Chocolate industry in the Philippines

It is a derivative of the word cacahuatl or xocoatl, a bitter drink the Aztecs brewed from cacao beans mixed with spices, wine, and other local ingredients that can be traced back to Pre-Columbian Mexico.

The suffix -atl that means water or liquid was added to kajkab, forming kajkabatl, and then later kajkabhuatl with the insertion of the diphthong hu.

A batirol, the Filipino adaptation of the Mexican molinillo, is used to thoroughly mix hot water with the tablet in a chocolatera to make it frothy.

The result is tsokolate de batirol, a thick, creamy, hot chocolate drink, otherwise referred to as sikawate in the Visayas region.

Written tsamporado in Filipino, it is a sweet, rice porridge dish in the Philippines enjoyed by many hot or cold, usually partnered with dried fish, called tuyo or daing.

Today, cacao trees are cultivated throughout equatorial region including the Caribbean, Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Islands of Samoa and New Guinea.

[8] Although there are currently less than a hundred farmer associations, cooperatives, and individual growers planting on an estimated 2,000 hectares in Cebu, the province aims to have a greater share in cacao production.

[9] It is also home to Ralfe Gourmet, The Chocolate Chamber, and Casa de Cacao headed by Raquel Choa who is known for elevating Philippine cacao-based products.

Specifically will try to come up with programs that will provide sustainable livelihood to small farmers and produce enough if not more supply in the market.

[18] As a minor player in the global industry, the Philippines also engages in cacao cultivation nearly everywhere around the archipelago, even during the early 1900s.

One major factor that affects caco production in the country is "the lack of post-harvest knowledge, equipment, and facilities to ensure bean quality for chocolate manufacturing.

)[13] Recent increase in the number of cafes and restaurants offering chocolate or chocolate-based drinks provided for the relative rise of tablea market opportunities.

In addition to that, healthy lifestyle trends in the past years contributed to this gradual increase of demand.

The four largest companies in the Philippines processing cocoa are Universal Robina, Comfoods, Delfi and Rebisco—all of which are located within Metro Manila.

[22] Also contributing to the chocolate market in the country are several well-known commercial brands such as Nestlé, Hershey's, and Cadbury Adams.

Local and Foreign Cocoa-processing Companies[22] Bean to bar with own farms in Monkayo and production in Samal Island.

Theo and Philo Chocolate has the honor to be part of Philippine Presidential Gifts of choice of brand.

[25] The process of planting, growing, fermentation, drying, sorting, roasting, and production of the chocolate is done on this farm.

Emmylou Jomero's Wynn’s Food Products are sourced from Salcedo, Ilocos Sur towering cacao trees and started in 2015.

She was Top 5 in the Best 70% Dark Chocolate Contest of Kakao Konek in Davao City in 2019 and an awardee in the Kannawidan Ylocos Festival in Ilocos Sur.

Commonwealth Foods Incorporated is a multiproduct Philippine based company that produces coffee, chocolate, and biscuit products.

[29] Their chocolate production is overseen by the Philippine Food Industries Incorporated branch which is also known as the Philfood division.

The extreme weather conditions added to the impending financial crises to limit both the supply and demand for cocoa.

They are assisting farmers and the industry by supplying land and tested procedures in order to increase the Philippine production of cocoa beans.

The Philippine government is preparing for the cocoa shortage by the year 2020 and aims to increase production to 100,000 metric tons.

[31] Although the Philippines is failing to meet the local demand of 30,000 metric tons, the strong effort and government support is sure to make an impact in years to come.

[35] These are based on high productivity, quality of the bean, consumer acceptability and resistance to pests and diseases.

[41] Pruning is generally done with great care using a sharp saw during dry season, when branches have come out, or after harvest as to control the height of the tree and facilitate the work.

The ripening period of cacao generally happens during dry season and can be determined either by the aroma of chocolate that pervades the plantation or the changing of pod color wherein they turn reddish or yellow according to the variety.

For chocolate bar flavors, Filipino chocolate brands such as Theo and Philo,[48] Risa,[49] CocoDolce,[50] Kablon, and others, offer unique flavors that include chili, mango, calamansi, barako coffee, adobo, pili nuts, pastillas, bacon, turon, and coconut.