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- W. Andres Tapia-Tamayo
Meet Our Founder
Andres Tapia founded TACAO after over ten years of experience growing cacao and trading it locally. Andres holds a bachelor’s degree in agroindustrial engineering from Universidad Tecnica Estatal de Quevedo. After earning his degree, Andres interned at Salinerito Chocolates and the experience deeply encouraged him to pursue a career as a chocolatier in his hometown– Quevedo, Ecuador.
Andres’ academic background and professional experiences are focused on food quality control. In 2012, he worked at another agroindustrial company as a processing engineer where Andres supported the company’s compliance with local regulatory health and food processing requirements. Later in 2013, Andres took over the leadership of the family’s finca (farm), La Patricia. Under his administration, the finca switched its main crop product from plantains to cacao. Since then, Andres has been experimenting with different fermentation processes to improve the quality of his cacao products.
Andres relentlessly aims to achieve high quality products while practicing sustainable methods that encourage family farming and the cultivation of organic products. His vision is to share his unique products with the world. He has participated in multiple chocolate fairs both locally in Ecuador and internationally since 2017.
Food Manufacturing Certifications:
- Preventive Controls for Human Food (PCIQ)
- Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP)
Clientes
