“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.