Ancestral chocolate business is recognized internationally

MEXICO CITY (process.com.mx).- What began as an interest in the production of chocolate and the search for support for cocoa producers became a business adventure and recognition for Mexico.

This is the artisanal chocolate brand. Siij (‘gift’ in Mayan) that has broken boundaries by obtaining various international awards, such as the prestigious Paris Gourmet Medal 2023, at the Salon du Chocolat in France.

The cocoa seed has been one of Mexico’s many contributions to the world, and although our country has that credit, in terms of production, countries such as Belgium, Switzerland, France and Austria have stood out worldwide for their large chocolate companies.

However, Mexico has always shown that by having a traditional cuisine so rich in elements – and recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity – the possibilities are endless.

The sample is a venture originally from Tabasco, Siij. Chocolate ancestralfounded by Reyna Flores Hernández, who began official work in 2019 after three years of previous studies in cocoa and its processes.

Five years after its foundation Siij has had international recognition in the production of its bars through the Agency for the Valuation of Agricultural Products, based in France and a non-profit association, which awarded the chocolate maker the 2021 Gold Medal for the “Chocolate” bar. 70% with criollo cocoa, white almond.”

They have also been recognized in the “75% Chocolate with Criollo Caco” bar on the Soconusco Coast, Chiapas, and a Gourmet Diploma for “72% Chocolate with Goat Milk”, the latter for attention to people who are lactose intolerant.

Recently, in 2023, they obtained three awards, including the diploma for “Bitter Chocolate with 90% cocoa” (Chocolat Noirs Category), the Bronze Medal for “Chocolate with 80% cocoa and sugar”, and the Paris Medal. Gourmet for “Dark Chocolate 70% cocoa with horchata”.

Interviewed during the recent Expo Café & Chocolate Fest in the Historic Center of this city, Reyna Flores Hernández explained the origin of Siij:

“Part of the purpose of my venture was to generate a positive impact on the cocoa producers in Comalcalo, Tabasco, where I live and have worked as a dental surgeon, there I have known the drama of the cocoa producers, they are not paid a good price for their production or on time.

“Cocoa producers must wait eight months to obtain the product, they work in the tropical jungle, with clouds of mosquitoes, chaquistes, they walk on leaf litter where there are poisonous animals, they invest a lot and are paid little per kilo of cocoa.

“In Comalcalco there are chocolate makers, but not with the vision of new proposals in fine chocolate, that is where I sought to develop, always with the idea of ​​supporting producers with fair payments, and that is what we have done.”

In addition to the artisanal production, the design of each chocolate is particular. In the case of the bar that won the Paris Gourmet Medal 2023, “Bitter Chocolate 70% cocoa with horchata”, Flores says that he decided to have it have a special wrapper.

On its cover you can see the “Woman of Comalcalco” from Tabasco, a woman of the classic Mayan, made by the engraving artist and agronomist Sandra Díaz, as explained in a print carefully attached inside the envelope:

“The female figure symbolizes the treasure of the gastronomy and ancestral flavors of Comalcalco, Tabasco. Each of the elements present in this work converge so that through the sieve of our senses we savor the delights of the ancestral treasures that are perceived in this exquisite bite of chocolate.

“Figure representing a woman who has been suggested to be the local female prototype. Since her pose, clothing and headdress are the most common on the site… “.

Flores explained that he will seek to continue innovating through Siij:

“Con Siij We want to continue embracing the culture of chocolate, Tabasco is the cradle of caco, the homeland of cocoa and chocolate, and that has not been assimilated, it is Mexico’s best gift to the world, we want to elevate cocoa producers.”

And he finished:

“Mexico has been content with being a cocoa exporter and allowing cocoa to develop in Europe and North America, it has not been given the value, with the emergence of artisanal chocolate, I think this is changing, it is slow but there come on.

“And just like ‘Siij’, fortunately there are many other artisanal enterprises, so we must make the consumer aware of the value of chocolate as a good food always when it has high amounts of cocoa, because we have accepted that it goes to other countries and they return it to us.” degraded with elements toxic to the body, the invitation is for the public to seek to consume good chocolate, Mexican chocolate.”

“Siij It is available physically at the Cencalli Casa del Maíz of the Los Pinos Cultural Center in this city, and at the Access to the Archaeological Zone of Comalcalco #85, in Tabasco (original store), as well as on platforms such as Amazon, or well through their social networks on Facebook (/SiijChocolate) e Instagram (@SiijChocolate).

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