Puentespina Farm

Puentespina Farm lies in the district of Malagos, a small municipality situated in the foothills of Mt. Talomo. We are in Barangay Baguio District, Davao City, approximately 45 kilometers northwest of the city center. The name Malagos comes from "malakas na agos," which means "strong flow of water." Our farm is located along the equator, making it an optimal location for growing cacao.

Here, the soil, the sun, the climate—our environment—come together to create a unique terroir that gives our cacao beans their identity, an individuality that cannot be replicated anywhere in the world.

As a Bureau of Plant Industry-certified supplier, we provide fellow farmers with quality cacao planting material, including scions, grafted seedlings, and seeds for rootstock. Moreover, we supply the fine flavor beans used in crafting Malagos Chocolate, guaranteeing consistent quality and traceability in our products.

Our farm has been recognized with two internationally acclaimed awards, which lauded our pre- and post-harvest practices, cacao trees, and beans. We believe that great chocolate comes from high-quality beans that start with good genetic material. The terroir plays a pivotal role, with rainfall, soil composition, and other crops grown around the area influencing the distinct flavor. Our commitment to implementing Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) throughout the harvest process sets our products apart.

2017 BEST 50 BEANS IN THE WORLD

We are very proud to announce that Puentespina Farm, our cacao farm, has been recognized as one of the producers of the BEST 50 BEANS IN THE WORLD. At the 2017 Edition of the Cocoa Excellence Programme in France, a total of 166 cacao bean samples were received from 40 countries, and our farm was among those selected for this valuable recognition. The focus of the evaluation is on the bean quality itself, which makes this achievement all the more significant.

This recognition is a huge accomplishment for the cacao industry, as it demonstrates that Philippine beans can compete with those from other top-producing cacao-growing countries. Mabuhay ang magsasakang Pilipino!

The BEST 50 BEAN SAMPLES were processed into chocolates by the international technical committee and celebrated at the Salon du Chocolat in Paris from October 28th to November 1st.

The Cocoa of Excellence (CoEx) Programme is the entry point for cocoa producers to participate in the International Cocoa Awards (ICA), a global competition that recognizes the work of cocoa farmers and celebrates the diversity of cocoa flavors.

To see the full list of the best 50 samples, please visit https://www.cocoaofexcellence.org/-the-best-50-samples-2017/. Our farm is on page 25.

To learn more about the Cocoa Excellence Programme, visit http://www.cocoaofexcellence.org/about-us.

2019 HEIRLOOM CACAO DESIGNATION

Celebrating Hard Work in the Name of Philippine Chocolate!

We were truly grateful and deeply honored to receive the Heirloom Cacao Designation from the Heirloom Cacao Preservation (HCP) Fund, kicking off the new year on a high note! We were immensely proud to bring this honor to our country as the first in the Philippines.

The announcement was made during the FCIA Elevate Chocolate Event – Winter 2019 in San Francisco on January 12, 2019.

Becoming designated as 'heirloom cacao' was an incredibly high standard to meet. Our very own cacao farm, Puentespina Farm, was recognized as a HEIRLOOM producer of quality and flavorful cacao beans at the origin by the Heirloom Cacao Preservation Fund in partnership with the Fine Chocolate Industry Association and the US Department of Agriculture! Mabuhay!

“We were elated to be part of this very small group of farmers who were given this designation as Heirloom Cacao. We were only the 16th to be given this honor, and the first in the Philippines,” said Charita Puentespina, the proud farmer and founder of Puentespina Farms and Malagos Chocolate.

Puentespina Farms’ entry was designated the 16th heirloom cacao in the world by a super majority of the HCP’s tasting panel.

Heirloom cacao is considered the diamonds of cacao. They are the foundation of great chocolate. The trees and beans are considered heirloom variety because of a combination of their historical, cultural, botanical, geographical and flavorful value.

A rising tide lifts all boats. We want the cacao farmers to realize the earning potential of cacao, and how they can raise their game so that they, too, can produce world-class chocolates. When we raise the awareness of how valuable our cacao is, we can uplift the lives of farmers and encourage the growth of an entire industry.

For more information on HCP and its methodology, please visit https://hcpcacao.org.

Malagos Chocolate's cacao farm –– Puentespina Farm