Ecuador Celebrates Best Dark Chocolate in the World

Ecuadorian Chocolate makers, Pacari Chocolate, champion world-class products through environmentally sustainable practices. 

Los Angeles, CA (August 12, 2011) -- Pacari Chocolate was started as a small, family owned company in 2000 by Santiago Peralta and Carla Barboto. The couple set out to build a business that was based on socially and environmentally sustainable principals to ensure that their products would support the well-being of the land and community they were a part of. They also sought to keep their core ingredient, the native Arriba Nacional cacao, from nature to consumption, as pure as possible and in so doing created the first single-origin, organic chocolate made entirely in Ecuador. (http://www.pacarichocolate.com)

Pacari now exports to 19 countries around the world and has been recognized by the leading dark chocolate authority, SeventyPercent.com as being one of the world's best dark chocolates.

Throughout their journey, Pacari has kept focus on their mission statement and commitment to their ecosystem. From growers to producers, the founders and the company at large are involved in every step of production, ensuring the healthy, ecologically conscious and consistent delivery of quality, organic products to their worldwide buyers.

Pacari Chocolate is a representation of the excellence achieved by many small and medium sized Ecuadorian companies. The growth in globally successful Ecuadorian exporters is in part a result of the outstanding efforts of the Government of Ecuador under President Rafael Correa’s Popular and Solidarity Economy, which has encouraged independent and mirco producers to band together as associations (called AEPYS or Actores de la Economia Popular y Solidaria). The collective or AEPYS, operating as a unified group, is able to meet and fulfill the market demand on a consistent basis, while maintaining the highest quality. AEPYS exist in all industries, with an emphasis on food, textile and agricultural products.

According to the National Assembly of Ecuador (Asamblea Nacional del Ecuador) in 2010, 48.9% of total employment was generated by enterprises with 1 to 10 employees; these micro and small enterprises generated 67.1% of total employment. Revenues from small business accounted for 27.7% of the gross domestic product.

"Pacari Chocolate is one of many outstanding, globally successful companies from Ecuador, " says Dick Vega, Trade Commissioner for Ecuador in Los Angeles, "at the Trade Commission of Ecuador in Los Angeles, our doors are always open. We invite companies and individuals to meet with us and explore the opportunities of doing business and investing in Ecuador. We are committed to helping find the right partners who will provide the best possible products and their successful, consistent delivery to market."

[Translation]["Pacari es una de las muchas destacadas empresas que se han colocado en el mercado internacional exitosamente." dice Dick Vega, Jefe Comercial de Ecuador en Los Angeles. " La oficina comercial del Ecuador mantiene las puertas abiertas a empresas y personas para que se reúnan con nosotros y exploren nuevas oportunidades para hacer negocios con Ecuador. Nuestro principal compromiso es ofrecer los mejores productos y su ingreso exitoso y constante de acuerdo al mercado."]

For interested parties, the Trade Commission of Ecuador in Los Angeles will be hosting Pacari Chocolate and several other outstanding Ecuadorian exporters this coming October.

For more on Pacari Chocolate, please visit http://www.PacariChocolate.com

For an opportunity to meet with the Trade Commission, Exhibitors or to attend the product showcase, contact: ecuadortradelax@mmrree.gov.ec or Ecuador@ppmg.info

For media inquiries contact: Popular Press Media Group (PPMG), +1-310-860-7774, media@ppmg.info

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"I Discovered Ecuador" Campaign Spotlights Unique Tourism Highlights

"I Discovered Ecuador" 

Campaign Spotlights Unique Tourism Highlights

From a spa retreat at 2,754 meters in the Andes; to a luxury floating hotel; to a church who's walls are covered in gold; to 28% of the world's birds, there is something in Ecuador for everyone.

This Summer, Tourism Ecuador launched a new campaign that highlights some of the most outstanding and unique highlights a visitor may discover when traveling the country.

