The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said on Tuesday that the recent win of Davao City-based Malagos Chocolate at the 2020 World Drinking Chocolate Competition in Germany showcases the excellence of Philippine cacao.
Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez congratulated the Davao-based company and thanked its officers and workers for their support for the Philippine cacao.
“This is a validation of our nation’s never-ending quest for excellence in the field of cacao farming and chocolate-making,” Lopez said in a statement.
Malagos Chocolate bagged the four gold awards last October 25, including the top prize in the Plain or Origin Drinking Chocolate Dark category that bested entries from all over the world. It was also given three golds in Special Awards categories, namely: Growing Country, Chocolate Maker, and Direct Traded.
The homegrown company was the only Asian brand that brought home the international awards, winning alongside Ara Chocolat of Chocolat Chaud Chuncho in France and Pumatiy of Pasta Pura de Cacao Chuncho of Peru.
The DTI said it has been working with Malagos Chocolate in its journey towards global recognition with the help of the trade agency’s Foreign Trade Services Corps (FTSC).
“We are dedicated in helping the local chocolate industry reach new heights and make a global imprint. This would create more livelihood and employment opportunities for our local farmers,” Lopez said.
“While this victory is dedicated to the hard-working Filipino farmer, we hope this award will also inspire our people to innovate and empower themselves so that they can create a better and more comfortable life for themselves despite these difficult times,” he added.
Organized by the International Chocolate Awards in partnership with Schokoladen Gourmet Festival, the competition celebrates the origins of chocolate as a drink and comes with a revival of high-quality drinking chocolate within the craft chocolate movement.
READ MORE: Davao-based Malagos Chocolate wins big in 2020 world competition