About Minka
Minka Gourmet Chocolates are among the richest, most flavorful fine chocolates in existence. The story of this chocolate is steeped in history and strengthened by deep roots.
Jorge and Cristina Martinez, the founders of Minka Ecuadorian Cocoa, went searching for the perfect place to create the greatest chocolate in the world, and they found it in their native Ecuador.
These chocolates come from a beautiful corner in the south of the province of Guayas. There, in a fertile ravine, next to the Naranjal river, the land remains green year round. It is the ideal host to theobroma cacao.
Theobroma cacao is the scientific name for the fruit that bears Ecuadorian cacao beans. “Theobroma” is Greek for “Food of the Gods”. One taste of Minka Chocolate, and we think you’ll find it a fitting term!
This land has been tilled for centuries by experts, who gained their ancestral knowledge honestly, as it was passed down from grandparents to parents and from parents to children. In fact, the first known cacao trees originated in Ecuador! Ancient practices have been carefully cultivated over time and lovingly passed on to the harvests. Canopies filled with fine cocoa are expertly fermented, dried in the sun at the perfect pace, and cared for until the ideal flavor is captured.
Minka, a proud Ecuadorian company, works in the cocoa world as its predecessors did before them, surrounding itself with a committed community, all sharing the same vision of caring and honest work. Excellence is the name of the game, with all details perfected, from cultivation to harvest to storage, to the selection of cocoa beans.
A part of these magnificent harvests become award-winning Minka Organic Chocolate, while other bounties are shared with community partners, schools, and chocolate artisans. It truly is a “minga”...a team effort.
A Small Country with a Big Heart - A Message from the Founders:
Ecuador is a small country in South America where the people are happy, dynamic, and kind-hearted. We Ecuadorians enjoy the simple things in life, like a nice glass of coconut water, a slice of freshly harvested pineapple, soaking In the crystalline waters of the country’s rivers, walking barefoot on the fine sands of its endless beaches, or (best of all!) sitting around the fire with a cup of thick hot chocolate recalling the day’s events.
So many of us grew up without luxurious houses, but with wide open spaces and green plains to run across. We grew up without many comforts, but with the love of parents and grandparents who led by example and taught us to work with our hands. We learned to sow in order to harvest, and to give In order to receive. We learned that a sincere smile is worth a thousand words and that when a friend's house smells of roasted cocoa, it is a call to an impromptu meeting where everyone is welcome!
The cocoa often rests on a large table, which although unpainted, is made of good wood. Most homes have long benches instead of chairs so more neighbors can join. It is a ritual we grew up loving and continue to this day. Of course, we can’t bring everyone to our home in Ecuador, so we do the next best thing...We bring our gourmet chocolate to your home, so that you may enjoy the wonders and riches that the finest Ecuadorian chocolate has to offer.