Artisanne Anneboulley's Contact Details

Artisanne Anneboulley's Company Details

Conexión Chocolate

New York, NY, US • 20 - 49 Employees
Food Processing

COMPANYAt Conexión, we produce chocolate exclusively with "fine or flavour" Arriba Naciónal cacao beans from Ecuador. Fine or flavour cocoa accounts for only 5% of the world's production of chocolate, but it is all we use. Arriba is prized worldwide for its complexity, intensity, and balance. There has been a concerted effort in the chocolate industry in recent years to cut corners and increase yields in cacao production using GMO cacao. We are steadfast in our opposition to this movement! We will only use heirloom Arriba cacao and we work directly with Ecuador's farmers to help restore and preserve this national (indeed terrestrial!) treasure.Our chocolate begins and ends with Ecuador. We work with individual farmers in specific regions in selecting the best cacao beans in order to capture the purity, aroma, and taste of each area.FOUNDERJenny Samaniego founded Conexion Chocolate after nearly 10 years in the industry believing it was possible to produce an exquisite, high-end chocolate in the country of origin. What better place to do this than her home country of Ecuador, birthplace of the famed Arriba Nacional heirloom cacao beans. Jenny is one of the only women in the heavily male dominated world of bean-to-bar chocolate company founders, making Virgin (minimally processed) and couverture chocolate.Jenny first moved to the United States in 2005 for a cultural exchange program in West Palm Beach, Florida for a few years. Shortly after moving to NYC, she starting working in the world of chocolate in 2008, for well-known chocolate companies. Since then she has worked in many areas of the chocolate industry – production, sales, and founding the sourcing company Cocoa Provisions to name a few – and she has learned the needs of everyone along the way.In 2013, Jenny started making Ecuadorian Couverture under the company name Chukulat. Three years later, Jenny returned home to expand her offerings and take an even larger hands-on role in production at origin. That is when she decided to re-brand as "Conexion" – to help make the connection between local cacao farmers and consumers of fine Ecuadorian chocolate throughout the world. Through this connection, we empower small family farms. By keeping our chocolate production in the country of origin, we add value to the local economy. Not long after launching Conexion Chocolate, it won four awards from the Academy of Chocolate and the International Chocolate Awards in 2017.OUR FARMERSWe partner directly with cocoa farmers to strengthen their valuable contributions to sustainable agriculture, and to guarantee the cacao beans' source to our customers, while using Organic and Fair Trade Certified cacao beans.Organic practices. Paying farmers fair prices. Land conservation and rehabilitation. Preserving Arriba Nacional heirloom cacao. Promoting biodiversity. Empowering women. Involving youth. Strengthening communities. Offering education & technical training. Supporting over 2,000 small family farms! Direct Trade & Traceability. Connecting growers with consumers through Origin Tours.