In addition to tourism, Ecuador is an extraordinary business opportunity.  From exports to investment, the Trade Office of Ecuador in Los Angeles, California is open to answer questions and support businesses and individuals to find the right partners for success.

For more, please contact EcuadorTradeLAX@mmrree.gob.ec, or Ecuador@PPMG.info, media please email media@ppmg.info, or call +1-310-860-7774.

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Discover Ecuador Tourism Campaign Launches in Los Angeles

For Immediate Release
June 24, 2011

Discover Ecuador Tourism Campaign Launches in Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA (6/24/11) -- If you have flown into Los Angeles this week, or driven South on the 405 by Century Blvd, it would be impossible to miss the extraordinary new tourism campaign Ecuador has launched, with the building wrapped billboard.

The country, which welcomed 1,044,000 visitors in 2010 is home to four distinctive geographic regions; the Amazon, the Andes, La Costa (the “Coastlands”) and Galápagos Islands and 27 different ethnic groups and four United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) World Heritage Sites: the City of Quito, Galápagos Islands, Sangay National Park and the Historic Centre of Santa Ana de los Ríos de Cuenca, all in a mere 159,300.93 square miles.

Rich in culture, history and for the business minded - investment opportunity; Ecuador is a nation of the future.


Have you discovered Ecuador?

For media opportunities and or to discuss trade, investment, tourism with the Trade Commission of Ecuador in Los Angeles, please email media@ppmg.info, or call +1-310-860-7774.

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Ecuadorian Roses Decorate the Royal Wedding of Prince Albert II of Monaco

For Immediate Release
June 24, 2011

Ecuadorian Roses Decorate the Royal Wedding of Prince Albert II of Monaco

(Paris, France on approval via Los Angeles, CA USA )(6/24/2011) -- To mark the royal wedding of Prince Albert II of Monaco with his fiancee, Charlene Wittstock, Ecuador will donate 9000 roses of the following varieties: Creme de la Creme, Mondial and Anastaria, which will decorate the gardens and saloons where the civil and ecclesiastical ceremonies will take place.  The civil marriage ceremony will be held in the Throne Room of the Prince's Palace on July 1st , and the religious ceremony will take place on July 2, 2011.

The Embassy and the Commercial Office of Ecuador in France, in coordination with the National Association of Flower Producers and Exporters of Ecuador Expoflores and the Institute for Promotion of Exports and Investments Pro Ecuador, made a previous promotion and sent samples, which achieve a great response from the Prince and his fiancee, who praised the unique beauty of Ecuadorian roses.  The wedding will be attended by members of royal families, heads of state and VIP guest from around the world, who may appreciate why Ecuadorian roses are considered the best in the world.

The official spokespersons of this article are:
- Ignacio Perez. Executive President of Expoflores
- Gino Descalzi. President of the Board of Directors of Expoflores
- Manuel Echeverria. Director of Exports Promotion of PRO ECUADOR
- Carlos Jativa. Ambassador of Ecuador in France
- Valeria Escudero. CEO of the Commercial Office of Ecuador in Paris.


For a media contact in Los Angeles, please contact PPMG at 310.860.7774, or email media@ppmg.info to speak with the Trade Commission for Ecuador in Los Angeles, Mr. Dick Vega.

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Ecuador Takes Center Stage at Natural Products Expo West with world class Natural & Organic Products

Beverly Hills, CA (March 11, 2011) -- Ecuador has a significant presence at the 2011 Natural Products Expo West. The country, known for its outstanding organic fruits, vegetables, seafood and confections, has an extraordinary selection of organic and gourmet products to satisfy the most discerning palate.

Through the popular and solidarity economy, individual growers and boutique manufacturers have united to form dynamic associations whose collective efforts are making it possible for outstanding products to be available for export, for the first time.

Sponsored by the Trade Commission of Ecuador in Los Angeles, participants of the 2011 Natural Products Expo West are invited to explore the outstanding showcase of natural and organic products of Ecuador at booths 3578 and 3579.

