In July of 2010, Jeroen Kruft of Amigos International, visited the foundation ECOMINGA, which carries out the preservation activities of pristine woodland, 350 hectares of which are financed by Brandstand, the producers of Organic Meltdown chocolate, distributed by Amigos in Benelux and Fennoscandia. Park rangers were gathered to discuss the various challenges native trees and species face in a country where its rapidly increasing population is making more and more demands on the natural resources of Ecuador. The corridor between two national parks, Llanganates and Sangay, is envisioned by Ecominga to become an ‘ecological-corridor’, where communities in the villages desist from cattle ranching and other destructive activities and instead organize eco-tourism, in order to maintain the rich biodiversity in the area.

(Pablo Reyes gives the rangers first aid medicine kits for their work in the forests.)

In Ecuador, examples of an involved local population working toward nature preservation do exist, such as in nearby Baños, which lives from (eco)-tourism, but in most communities a lot of awareness-raising is still required. The Ecominga and Jocotoco foundations therefore visit schools to show children the value of forests and the nearly extinct tapir living in it.

(The tapir, endemic Ecuadorian mamal, in danger of extinction. Local school children receive classes on wild-life and preservation efforts.)

Economic development toward eco-tourism is also needed, such as professional guides and proper accommodations for tourists. Discussions in villages such as Rio Verde are currently under way, and inhabitants are increasingly motivated to plan for an environment-friendly oriented economy. This according to Lou Jost, an American national, who is the founder of Ecominga, as well as a published authority on the mathematics of biodiversity.

(Lou Jost and Pablo Reyes, founders of Ecominga and Jocotoco foundations, partners of World Wildlife Trust and Organic Meltdown.)

The park rangers enjoyed a presentation by Jeroen Kruft about how the Organic Meltdown system of ‘Eat Chocolate, Save Trees’ works: how consumers can see where their tree saved is located by inserting the code on the bar’s wrapper, how to become part of the top-tree-savers and how they become informed about the problems the rangers face daily. They were happy to see that this established a veritable connection between consumers and preservation efforts. They were less happy to hear that Jeroen had failed to bring – meltdown-prone- chocolate to their office but accepted his promise to do so next time!

More info: Ecominga/Brandstand Project, Organic Meltdown

Amigos International is proud to announce that Ananda chocolate is nominated for the 2010 Trends and innovation awards of the SIAL. Ananda Chocolates’ design, ‘unique features’ and high quality convinced the Jury. The Sial is one of the leading food and beverage trade fairs in Europe, organised every two years in Paris. This year from 17th  till the 21st of October, where you can find Ananda Chocolate in Hall8 – booth F061.

CSR coffee formula by Amigos International

Amigos International has teamed up with Aube Vending to bring Escoffee into your office/ school or even at your ‘morning bus stop!’ Our organic and -on or after the end of 2010- fair trade coffee from Ecuador is as of now available in your own flashy / funky / classical or tailor made designed vending machine!
Imagine having Escoffee as your organic specialty coffee at work. High quality Café lungo’s to get you through the morning, an Espresso after lunch and Cappuccino during the afternoon! With a push on a button you, your colleagues and clients will enjoy a delicious cup of warm fresh ground coffee, whenever you fancy.

Two Jofemar coffee vending machines have been selected by Amigos International. Both coffee machines have a grinding mechanism inside, offering you fresh ground coffee… cup after cup.  No more fresh brew or instant coffee for you!

Depending on your needs you can choose for the Jofemar Coffeemar G250 or her big brother the Jofemar Coffeemar G500. Both machines can carry your company logo for your clients to understand that you choose for the sustainable alternative!

Both machines can be purchased or leased (only Belgium) via Amigos international. To give you an idea of specifications/ prices, the following table is valid for 2010:

Purchase or Lease:

After the leasing period the machine is yours!

Optional services:

*Check your water hardness at:  TMWV

Based on your personnel’s or company wishes the Jofemar coffee vending machines can make people enjoy our fresh ground coffee for:

• Free.
• Payment via cash or coins (jetton).
• Payment via card/ batch slot.

