Artisan Chocolate and Cacao Production in the Philippines
Cacao made its way to the Philippines via the Manila Galleon trade between Acapulco, Mexico, and Manila in the late 17th century. The Spanish established enormous plantations, which was unsurprising, since the Philippines lies within the cacao belt. This is a region spanning from approximately 20° north to 20° south of the equator, with ideal climatic conditions for cacao cultivation.
The Resurgence of Philippine Cacao
Modern commercial cacao farming didn’t begin in the Philippines until 1950. However, over subsequent decades, a combination of unfavorable agrarian reform, low market prices, pests, and diseases prompted many farmers to switch to coconut farming. When coconut prices fell in 2010, farmers gradually returned to cacao cultivation. Today, cacao farming—a remnant of the Philippines’ Spanish colonial past—is experiencing a resurgence. Cacao is cultivated in all regions of the Philippines, but the best climate for growing cacao is in the southern Philippines. Davao, in particular, is home to the majority of cacao farms and rightly earns its title as the cacao and chocolate capital of the country.
Leading Philippine Artisan Brands
Manila Chocolatier
Raul Matias is a native of Lubao, Pampanga. He took lessons at an online chocolate school, before finishing Master Chocolatier programs in Vancouver, Canada and Valhrona, France. What’s special about Manila Chocolatier is that his chocolate quality is top-notch (he sources from Davao, Ivory Coast, Malaysia and Indonesia) and the flavors 100% Pinoy—and he creates them by using European chocolate-making techniques. Manila Chocolatier comes in a gorgeous blue packaging—with prints reflective of Filipino culture—national hero Jose Rizal, kalesa, local flowers and plants—with its logo embossed in gold.
Current flavors include:
- Barako Coffee
- Palawan Honey
- Lambanog (Coconut Wine)
- Buko Pandan
- Salabat (Ginger Tea)
- Calamansi
- Banana Cue
- Panotsa Caramel
- Leche Flan
- Jasmine Tea
- Bukayo (Coconut Maccroons)
- Muscavado Nougat
- Pili Nut
- Mango and Ube (Purple Yam)
Manila Chocolatier offers gorgeous Philippine-inspired pralines—both in design and flavor—in boxes of 8 (priced at PHP650) and 15 (priced at PHP1,200).
Theo & Philo Artisan Chocolates
When Philo Chua founded Theo & Philo—which means ‘chocolate’ and ‘love’—in 2010, he was the first single-origin bean-to-bar chocolate maker in the Philippines. The pretty packaging proclaims: “By the Philippines, For the Philippines, Of the Philippines.” The website says the cacao is from Davao and the sugar, from Bacolod. Their lineup of flavors includes Dark Chocolate and Labuyo (chili), Milk Chocolate, and Green Mango & Salt. Each bar is PhP 95, and so worth it.
Malagos Chocolate
In 2012, the pioneering mother-son team of Charita and Rex founded Malagos Chocolate. Their unwavering determination to create a premium Philippine chocolate brand has led to numerous accolades for their products—56, to date—including awards for their 100% pure unsweetened drinking chocolate and dark chocolate bars. Notably, Puentespina Farm was recognized as one of the producers of the best 50 beans in the world in 2017 by the Cacao of Excellence Program. Since 2017, their interactive chocolate museum—the first and only one in the Philippines—has served as an educational hub, teaching Filipinos and visitors about cacao, chocolate-making, and the tree-to-bar journey.
Product and Pricing Overview
- Manila Chocolatier 8-piece box: PHP 650
- Manila Chocolatier 15-piece box: PHP 1,200
- Theo & Philo Artisan Bar: PHP 95
- Malagos Chocolate: 56 accolades and heirloom-designated cacao beans.
