Elevate Your Brand Podcast: Business that Gives Back w/ Ricky Echanique

Elevate Your Brand Podcast: Why Chocho & Purpose-Driven Business Go Hand in Hand

When the host of Elevate Your Brand invited Mikuna’s founder Ricky Echanique onto their show, it wasn’t just another pitch. It was an honest conversation — about identity, ancestral agriculture, clean nutrition, and the responsibility of building a brand that gives back.

For us, this isn’t marketing fluff. It’s the essence of why we started Mikuna. And we believe it’s a story worth sharing — especially now.

🌾 From Andes to America — The Origins of Chocho & Mikuna

Ricky isn’t just a founder — he’s a 5th-generation Ecuadorian farmer whose roots go deep in the Andean highlands. Before Mikuna, he lived in Santa Barbara and struggled with digestion and health issues that many modern diets exacerbate. That struggle sent him on a journey back home — to the same land his family has farmed for generations — where he rediscovered Chocho — the “Andean super-protein.” MIKUNA

Chocho isn’t new. It’s been harvested by Andean farmers for centuries. But because it grows so remotely, it’s remained relatively unknown in global food markets. Ricky saw an opportunity: to honor tradition while building something modern — a plant-based protein grounded in soil, culture, and integrity. MIKUNA

Meeting Andean farmers during that journey changed everything. Their kindness, work ethic, and connection to land moved him. Supporting them — fairly, ethically, and sustainably — became central to Mikuna’s mission, from day one. MIKUNA

🧭 Why This Podcast Interview Matters — For People Who Care About Food & Impact

Being featured on a respected marketing podcast isn’t just about exposure. It’s about transparency. It’s about sharing the story behind the scoop.

On Elevate Your Brand, Ricky opens up about:

• The values that guide Mikuna: ancestral agriculture, regenerative sourcing, community, and respect for the land.

• The challenges of introducing a lesser-known crop (Chocho) into modern markets — from supply chains to consumer education.

• The vision of a food brand that’s not only about sales, but about legacy — for farmers, soil, and future generations.

For anyone curious about where their food comes from, or why plant-based protein should be more than a trend — this conversation offers clarity.

🌿 What Chocho Represents — Clean Nutrition, Soil Integrity, and Cultural Legacy

Mikuna and Chocho stand for more than macros. Here’s what the brand embraces:

• Regenerative & Ancestral Sourcing: Chocho is grown by Andean farmers using farming methods that respect the soil and biodiversity. It’s not about quick yields — it’s about long-term land stewardship.

• Minimal Processing, Maximum Integrity: Chocho is not an isolate or concentrate — it’s minimally processed to preserve nutrients, fiber, and the soul of the seed.

• Food That Connects People — Across Cultures and Continents: Every scoop carries the story of the Andes, ancestral farming, immigrant roots, and modern aspirations. This isn’t just nutrition — it’s heritage.

🌟 What This Means for You — If You Care About Nutrition AND Impact

When you choose Mikuna, you’re doing more than fueling your body. You’re casting a vote for:

• Ethical sourcing and fair treatment of farming communities

• Regenerative food systems that honor soil and tradition

• Transparency and integrity in what you consume

• Wellness choices that go beyond trends — rooted in real food, real people, real impact

Chocho isn’t just a clean protein — it’s a bridge between past and future, soil and table, community and consumer.

🔗 Related Mikuna Content Worth Exploring

• → /blogs/journal/mikuna-cleanest-protein — for a deep dive into how we source and process Chocho

• → /blogs/journal/what-does-chocho-taste-like — to understand Chocho’s flavor, texture, and how it fits into your kitchen

• → /blogs/journal/regenerative-protein-how-chocho-regenerates-soil-supports-farmers-and-protects-the-andes-ecosystem — for the full regenerative agriculture story

• → /blogs/recipes — to see how Chocho works in everyday meals beyond just shakes