PesCAo CAo CaO was born as a sweet revolution, but a deeply transformative one. It is much more than a chocolate brand: it is a network of skilled hands, of women who were excluded because of their age, history, or geography, and who now lead a company that combines excellence, triple impact, and beauty.
It emerged from a personal experience marked by resilience, but we don’t dwell on the wound: we play, build, and hold hands to help another woman move forward. That’s how PesCAo CAo CaO operates: cooperating, celebrating, and leaving the sweetest mark in the world—the mark of chocolate.
From the Start: Fine Ecuadorian Cacao and Opportunities
Since our beginnings, we have worked with fine aroma Ecuadorian cacao, offering free training to women in Quito, Guayaquil, Mompiche, and Puerto Quito. Today, our bars, smoothies, craft beers, and the Rosita Brown cosmetics line are the result of technical processes, sanitary certifications, sustainability, and a vital purpose: transforming cacao into opportunities.
Weaving Social Impact and Environmental Regeneration
Our social impact is woven into every story we touch: older women who were excluded from the labor system now create cosmetics from self-love; rural women who didn’t know the value of cacao now export their knowledge. Women with resilient stories, like Edith, Noemí, and María Cornelia, exemplify what happens when a brand believes in second chances.
On the environmental side, we measure our carbon footprint with technical support from ProEcuador, design biodegradable packaging (some made from cacao husks), and promote regenerative practices from seed to final packaging.
With our molinetas (bicycles adapted to grind cacao), we discovered that movement also transforms our story. We’ve also shown that it’s possible to reduce electricity consumption through creativity and play.
Learnings and Partnerships That Drive Growth
Joining IMPAQTO felt like coming home. From the first meeting, we felt that someone finally spoke our language: the language of real impact, of entrepreneurship that seeks not only to sell but to change the world.
Their training programs allowed us to deepen our EcoCanvas model, identify key improvements, and redirect our goals toward a scalable, export-ready vision. We learned that leadership is not just about inspiring but also about structuring. That measuring is an act of love, and that sustainability can—and must—be planned.
At the same time, thanks to Proyecto ALMA, we received seed capital, enabling us to urgently switch to more eco-friendly packaging for the first time. That support marked a turning point, helping us become finalists in France with our cacao, maca, and hydrolyzed collagen smoothie. From this experience, ProEcuador chose us to measure our carbon footprint and provide technical assistance to scale sustainably.
These processes didn’t just give us visibility—they taught us to sustain our dream with numbers, plans, and partners.
Community, Voice, and Shared Purpose
At IMPAQTO, we feel supported. In a world where we were often told to stay silent, here we learned to speak with strategy, purpose, and love. Being part of this community means being part of a new emotional continent, where ideas are embraced, action is valued, and alignment between who we are and what we do is promoted.
Today, we know we are not alone. We are a network. A mesh woven with purpose, holding those who are falling and celebrating those who are flying.
And in every piece of chocolate we produce, there is a piece of this community. Because every transformation we experience inside is reflected outside.
Author: Carolina Cantor
Founder
PesCAo CAo CaO
