Angus Kennedy on the Hacienda San José cocoa farm in Babahoyo, Ecuador
JMR: Yes, my father, Jorge Marún Sr, is very pleased you have asked him this question Angus – thank you! He says he is living here on the farm taking care of the people, which he loves to do. He is the one watching over everyone! [We all laugh]
Leon Kennedy (who is also learning about the trade) and I are then taken by car to see the cocoa plantations. 400 hectares in all and we see miles and miles of cocoa trees. This is, they claim, grown in an area known for the best cocoa in the world. Jorge has it all planned. We are even handed a machete to try and open up our own pods (first time for everything!) and are then shown how they prune and irrigate them. Pruning is done by hand - which seems like an enormous job considering how many thousands of trees they must have. Jorge then takes us back to the family Hacienda, where his father and mother live and in true Ecuadorian style, we are all offered lunch cooked by his mother in his own house which was a truly wonderful and memorable experience. I feel totally at home with this warm-hearted, passionate and hugely knowledgeable family.
Hacienda San José has been in the cocoa business for nearly 100 years and producing chocolate for just under four years now. The progress is remarkable, greatly assisted by the family’s passion for cooking and great tastes.
They also supply semi-finished chocolate for industrial use in 250 gr. and 3 GK drops. Also, on the menu, as one would expect, are: Cocoa Beans, Liquor Powder and Nibs. Their chocolate bars come in a 50g format and range from a standard 70% - 100% dark chocolate with various additions including nibs and Macadamias that they bring in. They also produce a rather fine milk chocolate in a 45% and a 55% combination. It’s pretty much all from the farm as a naturally single source with a traceable and highly sustainable story to boot. I am handed a bar of his chocolate and snap a bit from a 70% version. Already the cacao that is used in these bars has gone on to win Silver at the International Chocolate Awards for Best Chocolate Bar (their 80% with Nibs bar). Considering they have only been making finished chocolate bars for less than four years, it holds a delicious fruity chocolate flavour with a strong retention. It’s a flavour one would expect from Ecuador whom I know as a nation, are keen to show the world their individual cocoa tastes. Hacienda San José produce a great product and the family behind this remarkable progress deserve all the credit they are due.
16 Kennedy’s Confection January 2020
I left their farm and said my goodbyes rather reluctantly. It almost felt like a holiday resort and I wanted to stay for a few days - forget a few hours, this is a totally cool place to live, what with the amazing tropical flowers, excellent home- cooking and warm-hearted smiling people. It was a privilege to cover this story and I am keen to see how our article helps this well-deserved family to change-up another gear – hopefully opening doors for them on their journey forwards. We wish them a fantastic 2020 ahead. I am pleased to say that Hacienda San José has agreed to speak at the next London Chocolate Forum in London this October and in the meantime, we are very happy to make the introduction for you.
Left: Chocolate Hacienda San José was created by the 5th generation of the family
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
