To reach the lower basin of the Marañón River you have to travel two days. From Lima you arrive by plane to Jaén. Then you take a collective that takes six hours to the last port, to sleep there. The next day, from 7: 00 in the morning, it takes to walk for about 11 hours. Cross rivers, hills, much mud and danger always present at the edge of the cliff. And maybe we've come to paradise. All green, huge trees like buildings, cocoa trees, macambo and screw. Snakes, insects and even pumas can be seen. And the encounter with the native Awajún communities in Amazonas that preserve and give life to a fruit of the gods: cocoa.
It is the route that Miguel Marrou does every time he has to go to coordinate the joint work that Elemento does with the Wajún. Chocolate mark with purpose that positively impacts. Among other awards, Element has been distinguished as Best Handmade White Chocolate in the World and Best Milk Chocolate in America.
"I always had an interest in nature," says Miguel, a training publicist. "If I'm going to spend 80% of my life working, I should do it on something that vibrates with me," he adds. One day it coincided with Lorenzo Llosa, founding partner of Element, who proposed to join him. Marrou is, in addition to partner, general manager. To society is added Hugo Huertas.
Miguel Marrou was born in Spain, but always returned to Peru. Why? "Here is your family, land and friends; whether your house is disordered or not, you will always want to come back and, why not, try to order it," he tells me. Creating and developing a company with purpose is one way to do it.
- How was Element in a year of reactivation?
It has exceeded our expectations. We began to bring some small exports to China and Chile, but following the pandemic it stopped. And in the course of this year we have already exported to Thailand.
- What would a map of countries that produce cocoa be like?
There are several cocoa exporting countries: Ecuador, Peru, in Africa. All countries on the equatorial line have cocoa. In Peru we are blessed with a native cocoa, and we are blessed with 16 varieties of fine cocoa of aroma, we are the first regional producers of kilogram per hectare of fine cocoa of aroma worldwide, and the second exporters and producers of organic cocoa worldwide.
- What distinguishes Peruvian cocoa?
It's a genetic variety. A very small proportion of the cocoa that exists in the world is cocoa that is called fine cocoa of aroma and this has basically a much higher quality of taste; perhaps it is not as productive in tree, as other genetically modified varieties, but in quality and in sensory profile it is well above all other varieties. And within the fine cocoa of aroma you can find different types of cocoa, such as the white cocoa of Piura, the native cocoa, the creole cocoa, the chuncho cocoa, and most of them we have in Peru.
- You work the native.
Exactly. And this cocoa we found in Amazonas grows wild and indigenous communities have domesticated it. Now, there is one thing that is interesting: in this area between Peru and Ecuador there is a region where it is said to be the origin of cocoa worldwide. One of the reasons is that there are the most genetic varieties.
- And the side of Peru is the lower basin of the Marañón River?
Yeah. We got involved with communities and trained so that the Wajun populations can make their own fermentations and dry in the field. We buy the cocoa from the same awajún once the post-harvest process is done so that they can value their production. We pay the fair price and really generate a social impact. We have moved from a community to four, bringing together more than 200 producing families. It's very valuable what they have and that's what we want to transmit to them.
- What would a map of countries that produce chocolate be like?
The largest importer of Peruvian cocoa worldwide is Germany. You always hear that the best chocolate in the world is Belgian or Swiss. But that is not necessarily a reality today. The cocoa-producing countries are developing fine, original and successful chocolates.
- How's Peru?
All right. If you enter the international chocolacy awards you see that Peru is always leading the lists. It is important that the chocolate brands maintain a high level of consistency: if the chocolates are growing, cocoa producers must also see that growth.
- What do you say we're looking at a good chocolate?
One of the factors is the percentage, from 40% of cocoa you can just say it's a chocolate, but it's a chocolate-flavored candy.
- The candy is associated with cholesterol. What about chocolate?
The fat that cocoa has is positive, like the fat of the palta, helps reduce negative cholesterol. A chocolate that has from 70% cocoa is already considered a healthy chocolate. This chocolate is something of ours and I think it's a gift to yourself.
- What potential do we have?
We want Peru to be recognized worldwide as a cacaotero and chocolate country, where you can find the best chocolates in the world, which is a reality.
AUTOFICH:
- "I am Miguel Alonso Marrou Osores. I'm 34. I was born in Spain; my old men left at the time of terrorism. The year we were born, we came back. I'm Peruvian. I studied Communications and Advertising. I did post-degree marketing, a master's degree in project management in Spain."
- "We are looking for the internationalization of Element. We believe that the national market has worked quite well. The finished product is found in shops throughout Lima, such as Flora & Fauna, Punto Organic, La Sanahoria and more."
- "You can also buy it directly through social networks, in Instagram we are like Element Chocolate. We have another line of cocoa powder, cocoa butter, among others, which we sell to hotels like the Marriot or the Maido restaurant: their desserts make with our chocolate."
Source: Perú21