Power shortages in Ecuador are melting away the future of a small town’s ice-cream industry
Ice-cream production in this quiet Ecuadorian town began in the mid-20th century in a convent for Franciscan nuns
SALCEDO, Ecuador — Ice-cream production in Salcedo, a quaint town in Ecuador's central highlands, began in the mid-20th century, born from the ingenuity of Franciscan nuns.
Locals say the sisters would drink fruit shakes made with milk from the region’s dairy farms until one of them began collecting the leftovers, turning them into creamy popsicles that became an overnight sensation.
The nuns sold the popsicles in town to gather funds for the poor. But the people of Salcedo saw a business opportunity and began experimenting with new flavors and techniques, establishing a thriving popsicle industry that has made their small town famous among ice-cream lovers.
However, a recent wave of power outages, triggered by a prolonged dry spell, is threatening the future of Salcedo’s ice-cream industry and melting away its dreams of a more prosperous future.
The daily power outages that began earlier this year and intensified in September can last up to 14 hours. They have come about due to drier than usual weather in Ecuador, which relies heavily on hydroelectric plants. During most months of the year, hydroelectric plants produce between 70% to 90% Ecuador’s electricity. The nation of 17 million people invested heavily in dams over the past two decades, but it is now struggling to come up with alternatives.
“We are living through the worst third-world conditions," said Gabriel Pumasunta, owner of the Polar Bear ice-cream factory. “We're plunged into darkness.”
Pumasunta, who runs the small company with his two brothers, said that if the power outages continue this month, they will have no choice but to shut down the
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