Cacao & Mango Family Farm

Ecuador is a land of entrepreneurs. A large segment of the production moves through initiatives of what is called Popular and Solidarity Economy (EPS). Cacao and Mango, a small family farm, gave a twist to its business.  Now it not only carries out agricultural activities. It also has experience in adventure tourism taking advantage of its proximity to the Manglares Churute Ecological Reserve, gastronomy and EPS.

 

The history of Cacao & Mango begins in the 1950's, when the Ecuadorian state distributed mangrove plots of 12 hectares each to farmers in the area of Puerto Inca, to expand the agricultural frontier. Since then, generations of the Lara family have grown cocoa, mangos, dragon fruit, bananas, lemongrass and spices.

 

Today a new generation, the brothers Jairo, Leni, Jamil and Ninfa Lara, have merged agriculture with tourism since their professions. Jairo is a naturalist guide who does adventure tourism to the nearby Manglares-Churute Ecological Reserve. The reserve covers 50,000 hectares of winding mangrove channels, dry tropical forest and salt flats.

 

Leni Lara, a professional chef, prepares cocoa in all combinations, with fruits such as mango, araxá, coconut and passion fruit, to serve the most delicious desserts to visitors. Ninfa and Jamil Lara attend with passion to proudly show their heritage.

 

Cacao & Mango is a farm that produces these and other fruits. The cocoa beans are transformed into rich chocolate. Ecuador is internationally recognized as the producer of the finest cocoa. The Lara family loves to share this experience with people. Tourism is an important source of income for this company. There is a symbiosis with the neighboring farms, which provide other products to Mango and Cocoa: meat, fish, crabs, eggs, in order to serve the tourists. Additional jobs are generated and the owners and workers are enthusiastic.

 

A tour of the farm starts with the botanical garden where they grow orchids, a tilapia pool, rice plantations and the tropical fruit garden. There is also a nursery for the cocoa plants in the growing stages, planted or grafted.

 

In the cocoa plantations you learn about their cultivation, pollination and production. During the harvest season, the tourist has the experience of picking ears of corn and using them to make cocoa juice or the house cocktail. In the traditional chocolate workshop, the process of changing from cocoa to chocolate is practiced by roasting, peeling and grinding. Finally, a hot and spicy chocolate is prepared. As a souvenir, you have to buy handmade chocolate bars.