The Philippine cacao's origin story began in the 1700s, when it first journeyed aboard Spanish Galleon ships to the Philippines from Mexico. The first varieties brought to the Philippine islands was the Criollo, known to be one of the best and purest kinds of Cacao.
Because of its tropical landscape and weather, the Philippine islands proved to be an ideal place for the Cacao from Mexico and Central America to grow and thrive. Elsewhere in the Equatorial region, the cacao grows in the Carribbean, Africa, and New Guinea.
The Philippine Cacao's Rise to Fame
Much like a typical hero's journey, the Philippine Cacao has so far embarked on an exciting adventure. Food products made from Cacao have been making waves in the global food scene, led by the cacao from Davao. Proudly Filipino cacao products from Davao have been winning international awards and the Philippine Cacao has recently achieved Heirloom Status.
According to experts, there will be a one million metric ton (MT) global shortage of Cacao in 2020. And many believe the high-quality Philippine cacao is the hero the industry needs.
Despite only producing 20,000 MTs of dried cacao, the country's growing presence in the global market is promising. And the Philippine Department of Agriculture is up to the challenge, aiming to increase production to up to 100,000 MTs.
It all starts by planting more Cacao trees.
Mindanao Development Authority Chairperson Luwalhati Antonino told Rappler that their goal is to plant a million cacao trees in the region. At present, the biggest producer of cacao is Davao, contributing 77% of national production.
This, in turn, will help boost the local economy, creating thousands of jobs for local communities.
Our Favorite Cacao Product
One of the best cacao products we've found is proudly made in Davao---Chocoloco Crunchy Organic Cacao Nibs coated with Coco Sugar, made from the region's renowned Cacao varieties.
What caught our tastebuds' attention was its rich, deep flavor, and crunchy texture. And that it contains iron, magnesium, vitamin B, anti-oxidants lots of good ol' fiber. Plus, the packaging is so pretty! What's not to love?
Chocoloco sources the finest cacao and local ingredients to create minimally processed, premium cacao products. Their mission is to give consumers the full benefits of the cacao plant, and inspire a wider audience to fall in love with locally made Filipino products.
They also maintain their mission to support local farmers by sourcing ingredients and raw materials from local farmers and communities to spread the love for Filipino cacao. And this is something that speaks to the heart of what Chibundle stands for, so we couldn't be more proud to bring this exemplary Filipino-made product to a food lovers across the United States.
Experience Chocoloco's Crunchy Organic Cacao Nibs coated with Coco Sugar in our Holiday Hurrah! Chibundle. It is also available in multi-packs (6 pouches in 1 Chibundle).
lead image: officialgazette.gov.ph