2nd Cordillera Chocolate Festival: Big winners from Mt. Province, Apayao and Benguet

Ifugao, Philippines - The recently concluded second edition of Cordillera Chocolate was not just a showcase of sweet delights but served as a stage for innovation, a platform for empowerment, and a movement to position the region as an emerging destination for chocolate lovers.

On August 14 - 15, chocolate aroma filled Ifugao State University’s Heritage Center, where over 300 farmers, entrepreneurs, students, and chocolate enthusiasts gathered to champion products through exhibits and exchange knowledge through workshops, while other visitors discovered and explored opportunities of cacao cultivation.

Displayed were not only chocolate bars and tablea, but also other cacao-based products such as cacao wine, infused coffee, soaps, organic fertilizer, and bags made from cacao by-products, proving that cacao is a sustainable livelihood.

The event helped producers connect directly with consumers and partners, building opportunities for growth, as bannered by the theme, “Celebrating the Sweetness of Cordilleran Cacao: Empowering Local Farmers, Cacao Entrepreneurs, and Cultivating Sustainable Livelihood.”

The BIG Winners of the EVENT

Among the highlights of the two-day festival was the recognition of outstanding cacao growers and processors across the region, determined through competitions.

Ortega’s Cacao Trading in Apayao was hailed as the Most Sustainable Cacao Farm, followed by Paduyao Integrated Farm and Cecilia Wahigon’s Farm, both from Ifugao.

For the category of Pods with the Most Number of Cacao Seeds, Besao in Mt. Province secured the top spot, while Paracelis, also in Mt. Province, and Tuba, Benguet took the second and third places, respectively. Besao further dominated the Heaviest Cacao Pods category, taking first and second place, with Paracelis settling in third.

In the contest for the Longest Cacao Pods, Mt. Province earned first place, while the provinces of Ifugao and Apayao settled second and third, respectively.

With its artistry in chocolate-making, Benguet’s RETCABV Integrated Farm emerged as the champion in the 70% Chocolate category, trailed by Ifugao’s Greener Pasture Ad Iholnad and Kalinga’s YJ’s Farm Products.

The same winning farm bagged first place in the Best Tablea (100% Cacao) category, ahead of Ortega’s Cacao Trading from Apayao, and the Cacao Growers and Processors of Itogon, Benguet.

Paracelis, Mt. Province, dominated the Cacao Bean Grading contest.

Growing industry

The Cordillera Cacao Industry Development Council (CCIDC) chaired by Eva Ritchelle Padua, earlier reported that with over a million cacao trees having been planted across the region, yield has been increasing.

With cooperation, support, training, innovative approaches, and expansion of market access, the cacao industry of Cordillera can reach the goal of producing up to 50,000 metric tons of dried and fermented beans annually.