin American culture.

“There should be much more value-added development in our regions of one hundred percent of cocoa produced in the world, only four percent of this is produced in the countries where the raw material is produced. And that feeling of pride that we are creating in Ecuadorians and Latin Americans when in a southern brand that is possessed in the north is very big, that is our goal “Carla Barbotó

The process requires the selection of the best cocoa and its minimum processing, not toast it in excess and in the use of organic raw material.

Pacari works with three thousand five hundred families and about forty thousand people indirectly, these entrepreneurs consider that the quality of the chocolate improves if the quality of work of the workers are optimal.

“Eighty percent of the world’s cocoa comes from people who earn less than twenty dollars per family per month, leave slavery in Africa ..” Santiago Peralta

“We started to pay double, they thought there was something more than the cocoa business because the price we wanted to pay was good, but we really realized that we have to value the farmers, pay them directly and not through intermediaries” Carla Barboto

These chocolate bars reach more than forty countries in the world, the largest market is outside the Ecuadorian borders, offering an organic product.

“Organic means that we are not intoxicating the cultivated land, the farmers, the factory, or the consumers” Carla Barbotó

According data of the national association of cocoa exporters and the union of cocoa organizations in 2017 produced a 44% drop in the price of grain, however it was a record year in production.

They are about ten companies that produce only fine cocoa bars of aroma, consumed for having low fat, fruity smell and semi-bitter taste. (I)

Source: http://cnnespanol.cnn.com/video/secretos-exito-cacao-ecuador-pkg-ana-maria-canizares/