EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
1-2-1 with Jorge Marún Ramírez, CEO of Hacienda San José, Ecuador
Cocoa farmer to chocolatier!
Angus Kennedy is the first English-speaking journalist to visit the company, Hacienda San José in the Los Rios Province – Central Ecuador, who, after many years of successful cocoa growing, now seem to be just as good at making chocolate. Our editor was keen to find out more about their strategic move into chocolate production…
Above: Angus Kennedy (right) speaks to Jorge Marún Ramírez (left) as he tours the family’s herb garden M
ost companies I visit tend to make chocolate first and then may get involved in the farming; as that does seem to be somewhat of a trend, I must admit. I couldn’t wait to meet my host as this was a different
story for me. ‘Different’ in the way that this family decided to make chocolate bars and couvertures after 97 years of cocoa farming, which to anyone would seem entirely logical. So, what made them decide to make chocolate and what, moreover, did their product taste like? Can farmers really become producers and producers become farmers? In this case, my hosts are extremely good cooks and hugely welcoming and warm- hearted people, so we are off to a very promising start. I am in Ecuador and we kick off the day by driving from San Lorenzo in the North of Ecuador down through the Esmeraldas Province along the great Pacific Highway to our final destination, to the company ‘Hacienda San José’. After many hours of driving myself, Leon Kennedy, and members from the Ecuador
Government (whom organised our tour), arrive at this 100-year established, fifth generation family cocoa farm. I am greeted by the wonderfully relaxed owner and CEO, Jorge Marún Ramírez, as well as members of his delightful family.
The company building (also a family house) is beautiful, and we immediately meet and greet members of his team and sample some local home grown produce. It seems as if nothing goes to waste - I am offered a very tasty cup of cocoa fruit pulp drink for kick off which comes as a very welcome refreshment in the 32-degree heat. Crisp-like snacks are even made for us from the casing of the cocoa pod.
The Marún family are all cooks of considerable skill, I muse, as we spend the morning trying various Ecuadorian delicacies grown on the farm including, plantain snacks with home-made chillies from the garden and tea from their herb garden. It’s a good start I am thinking; their cooking is exquisite, so I can’t wait to try their chocolate bars.
12 Kennedy’s Confection January 2020
KennedysConfection.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92
