Rooted in generation, 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 nourish from it.
We also know that every person has the power to make positive change. Our own journey started with one man looking for the cleanest source of plant protein. From the people, for the people, for the planet.
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.
Mikuna was founded by fifth generation Ecuadorian farmer and former professional athlete, Ricky Echanique. At the onset of his athletic career, Ricky faced health and digestion issues, which set him on a new path: to find a better form of plant-based nutrition. This journey led him back home to Ecuador where he found Chocho, the “Andean super protein”. Ricky’s family heritage and our personal relationships allow us to cut out the middleman and empower our farmers with education, fair trade, and programs to help take their income from cents to dollars—because to us, the local impact is as important as the global one.