The convention runs from Friday, March 11, 2011 through to Sunday, March 13, 2011 at the Anaheim Convention Center, 800 West Katella Avenue, Anaheim, CA 92802. Representatives from the Trade Commission and participating product associations and companies will be on hand to answer questions and provide materials.

To commemorate Ecuador’s participation in the 2011 National Products Expo West, the Consul General of Ecuador in Los Angeles, Eddie Bedon Orbe and the Trade Commissioner of Ecuador in Los Angeles, Dick Vega will be present for the Official Inauguration Friday, March 11, 2011 at 4:00 pm at the Ecuadorian product exhibit (booths 3578-3579).

Producers represented include:

La Asociación Kallari: organic chocolate and cocoa liquor. www.kallari.com Access BDN Ecuador SA (Kofi): Kofi (coffee beverage) and snacks. www.accessbdn.com, www.icedkofi.com The Exotic Blends (SAMAI): natural snacks. www.theexoticblends.com Indartbio SA: organic marmalades and sauces. www.indartbio.com Productos SKS Farms (Pacari): organic chocolate and chocolate snacks. www.pacarichocolate.com Industrias RCH: natural soaps and body lotions. www.rchindustrias.es.tl Fundacion Mujer y Familia Andina: quinoa, flour of quinoa, energy bars, cereals, etc. www.fundamyf.org Inalproces SA: healthy snacks. www.kiwalife.com

“Los mejores productos que la naturaleza pueda dar, elaborados con responsabilidad social y ecológica, con respeto a la Pacha Mama (Madre Tierra) y a la dignidad humana, eso es un poco de lo que usted encontrará de la producción ecuatoriana en Natural Products Expo West,” (“The best products that nature can give, produced with social and environmental responsibility, with respect to the Pacha Mama (Mother Earth) and human dignity, that is a bit of what you'll find of the Ecuadorian production at Natural Products Expo West.”) says Trade Commissioner for Ecuador in Los Angeles, Dick Vega.

For more information on these producers and many more, please contact the Trade Commission for Ecuador in Los Angeles at +1-323-297-1150.

Please direct all media inquiries to Popular Press Media Group (PPMG) +1-310-860-7774, or email Ecuador@ppmg.info

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Discover Ecuador: a Nation Poised to Take its Place on the World Stage

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 22, 2011

Contact: Popular Press Media Group (PPMG)
Tel. +1-310-860-7774, Email: Ecuador@ppmg.info

Discover Ecuador: a Nation Poised to Take its Place on the World Stage

A global exporter; a powerful investment opportunity; a world leader in bio-politics and coveted tourism destination among the international jet set: the secret is out; Ecuador IS the country for your next business investment and your next holiday.

Los Angeles, CA -- Ecuador is a country filled with historical and natural wonders, from the ancient to modern. In 2010 Ecuador welcomed over 1,044,000 travelers (a 7.9% increase over 2009) from around the world to step into the Earth’s equatorial gem, to discover the extraordinary beauty and culture in one of the world’s most environmentally diverse destinations. With only 159,300.93 miles2 (256,370 km2), about the same size as the state of Nevada, the country is home to 27 different ethnic groups and four United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) World Heritage Sites: the City of Quito, Galápagos Islands, Sangay National Park and the Historic Centre of Santa Ana de los Ríos de Cuenca; these are properties that form part of the cultural and natural heritage which the World Heritage Committee considers as having outstanding universal value.

With its four distinctive geographic regions; the Amazon, the Andes, La Costa (the “coastlands”) and Galápagos Islands, travelers may visit a spectrum of landscape, people and culture – often within a days drive. From the Amazon, filled with the largest and most species-rich region of tropical rainforest in the world, the Galápagos Islands, a national park and biological marine reserve, to the historical city of Quito, Ecuador offers a unique landscape for visitors to explore. Accommodations for travelers are wide-ranging from bed-and-breakfast homes and five star hotels to luxurious jungle lodges. For the discerning epicurean the culinary journey covers an equally distinct and varied panorama of flavors. Andean potatoes, and lemon marinated shrimp… perhaps with a little Aji – for those who like to spice it up and for dessert, chocolate from the Galapagos; and coffee from the Andes or platter of exotic fruits alongside a llapingacho.

