This is not the story of a product. This is the story of a family following a legacy passed down through generations.
Read our storyThe foundation
Before MotMot was a brand, it was a dream to change Ecuador from the ground up. In the early 90s, José Valdivieso Sr. founded Conservación y Desarrollo (CCD) with a simple, stubborn principle:
You cannot protect the environment without improving the lives of the people who live in it.
For three decades, José Sr. worked alongside the world’s largest international organizations, but his most ambitious feat came in 2016. He led a monumental project to map 60,000 cacao producers across Ecuador—identifying their genotypes, their needs, and their struggles. By distributing millions of plants, he didn’t just grow trees; he anchored Ecuador as a global cacao powerhouse.
From bean to craft
But a question remained: Why was the world’s best cacao leaving the country as a raw bean while the families who grew it struggled to survive?
José Sr. decided the bean needed a life beyond the bag. He became a student again—a scientist of chocolate. He didn’t just buy equipment; he built his own machines and trained a dedicated team in the craft.
In 2018, MotMot was born under the brand Aroma Ecuador. The mission was clear: show the farmers, the families, and the world exactly what is possible when technology meets the best cacao on earth.
The next generation
As the family grew, so did the mission. José Valdivieso Sr. taught his sons that leadership is earned through experience, mistakes, discipline, and hard work. José Jr. and Emilio carried those lessons into different but complementary fields, preparing them to assume responsibility for the family legacy together.
After graduating from the University of Calgary, José Valdivieso Jr. returned to his roots and, in 2022, became CEO of MotMot. He confronted a difficult reality: many Ecuadorians did not fully value the exceptional products of their own country.
Today, he leads MotMot’s commercial vision, operations, product development, and relationships, showing the world what Ecuadorian cacao and coffee can offer.
In 2024, Emilio Valdivieso, the youngest son, joined MotMot’s executive leadership as CFO and CTO. He brought the financial discipline and technological foundation needed to strengthen and scale the company.
Today, he leads MotMot’s financial strategy, ERP development, automation, and applied AI implementation, keeping the company at the forefront of technology as it expands into international markets.
Today, José Jr. and Emilio lead MotMot side by side. José Jr. connects the product, the people, and the market; Emilio builds the financial and technological engine that allows the vision to grow sustainably. Guided by José Sr.’s experience, knowledge, and commitment to the craft, the three Valdiviesos unite tradition, entrepreneurship, financial strategy, and innovation to carry MotMot’s legacy into its next generation.
Today, from our home in Quito, the MotMot story is written daily. We are no longer a small experiment; we are a family-owned bridge between the Ecuadorian soil and the global stage.
This is not the story of a product. This is the story of a family following a legacy passed down through generations. We are here to improve our country, support our people, and prove that the best chocolate in the world doesn’t just come from Ecuador—it is crafted here and represents the hearts and dreams of 18 million people.