Founded in 2005 with the aim of improving the living conditions of small-scale cocoa producers, Ecuador’s Fortaleza Cooperative made it their first priority to gain technical training in production and post-harvest management. Now that the farmers have established diversified and productive plantations that include cacao, banana, coconut and timber, they are working to catalyze their business. The co-op fosters international collaboration to consistently improve product quality while increasing yields and attracting new partnerships.