Since its independence from the Spanish colonial empire in 1830, Ecuador has evolved into a progressive, democratic, presidential republic. In 2001 the country adopted the US Dollar as its official currency and in 2008 a new constitution, which includes the world’s first legally enforceable Rights of Nature (aka EcoSystem Rights). Helmed by President Rafael Correa, Ecuador, with the support of his cabinet, has taken its place on the global stage. Following President Correa’s landslide victory in December of 2006 and assumption of office January 2007 as the 57th electoral national leader, Rafael Correa, a leading economic scholar with a Doctorate in Economics and multiple Masters Degrees in Economic and Economic Sciences was eagerly reelected to a second term with 52% of the popular vote. He was sworn into office for the second time August 10, 2009 marking the first time in 30 years the country with its population of 13,782,329 citizens re-elected their President. President Correa’s continued focus is toward political sovereignty, regional integration, and economic relief for the country’s poor.

President Correa’s drive toward a stabilized, democratic economy has reinvigorated foreign investment and opportunities have subsequently opened in the sectors of renewable energy, hydro electricity, petroleum, mining, agriculture, and manufacturing: particularly the supply of equipment and services to the country's increasing number of domestic manufacturers and its expanding, telecommunications and utility industries.

While Ecuador's main export is crude oil, over the past century many other products have taken and continue to dominate the world stage. From 1880 to 1920 Ecuador was the leading exporter of Cacao in the world (Agencia Latinoamericana de Informacion); from 1950 to 1965, it was the leading exporter of bananas, garnering over 25% of the global market (Instituto de Altos Estudios Nacionales), today both of these products are still leading exports alongside other equally “famous” produce and merchandise including tropical fruits such as the mango, pineapple and papaya; specialty foods such as “Destination of Origin” coffee and seafood including tuna and shrimp; and fresh cut flowers (Over 100 different varieties, including Roses, Orchids, Carnations). Merchandise, such as the coveted straw hat, have found their way around the globe donning the heads of many visitors, vacationing families, celebrities and even the heads of state.

Now a new Ecuadorian force is making their voice heard. As part of the popular and solidarity economy under the current Administration, hundreds of independent crafters from single individuals to small and family run businesses have been encouraged, and have successfully formed partnerships and associations to create voices in the export of their one-of-a-kind handmade textiles, jewelry and handicrafts. The result has been resoundingly positive: these unique products being exported at an unprecedented rate.

Dick Vega, the Trade Commissioner for Ecuador in Los Angeles says, "my country is one of the best kept secrets. We have extraordinary facilities and products, coastal and train access for transportation and security. Our offices are here to support anyone looking to import a product or invest."

Eddie Bedon Orbe, the Consul General for Ecuador Los Angeles continues, "Una de las prioridades del Presidente del Ecuador, Rafael Correa, ha sido la de diversificar e impulsar las relaciones comerciales del Ecuador con otros paises. El Ecuador cuenta con un marco legal claro que da garantias al inversionista de que se respetan sus derechos, que el clima de inversiones es favorable y que nuestro pais es una alternativa para colocar sus capitales. Por todas estas razones, les invito a invertir en Ecuador." ("One of the priorities of the President of Ecuador, Rafael Correa, has been to diversify and boost trade relations between Ecuador and other countries. Ecuador has a clear legal framework that gives guarantees to investors that their rights are respected, that the investment climate is favorable and that our country is an alternative to invest their capital. For all these reasons, I invite you to invest in Ecuador.")

For more information on Investment Opportunities in Ecuador, please visit: www.sectoresestrategicos.gob.ec/portal/web/micse/catalogo

Media inquiries only, please contact Popular Press Media Group (PPMG), +1-310-860-7774, Ecuador@ppmg.info

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