The Chocolate Desserts That Bring It All Together
At Rio Nuevo, we’ve always believed that chocolate can be more than just a product. It’s a vessel for stories, traditions, and values. A connection between people, land, and culture. Our collaboration with Chef Camila Marcías embodies this belief. It’s a partnership built not only on a shared passion for chocolate but on a mutual commitment to improving food systems, preserving biodiversity, and honouring the people who make it all possible.

Rio Nuevo and Pastry Chef Camila Marcías

Both Camila and Rio Nuevo believe that chocolate has the power to be a force for good. It’s a product that connects people across continents.
But chocolate also holds potential to challenge broken systems.
Through our direct trade model, we aim to address the inequalities often found in cacao farming, ensuring that farmers are paid fairly and communities are empowered. Camila’s work aligns with this mission, advocating for a shift in how we think about food systems by including indigenous knowledge, respecting biodiversity, and considering the long-term impact of how food is produced.
This shared approach to sustainability and ethical practices is what makes our collaboration with Camila so exciting. It’s not just about creating beautiful desserts. It’s about telling stories that matter and pushing for a better food future.
A Journey Rooted in Purpose
Camila’s path into the world of patisserie is anything but conventional. Originally trained as a lawyer, she later pursued her passion for food, training at Le Cordon Bleu Paris and EPGB Barcelona. But her interest didn’t stop at mastering classic techniques; it evolved into a deeper exploration of food systems and sustainability. This curiosity led her to complete a master’s degree in Food Policy at City, University of London, where her research brought her to a subject close to our hearts: cacao.
In her work, Camila explored the complexities of cacao cultivation in Ecuador, comparing the Arriba Nacional variety, a heritage cacao grown by indigenous communities, with the hybrid CCN-51. Her work focused not just on the quality and flavour profiles of these varieties, but on the cultural, social, and economic systems that underpin their production. It was a study of value chains, of people, and of the land itself. That work brought her to us.
Camila spent time interviewing some of the farmers we work with in the Amazon region of Ecuador. She explored the chakra system, a biodiverse agroforestry practice used by the Kichwa communities to grow the prized Arriba Nacional cacao. The chakra system goes beyond agriculture; it’s a way of life rooted in respecting the land, nurturing biodiversity, and ensuring sustainability for future generations. Camila’s research highlighted how these practices contribute to more resilient food systems and directly challenge the inequalities present in the global chocolate supply chain.
Chocolate as a Catalyst for Change
At Rio Nuevo, we’ve always been committed to supporting independent farmers and championing ethical sourcing practices. But working with someone like Camila, someone who not only understands the culinary side of chocolate but also its wider impact, brings a new dimension to what we do. It’s a meeting of minds, where research and creativity come together to create something meaningful.
When Camila creates desserts using our single-origin couverture chocolate, it’s more than just a recipe. It’s a celebration of the entire journey, from the Amazonian soil to the finished plate. Her desserts embody the stories of the farmers, the forests, and the cultural heritage behind our cacao.
Through this partnership, we’re reminded that meaningful change in the food industry happens when people unite around shared values. Chocolate, with its rich history and global reach, becomes a tool for transformation, connecting cultures, protecting biodiversity, and empowering communities.
Explore Ethical Chocolate

Discover Rio Nuevo’s single-origin, ethically sourced
couverture chocolate