Functional nutrition
for a better world
Rooted in regeneration
for youfor farmers
for the planet
At Mikuna, we know that regenerative agriculture has the incredible potential to improve life as we know it: for the soil where the food grows, for the communities who grow it, and for the people who eat it.
We also know that every person has the power to make positive change, and it might be easier than you think. We simply have to choose to do it.
Our own journey started with one man looking for a clean source of plant protein that was better for the people and better for the planet.
Meet Ricky,
our founder
Mikuna was founded by Ricky Echanique, a fifth generation farmer from Ecuador, and a mean tennis player. (“mean” like…good at tennis…he’s super nice.) After struggling with health and digestive issues throughout his twenties, he began to look into better forms of nutritional healing, and as luck would have it, the answer was right there at his home, in the form of an ancient protein known as Chocho.
This powerful lupin has been harvested for thousands of years by Andean farmers, but it isn’t very well-known because it’s grown so remotely. With his deep roots in the agricultural community in Ecuador, Ricky felt confident that he could share Chocho with the world. As he met with local farmers, he was moved by their kindness and hospitality. Supporting and working alongside Chocho farmers quickly became a key part of his mission.
Hello, Chocho
Chocho grows at an elevation of 11,000 to 14,000 feet, and it’s a highly functional protein that’s packed with good stuff. Protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, all nine essential amino acids, and as much calcium per serving as a glass of milk. When it comes to plant protein, there’s really nothing like it.
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Most importantly, Chocho is a regenerative crop. We hear the word “sustainable” a lot, but we think that what the world needs is to get better—not stay the same. Chocho is drought-tolerant and solely rain-watered. It fixes nitrogen deep into the soil as it grows, improving soil vitality and water retention capacity, and even improving production yields of crops that are grown directly after it.
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Better for
people and better for the planet
The cultivation of this humble lupin goes beyond sustainability and creates a cycle of regeneration, nourishing the people who eat it, the andean communities that grow it, the soil, and the planet. Because as the ancient Andeans have always known, everything truly is connected.
Let’s do food better. Together.