Interested? Contact us at vending@amigos-international.org

Delicias en Tienda-Comedor De Smidse!
Con la primavera en curso y el acercamiento del verano, uno de los secretos mejor guardados de Holanda es una visita a la hacienda Heerlijkheid (Gloria), de Hemmen, justo debajo del río Rin, debajo Wageningen. Allí no encontrará sólo ruinas medievales, encantadora calles del pueblo antiguo y una de las iglesias más distintivos del país, sino también ‘De Smidse’ (La Forja). De Smidse, dirigido por la familia Jansen-Jonkers, es una tienda de alimentos naturales maravillosos en una antigua fragua. Todavía se puede ver la chimenea, donde ardía el fuego durante el tiempo que seguía siendo una fragua. Al lado de la tienda hay un granero, donde una vez los caballos se calzaron.En la tienda se puede comprar productos ecológicos producidos en la región, como el Pan Paisano de Hemmen. En la terraza exterior y en el ático Sueco, uno puede sentarse por un momento de descanso, con un cappuccino Escoffee, un pedazo de pastel de manzana o una barrita de Ananda Chocolate! En la foto: Wessel Jansen atrás del mostrador y Amiga Loes Mertens en la terasa, primavera 2010.

Heerlijkheid bij Eetwinkel De Smidse! Met de lente behoorlijk in gang en de zomer in aantocht is één van de Betuwe’s ‘best kept secrets’ een bezoek aan het landgoed Heerlijkheid Hemmen, net onder de Rijn bij Wageningen. Daar vind je niet alleen middeleeuwse ruïnes, schattige oude dorpstraatjes en een van ’s lands meest karakteristieke kerkjes, maar ook de ‘De Smidse – Eetwinkel van de Heerlijkheid’. De Smidse, die door de vriendelijke familie Jansen-Jonkers wordt gerund, is een prachtige natuurvoedingswinkel in een oude smederij. Je kunt de schoorsteen waaronder het smidse vuur brandde nog zien zitten in de winkel. Tevens staat naast de winkel een monumentale hoefstal, waar vroeger de paarden beslagen werden. In de winkel worden zoveel mogelijk regionaal geproduceerde, biologische producten verkocht, zoals het ‘Hemmens Landbrood’. Op het Terras en de Zweedse Zolder kan men plaatsnemen voor een moment van rust, met een Escoffee capuccino, stuk appeltaart of een reepjeAnanda Chocolate! Op de foto’s: Wessel Jansen achter de toonbank, en Amiga Loes Mertens op het terras, voorjaar 2010.

The Amigos will be presenting Ecuadorian delicacies for HoReCa at Stockholm’s fine food fair Gastronord. Be sure to meet Amigos’ Tuomo Saari, who will serve some delicious Ananda Chocolate and Escoffee covered with Eschocolat and demonstrate how Ananda’s packaging decomposes when mixed with soil! Did you know Amigos also has 1 kg tablets of cooking chocolate? 100% and 80% cacao content and even spiked with coffee bits and mint (70% Mentally Mint). All made with premium organic Ecuadorian Arriba cacao. HoReCa may also be interested in our 2kg bags of coffee beans, 100% washed Arabica from the Highlands of Ecuador, roasted to perfection (Dark Roast) by Escoffee’s beloved Probat machine in Guayaquil.

The booth of Amigos International radiated a special party atmosphere during Germany’s organic tradefair Biofach 2010, which ran from 17 to February 20. After all, after two years of hard labour, Ananda Chocolate was now finally born and presented to the international public. To groovy music, three beautiful “Ananda’s” – dressed in fair-trade-organic cotton – served the World’s first chocolate in compostable packaging, and it was a coming and going of many organizations. Wholesalers from Europe, America and Japan, but also local shops such as Buys & Ko from Wageningen, Velp and Simply Delicious from Velp and the Estafettes came along, all with strong interest in Amigos’ Ecuadorian specialty chocolate – and coffee as well! Also, tree-saving chocolate Organic Meltdown’s Matt was present in the Amigos booth. Furthermore, the Amigos spoke with many potential partners from Senegal, India, Congo, Mexico and Bolivia about the development of new projects to boost food processing SMEs in Southern countries. John Otters, intern at Amigos International, spoke with producers and certification bodies about the 100% PICO concept.