The iconic peasant with a red poncho and hat, sitting in front of the main facade of the Salinas town, Bolívar province, hides behind him an emblematic experience of peasant work and organization that deserves to be shared and spread.

The original brand represented, at the beginning, several lines of quality artisanal peasant products, and nowadays is the flag of a whole process of rural development in Ecuador.

How does our story begin?

Let's start with a brief look at its protagonists and their first steps. What we are today is the result of all our efforts, successes and mistakes that have been made in the course of these five decades.

Its protagonists: local women and men and those from distant lands, who generated positive synergies between the urgent need to get out of oppression, hunger, unhealthy and oblivion, with the energy, knowledge and desire to change the world. These ingredients were enough in 1970 to begin to trace a path that would change the reality of the families of a town, its communities and of those who joined it.

Its first steps: The creation of a Savings and Credit Cooperative, for the production and commercialization of artisan cheeses, spinning mill and garments hand-woven by women from the community, were the gears that made the community organization work with the support of international cooperation. 

Progressively, several other initiatives have been added to this adventure that made Salinerito a Community Peasant Brand icon of Ecuador, which represents dozens of quality products and a unique organizational process, where surpluses are reinvested in the same process and, there is no centralization of production but rather community-owned production plants in each community…

What makes us different?

One of our keys that makes us different is that we have given added value to local raw materials, as well as the transformation of the product in each community, the commercialization under the same Brand, the payment to producers and suppliers through the local Savings and Credit Cooperative and the points of sale that we own in the big cities. All of this has allowed us to build a solid productive economic solidarity and circuit fair trade.

Today, this unique way of working together with the warmth of its people, the diversity of its handcrafted products, the captivating landscape of the town and its surroundings, link approximately 3,200 families between producers of raw materials, processors, administrators, transporters, marketers, tourist services, technicians and trainers.

The future in our hands!!

For its protagonists, the path traveled has been and continues to be a mixture of joys, triumphs, learnings and sometimes frustrations. This is how intense is the challenge of its present and future, and the new generations must not only maintain but improve the organizational system with vision, and a deep sense of solidarity and humanity, as it has changed the lives of thousands of people.

The new protagonists have an important responsibility in their hands, in this reality that is rapidly transforming and evolving.

I welcome you to our blog, where we will share various topics related to Salinerito, to learn more about their way of working, its people and organization, its delicious products and easy-to-prepare recipes, and wonderful places to visit, so that you can consider to make community tourism as your best option.

Making quality products is our pride! That is why we encourage you to try artisan cheese or a Salinerito chocolate, true delights to the palate and feelings. Its exquisite flavor and the peasant hands that have made them are the main ingredients to enjoy "The simplicity of the field."