A week of collaboration and exchange between South American cocoa origins

ECOM managers from Peru and Ecuador recently came together in Mexico for a week focused on strengthening collaboration, sharing knowledge, and continuing to support the development of ECOM’s coffee and cocoa operations across the region.

The agenda brought together teams from operations, commercial, finance, quality, and sustainability, creating space for important conversations around the present and future of our value chains.

As part of the visit, the teams travelled to ECOM Mexico’s cocoa plant in Dos Ríos, Veracruz, where cocoa beans from Ecuador and Peru are received. Visiting this stage of the value chain offered a valuable opportunity to better understand what happens after the beans are exported from origin countries, and to see first-hand the processes involved in transforming cocoa into a range of derivative products.

The visit to the coffee facilities in Dos Ríos also gave the teams the opportunity to see ECOM Mexico in action. This experience broadened the teams’ understanding of the expertise, strategy, and relationships built by ECOM Mexico as one of the key players in the country’s coffee purchasing market for over two decades.

One of the most memorable moments of the week was spending time with Francisco Faus, Regional Origin Director, who shared a reflection that captured the spirit of collaboration behind OneECOM:

“The knowledge and experience accumulated across ECOM’s different origins is one of the most valuable assets of the business. When it is shared, we are not only better able to serve our customers, but also to innovate and build stronger relationships with producers.”

The week also included technical learning and knowledge-sharing sessions. A sensory analysis session on cocoa derivatives explored products such as cocoa paste, butter, liquor, and cake.

The coffee cupping session, meanwhile, offered a new experience for the Ecuador team, while for Peru, with its strong coffee tradition, it became a valuable exchange between peers. The session focused on identifying flavour notes and cup profiles, accompanied by lively conversations and reflections on coffee preferences across Latin America. These exchanges highlighted the importance of bringing together knowledge from different countries, teams, and value chains, and reflected what it means to work as OneECOM.

In addition, the week included a disruptive leadership workshop, where regional teams took part in interactive discussions and activities designed to further develop their leadership skills and tools. These moments are just as important as operational meetings: they create space to pause, reflect, and realign around the purpose behind the work.

The week concluded with a visit to Teotihuacán, recognising that ECOM’s working culture is also built beyond meeting rooms. Teams that take the time to understand history together are also better placed to build the future together.

This type of exchange continues to strengthen regional integration and promote a more collaborative and innovative vision for ECOM’s operations in Latin America. A special thank you to the ECOM Mexico team for their hospitality and for opening the doors to their operations.