“I hope this home and farm is in our family for many years and that these trees will always be dear to her (Olivia). And when she eats a chocolate I want her to remember her Nunu…who will still be loving her from wherever I am! And of course I mean that for all of you.” – Marty “Nunu” Mazzanti
The founder of Ocean Grace Farms, Marty Mazzanti, was raised on his Dad’s farm in San Jose, California. His family home was in the middle of the farm and he could walk for hours through tomatoes, cucumbers and sweet anise. The rich productive soils and the growing fruiting greenery surrounded him. Close friends, the neighborhood supermarket, the barber shop, the school and the corner store were a bike ride away. Weekly large family gatherings with animated conversations in both English and Italian happened while passing the pasta, green salad and grilled meat. This was the 1950’s and 1960’s. Being close to the budding earth gifts us with simplicity; in both visible and invisible ways.
Marty spent his career, quite literally his life, working on the farm and with farmers. He launched The Produce Exchange in 1979, a business that continues today without him. Marty was involved with growing, buying, selling, distributing and marketing fresh produce nationwide. After his retirement in 2014 and the birth of his first grandchild, Olivia Grace, his love for Mother Earth coupled with his love for family has been an undeniable pull back to the farm.
His grandson Reno was born on Marty’s father’s birthday and was given the middle name Kainalu, or “ocean wave” in Hawaiian. The Big Island of Hawai’i grows some of the best chocolate in the world. In March of 2017 Ocean Grace Farms was born: Organic Heirloom Estate Grown Chocolate is the vision and the trees are now about 6′ tall.
Marty’s vision has him walking amongst the Cacao trees with those that he loves and enjoying long conversations over big bowls of pasta (or its gluten-free equivalent) once again. He wants to make chocolate with the main ingredient being love and share it with his dear fellow travelers on our beautiful Mother Earth.