Grocer’s Daughter Chocolate offers chocolate tour to Ecuador
From staff reports
Beat the winter doldrums by joining Empire.-based Grocer’s Daughter Chocolate for a fun and educational tour to Ecuador. In March 2013 Grocer’s Daughter Chocolate founder Mimi Wheeler and experienced trip leader Jody Treter will lead a group of chocolate lovers to Ecuador for an 11-day tour focused on chocolate growing, fermenting, processing and exporting as well as indigenous entrepreneurship.
Highlights of the trip will include visiting with long-time friends, Miriam and Jaime Velasquez Perugachi, in their Kichwa community of Peguche to learn about their community, cultural heritage and entrepreneurial endeavors. In 2009, Miriam and Jaime were recipients of a small entrepreneurial grant funded by a group of women in northern Michigan. Trip participants will visit the Otavalos market, one of the largest and most important artisan markets in South America.
Taste the rare and prized Nacional cacao species. Learn about efforts to promote cultivation of this old variety from Samuel Von Rutte, a man who has dedicated 30 years to preserving this cacao variety.
Meet with cacao farmers living in the Amazon who own Kallari chocolate, one of the only chocolate companies in the world wholly owned and governed by its indigenous producer families.
Grocer’s Daughter Chocolate is proud to offer this guided tour as an extension of its love for chocolate and in celebration of the people who work hard to grow, process and export this wonderful delicacy! The trip will introduce participants to new friends and provide sight-seeing that isn’t available to the everyday tourist in Ecuador.
The trip dates are: Feb. 29 to March 11, 2013. For more information contact Jody Treter at jodytreter (AT) gmail (DOT) com or by calling (231) 342-0696.
