Mikuna: The Rise of a Pioneering Protein Powder

Chocho is the new name that will soon be on everyone’s lips – and in their morning smoothie. Chocho is the mysterious word behind the company Mikuna, and a product whose properties and benefits will amaze you.  

In 2017, Founder and CEO of Mikuna (which means “to nourish your body through food” in Kichwa Andes dialect) Ricky Echanique created an innovative protein powder made only with chocho, a legume endemic to Ecuador. 

Echanique explains how chocho’s naturally occurring characteristics make this protein powder different from all others on the market. “It is a keto, paleo, vegan, soy-free, gluten-free, and lectin-free product. Plus, it is easier to digest, very subtle on the stomach and very energizing because it contains multiple vitamins and minerals, all the nine essentials amino acids, and provides 20 grams of protein per serving.”   

The three distinct products and flavors – Pure Chocho, Vanilla, and Cocoa – will provide enough choices for one’s individual taste buds, but … “Stay tuned,” says Echanique. “We are in the process of bringing more innovative flavors to the customers.” None of Mikuna’s formulas contain more than five natural and organic ingredients and they are 90% pure chocho, keeping the product simple and healthier. “A lot of consideration and integrity goes into sourcing the right ingredients for our chocho powder,” says Echanique. 

The other advantage to Mikuna’s chocho-based protein powder is that the taste is so mild and neutral that it’s perfect to use in many different varieties of recipes. From blueberry smoothies and pancakes to falafels, soups and more, you can use this protein powder to get your superfood protein and vitamins at any time. 

Not only does this product contain the right nutritional values, it’s also an incredibly beneficial plant for the land and for the people. Known as “the White Pearl,” this plant grows in the high altitudes of the Andes and is a regenerative crop – meaning it provides nourishment for healthier soil while enriching the agricultural ecosystem’s diversity by supporting other surrounding plants and crops. 

Chocho is a drought resistant, low chemical input plant that’s not in need of high maintenance, thus helping the indigenous farmers sustain themselves and cultivate this extraordinary plant far more than quinoa, potatoes, and other vegetables. “At the end of the day you have a crop that is good for the farmers, good for the people and … good for the planet,” Echanique comments. 

As a former junior professional tennis player in Ecuador, and after contracting an autoimmune disease, Echanique realized he was intolerant of some protein powders on the market and that something had to change. His goal was achieved when he introduced Mikuna to the world. “We are the first to bring chocho in the United States, and we are the first global supply chain of chocho in the world.” The product can be found nationwide in Whole Foods stores and Erewhon Markets. But Echanique did not forget that everything started here in Santa Barbara. “This town is a very important community to me because it’s where I decided to call home in 2009. Our company started here, in coffee shops, coworking spaces, at my house, and my garage.” 

Wanting to build a relationship with the people in town, Echanique made sure that customers could find Mikuna in local stores as well, such as Lazy Acres, Pacific Health Foods in Carpinteria, and in the restaurant Backyard Bowls (where he is a long-term customer). The next step for Echanique’s business is to expand into smoothie and juice bars and eventually into places like Sprouts. As more opportunities arise in stores, so does the potential to provide worldwide alternative choices to the current protein powders on the market. “It is our challenge, as well as our mission to bring chocho to the world.” 

Being an athlete himself, Echanique is proud to have on his team three time world surfing champion Mick Fanning, and six-time X Games skateboard gold medalist Leticia Bufoni to represent his product. “Having them on the Mikuna team is a dream come true. I am very grateful, and it only validates the product, the idea and concept of chocho, and how powerful it is.”