Pure, luscious, and with a variety of uses, their 100% Premium Unsweetened Chocolate tablea will certainly warm your heart, as it delivers only the best of Davao flavors.

Heaven comes in the form of the Dark Chocolate Paquibato Bar, which has gained international acclaim. Still, Ning of Chocolate Concierge strikes a cautious note and believes that Asia still has some way to go at least when it comes to terroir and origin. “Japan has the longest history of regional awareness but this sensitivity is not as developed elsewhere in Asia. Yes we can tell the difference between durians like a D24 from a Musang King but that has not extended to other types of food.” Winning gold at the 2019 Academy of Chocolate Awards, this pure, unsweetened chocolate makes a flavorsome cup ‘o Tablea! Other not-to-miss Cebu chocolate experiences include Argao Guilang’s Tableya, a family business that offers an interactive tour of their chocolate kitchen. Thanks to the galleon trade between Acapulco in Mexico and Manila in the Philippines, cacao seeds made their way across the Pacific Ocean for the first time.The flower bed of a mature cacao tree on Rosit Cacao Farm in Davao City, Philippines, where Grover Rosit is working with local cacao farmers to increase growth & income for farmers. More potential cacao brands coming out of the Philippines soon! Changing Tides For Filipino Farmers The only question is: would you like your chocolate with rice, or do you prefer to drink your chocolate? Auro, originally established by Gen T Honoree Mark Ocampo and his ally Kelly Go, had already swiftly risen to prominence and has been the go-to chocolate for natives. Classic and charming, Malagos 65% Dark Chocolate Bar is an eight-time award-winning delicacy, which recently won bronze from the 2020 Academy of Chocolate Awards!

Both accounts seem to point that cacao was first planted in Luzon or Visayas, possibly around the same time. Eventually, it began to spread all over the country with the help of the friars that distributed its seeds and seedlings to Filipinos. These are only the humble beginnings of the crop in the Philippines - its arrival marked the start of rich culture and tradition that we practice until today. In our next article, we will go further on how chocolate is consumed and cultivated throughout our history until today. MS3 Agri-Ventures’ internationally-awarded chocolates shed a wonderful spotlight on Davao City. Proudly Pinoy, their single-origin production has deep ties with Filipino farmers and promotes sustainability through their community-centered ethic.However, if you like your hot chocolate with milk, Anontio Pueo also sells a variety that contains cacao, sugar, and powdered skim milk. This one is sold in a white wrapper. If you would prefer to sip sikwate in the comforts of an air-conditioned chocolate shop, I would recommend Chocolate Chamber, which has two locations,” says Costas.

On top of that, her chocolates also come with a valiant cause, as the company has partnered with farming communities and advocated for sustainability. Gold Award-Winning Unsweetened Chocolate (Tablea) But the Philippines' recent cacao growth spurt isn't a direct reaction to the country's cacao deficit and a desire to lessen reliance upon imports. It's a strategic move on the part of the government, both federal and local, to ramp up production of crops which can be added to existing farmland. With cacao, it's both possible & beneficial to inter-crop trees with other common agricultural goods in the Philippines, such as coconuts. This intercropping increases the country's overall yields, brings more money to farmers, and contributes to reforestation. Some of their best-selling items that you need to give a try are their pale ivory in appearance chocolate paired with mango pili, personally-made bars uniquely customized for your desire in accordance to what occasion you will be celebrating about, bitter-sweet dark chocolate put together with Arabica brew, and of course, their dazzling milk chocolate accompanied with crunchy and deep-fried banana chips. As stated earlier, best estimates of when cacao arrived on the Philippines is in the late 17th century, more specifically around 1670. Over the years, the cacao farms being watched over by friars changed hands numerous times, eventually ending up mostly as large plantations scattered across the islands. Notably the majority of those plantations are located in the region of Mindanao, the southernmost part of the country, and more specifically in Davao City. It used to be that Filipinos who had cacao trees in their yards would put the seeds out to dry in the sun, and then bring them to the nearest market, where a man would grind up their beans for a small fee. Then they could form it into balls at home (since the Philippines is so hot year-round, it stays relatively soft for awhile), and store them for future use. Unfortunately, with increased urbanization, having cacao trees in your yard isn't all that common anymore.Lyon, W. (1902). Cacao Culture in the Philippine s. Manila: Bureau of Public Printing; Project Gutenberg. Retrieved on November 04, 2020, from https://www.gutenberg.org/files/33921/33921-h/33921-h.htm Though it was the first time Hernan and I actually spoke, within minutes I already felt a kinship towards him.

On Rue de La Roquette in the outskirts of Paris, Alain Ducasse, the illustrious chef behind the many Michelin-starred restaurants from Paris to London is hunched over a mound of cocoa beans spread on a metal counter. “I had the dream of making my own chocolate, making it the traditional way from bean to bar,” he says in French. The counter is in a factory that specialises in bean-to-bar chocolates supplied to his restaurants and sold online. Many of them are single origin products made with beans sourced from the likes of Peru, Java and Vietnam. Be it from the sari-sari store, school canteen, or the nearby grocery—each piece is as sweet as childhood and as pleasant as an after-work reward! Hany Milk Chocolate As the name suggests, Curly Tops are identified by their unique “swirl” at their surface, as well as their eye-catching red, white, and gold-tinted wrapper.

We shine the spotlight on these Filipino chocolate brands that make bean-to-bar chocolate:

And there you have it! What are your thoughts on some of these famous chocolate candies from the Philippines? Do any of these popular Filipino chocolates seem especially interesting to you? Have you tried any of them before? Do you have a favorite? Please let me know in the comments below! I’d love to hear from you.