Adding to basket
Problem
Despite being one of the world’s largest premium cocoa suppliers, Ecuador has historically imported 100% of its premium chocolate bars from developed markets and never developed its own original chocolate bar. This affected both the quality of the re-imported chocolate and the state of the local economy suffered as margins reduced for farmers and prices increased for consumers.
Solution
Pacari, started by Carla Barbotó and Santiago Peralta (image 1 in the center) created Ecuador’s first locally manufactured, premium chocolate bar. Pacari aims to benefit both consumers and producers. Pacari works directly with its cocoa growers to ensure farmers are trained and can deliver high quality cocoa. Pacari’s chocolate is 100% organic, soy free, gluten free, and dairy free. Pacari pays farmers for quality, offering roughly 2x the market price for their cocoa beans. Pacari currently works with 3,500 farmers, for cocao and other ingredients such as golden berries, Andean blueberries, salt, chile, and guayusa.
Loan use
The loan will be used to buy cocao from a new association of 30 small scale farmers with 90 hectares land. Pacari will purchase 660 quintals of cocao which will generate an approximate revenue of USD 105k for the association.
