Malagos Chocolate Canada

Coming to Canada

Malagos Chocolate is made from Trinitario cacao beans grown and processed in our farm beside Malagos Creek, in Davao City, Philippines. We also source wet beans from partner cacao farmers in our area, now reaching 100 farmers. The area has a unique terroir brought about by the volcanic terrain of Mount Talomo and Mount Apo; the highest mountain in the Philippines located further south. The topography of the two mountains and moisture coming from the Davao Gulf has created a micro-climate that may be described to be found in tropical highland areas.

The first cacao harvests in 2003 were made into tablea using the traditional methods. The beans were roasted in the back yard, in a cauldron called a "karahay aka "kawa", over an open fire. The cacao beans were manually winnowed using a woven bamboo winnower called a "nigo". The roasted beans were ground in a grinder with a wing nut, to adjust the grind and the crank handle was turned by hand to get the grinding done. The aromatic mass from the grinder was then molded into coins made of pure unsweetened chocolate. The tablea with its complex aroma delighted many and was a main product for many years since it received many good reviews.

Since the production of our pilot tablea in 2003, an evolution to the highest quality standards have continuously taken place from the growing and care of the trees through to the processing of the beans, to produce the perfect beans for making fine chocolates. The farms follow Good Agricultural Practices and are committed in maintaining fair, ethical and sustainable practices throughout the entire production chain.

With the operation of the chocolate factory in 2011, the tablea was transformed into the Malagos Premium Unsweetened Chocolate with its "outstanding aroma notes" and distinct taste. Today, the Malagos Chocolate factory which also houses an interactive Chocolate Museum, is HACCP Certified, Halal Certified and complies with Good Manufacturing Practices.

Artisanal chocolate makers and chocolatiers are assured of fine quality from our Malagos Cacao beans. These Trinitario beans are the same fermented beans that we use for making our own chocolates and have been judged "50 Best Bean samples" in the world at the 2017 Cocoa of Excellence Programme in France. 

2019 was a great year for both the chocolates and the farm. Malagos Premium Unsweetened Chocolate continued to get the approval of international judges. The 2019 Academy of Chocolate Bronze Award became its 9th international award in five years, since 2015.

Also in 2019, Puentespina Farm was given the designation by the Heirloom Cacao Preservation Fund (HCP), "#16 Heirloom Cacao Clone" for one of the selected clones that we grow and will surely continue to propagate.