2019 HEIRLOOM CACAO DESIGNATION (USA)

Another celebration of hard work in the name of Philippine chocolate!

We are truly grateful &deeply honored to receive the Heirloom Cacao Designation from the Heirloom Cacao Preservation (HCP) Fund to start the new year!  We’re very proud to bring this honor to our country. First in & for the Philippines!

To become designated ’heirloom cacao’ is an incredibly high standard to meet.

Our very own cacao farm – Puentespina Farm is now designated as HEIRLOOM producers of quality & flavor cacao beans at origin by the Heirloom Cacao Preservation Fund in partnership with the Fine Chocolate Industry Association (FCIA) & US Dept of Agriculture (USDA)! Mabuhay!

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

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

Puentespina Farms’ entry was designated the 16th heirloom cacao in the world by a supermajority 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 historic, cultural, botanical, geographical and flavor value.