From a
Single Bean to 20,000 Bars: Durca Through the Years
Every great business begins with a question of purpose. For Durca, that question was simple yet profound: can Ecuador express its greatness through chocolate in the same way that wine expresses its terroir?
From that idea, a decade-long journey unfolded. Twenty thousand bars may sound like a measure of production, but for Durca, it is a measure of consistency, of a vision that began with a single seed, planted in Ecuadorian soil, and guided by the belief that excellence is not an act of scale but of repetition.
From a family idea to an internationally recognized maison, "La Casa Durca", every step has carried the same intent: to prove that Ecuador’s terroir can stand among the great origins of the world.
Before 2017:
The vision is formed
Durca was born from the shared vision of father and son, David and José Duran. After years working abroad in corporate environments, they returned to Ecuador driven by a single goal: to create value through excellence at origin.
They saw how in Europe, land and craftsmanship are inseparable, how generations working the same soil turn geography into legacy. Ecuador, with five thousand years of cacao heritage, had that same potential, but its story remained underrepresented.
Durca emerged as a way to honor that heritage.
2017:
Laying the groundwork
Before planting a single tree, the Duran family spent months studying Ecuador’s ecosystems.
From Manabí’s coastal humidity to Napo’s Amazonian density, they studied soil composition, rainfall patterns, and post-harvest techniques. Working alongside experienced growers, they focused on fermentation control, natural drying, and the impact of shade on flavor complexity.
Setting the foundation for what would become a terroir-based model of production.
2018:
The first seeds
Durca’s operational phase began in Mache Chindul, with 40 hectares of Cacao Nacional P14 [1] planted among native trees in an agroforestry system designed to preserve the balance of the rainforest.
This first origin was conceived as a living pilot, a place where quality, ecology, and transparency could co-exist. Controlled fermentation, natural drying, and on-site selection allowed flavor to reflect the conditions of the land itself. Durca’s first terroir.
The results defined the technical and ethical benchmarks for everything that followed…
2019–2020:
The years of validation
In 2019, Durca extended its work to Napo, introducing new fine aroma varieties and replacing CCN-51[1] crops with native Nacional genetics. The goal was to preserve Ecuador’s cacao heritage while testing how terroir influences flavor expression.
That same year, the first international gold recognition for Mache Chindul confirmed the quality of our approach. Proving how Ecuador’s terroir meets the world’s highest standards when craft and nature work in balance.
In 2020, amid global uncertainty, Durca achieved its first international exports and formalized its collaboration in the third origin: Quinindé, connecting new producer groups under a shared vision of quality and regeneration. These steps marked the transition from concept to structure, transforming Durca from a single-origin project into an emerging Ecuadorian Maison.
2021–2022:
Structuring a Maison
These years shaped the Maison’s internal architecture: the co-leadership of David and José Durán formalized, building an organization where experience and innovation work side by side. At the same time, Durca began sharing its chocolate beyond Ecuador, presenting its first collections in the United States, France, and Spain. These milestones positioned Durca for the next stage of growth: expanding reach while preserving the integrity of origin.
2023–2024:
Environmental and Cultural Consolidation
Environmental commitments expanded, with over 290 hectares of primary forest in Mache Chindul placed under protection and a long-term goal of 500 hectares by 2028. These actions strengthened Durca’s role as both producer and steward of the ecosystems that make its craft possible.
The Maison also began fostering new cultural dialogues. Through curated tastings, collaborations with chefs, and multidisciplinary encounters, Durca positioned chocolate as a connector between origin, gastronomy, and design. Each experience reflected a belief that cacao is not only an ingredient, but a medium through which Ecuador’s identity can be experienced.
In 2025, Durca stands ready for a new stage of growth. The groundwork built over these years, from environmental protection to international expansion, now serves as the platform for the Maison’s next objectives. The coming years will bring new investments in innovation, sustainability, and global partnerships, extending Durca’s commitment to excellence at origin.
Ahead lies a new horizon shaped by the same purpose that began this journey.
Read next: Durca’s Vision for 2026 and beyond
[1] The Genetic Legacy of Ecuadorian Cacao