After creating the schematic guide to chocolate bars in Peru, it is Ecuador's turn. Again, I start from the results of the International Chocolate Awards in order to start building this guide that includes only chocolate bars and leaves out the chocolates or other types of final product made with...

What is ‘craft’ chocolate? How about ‘artisanal,’ ‘virgin’ or ‘sustainable’ chocolate? These are just some of the myriad terms used by chocolate-makers and chocolatiers in an attempt to define their products and methods, and to market them to consumers. There are of course many other terms – loca...

Chocolate making is an incredible journey. For Grocer’s Daughter this journey starts in Ecuador. Near the small town of Calceta, in western Ecuador, sits the Fortaleza Del Valle cocoa cooperative. Nearly 900 small family cacao farms rely on the cooperative to obtain expensive Fair Trade and Organ...

Ecuador 2019 Join us for a delicious journey into the origins of fine chocolate. Dates: April 22–29, 2019 Conexión Chocolate invites you to Ecuador! Visit farmers working to preserve Ecuador’s fine flavored Nacional cacao and hone your skills as a chocolatier with founder and trip host Jenny Sam...

Conexión Chocolate, founded by Jenny Samaniego in 2016, was rebranded as “Conexión” from its original name, Chukulat, to pay homage to its mission of ‘connecting’ local cacao farmers with lovers of fine Ecuadorian chocolate. Conexión, making its chocolate at origin, works directly with cocoa farm...

Jenny Samaniego, owner of Conexion chocolate, is on a mission to create a different kind of business model. When she launched her company in 2016 in Quito, Ecuador, she had a vision to create a true collaboration, not only with the people behind the cultivation of cocoa, but also the chocolatiers...