PRESS RELEASE: Kakao Konek 2019 - Bringing Together the Philippine Cacao Industry
On October 17th and 18th at the SMX Convention Center in Davao City, Philippines approximately 600 to 700 delegates involved in the cacao industry convened for a two-day intensive discourse on all things Philippine cacao. The delegates were unexpectedly greeted with a magnitude 6.4 earthquake and several aftershocks were felt throughout the next day. Valente Turtur, President of the Cacao Industry Development Association Mindanao Inc. (CIDAMI), made light of the incident and talked about how we needed to "shake up the industry" to ensure continued focus on cacao as a growth crop for farmers, processors, and other related businesses.
The convention had something for everyone: an exhibition for chocolate / tablea makers, breakout learning sessions that were deep dives into technical subjects like grading beans and farm maintenance, friendly competitions for both tablea and chocolate makers, town hall discussions that allowed farmers to engage experts on their most pressing concerns. Several government figures appeared on the main stage along with presentations by industry experts and academics - all well versed in the cacao value chain.
And of course, a bit of fun with the first day ending in a Salon du Chocolat inspired chocolate fashion show.
San Francisco Bay Area, Filipino-American Community
On the second day, we presented our experiences of growing a bean to bar business in the United States. Our talk was focused on the unique characteristics of the San Francisco Bay Area Filipino-American community particularly with regards to the exciting things happening in the entrepreneurial food space. We gave a high-level overview of the US bean-to-bar market, talked about what interested our customers most about Philippine cacao and what makes it unique. We also talked about some strategies for continued success like the importance of collaboration and partnership across the entire cacao value chain, storytelling, and of course, making sure that we make the best products we can using the highest quality cacao, all the while being #proudlyfilipino.
The Philippine Cacao Industry is Growing
In the United States, may bean to bar chocolate enthusiasts would be hard-pressed to name any Filipino chocolate makers. Companies like Malagos, Auro, and Theo&Philo have some presence in the North American market but what was truly inspiring was seeing the growth in the local Philippine market. During the Parade of Chocolate, 30+ local chocolate makers graced the stage with their products. Many are new to chocolate making and come from a variety of different backgrounds but they all had entrepreneurial energy and excitement. Many are using indigenous ingredients like durian, pili nuts, and other exotic (to Western diets) fruits. So it’s truly exciting to see the innovation and flood of different ideas and perspectives on what chocolate can be.
Luckily for the chocolate makers the energy on the other side of the supply chain, the cacao growers and farmers, is equally strong. With the potential of having another growth crop located within existing plantations that have bananas, mangoes, and coconuts - many existing farmers are expanding their cacao seedlings and were interested in learning more about grafting and inter-cropping. Many that planted trees several years ago and are harvesting their first yield of pods were interested in learning more about improving yield per tree, proper fermentation techniques, and storage. All were encouraged to utilize the resources available during the convention
There were several new entrants into the cacao farming industry. Their stories were varied and their backgrounds diverse. Some cacao growers are professionals with existing businesses in other industries looking to diversify their portfolio. Some are ex-patriots who have returned home to the Philippines after years of working abroad and see cacao as a potential revenue source. Finally, some are people who have been lifted out of poverty by being involved in the cacao industry and are looking to expand that vision for others in their community. Organizations such as the Muravah Foundation are leading the charge in this space (oodaalolly had the great fortune of serendipitously running into Bob Murray, the managing director and founder of the Muravah Foundation while visiting the local nursery of oodaalolly’s cacao supplier - we will write more about the amazing work Bob and his team in a future blog). No matter what their background, it was truly inspiring to see what a simple plant could do for the economy and people in different communities all around the Philippines.
To be truly inspired check out this brief video about Louise Mabulo, a UN Young Champ of the Earth and founder of the Cacao Project. This young woman is doing incredible things with cacao was in Germany for another engagement but addressed the audience via a recorded video message. Her father, a mayor himself, gamely stepped in to highlight the impact of her work on their local community.
Focus is on Higher Quality and Better Yield Per Tree
One message that was constant throughout the entire convention regardless of who was presenting information was the importance of producing the highest quality beans. The Philippines currently produces less than 1% of the overall volume of cacao’s world supply and while better farming practices and protocols are being put into place to increase yield per tree to >2.5 kg per tree or more, the increasing volume is highly dependent on the number of fruiting trees.
Trees typically take 3 to 5 years to bear fruit and there is no guarantee on the quantity the tree will produce. That long term investment is actively being supported by local government agencies; like the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and Department of Agriculture; non-profits like CIDAMI, Muravah Foundation and Philippine Commission on Women; and financial groups like the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and Landbank. These organizations are actively engaged in helping cacao farmers expand their knowledge, increase access to resources, and expand the hectares dedicated to cacao; however, one area that is important to address is bean quality.
Bean and pod quality are highly impacted by farming practices and protocols but it is the post-harvest processing where bean quality is highly important because this is when flavor development starts. After harvest, beans are fermented and dried before they can be exported to chocolate makers.
The fermentation process is both art and science. It requires a strong understanding of a complicated process: fermentation time, how often to turn the beans during fermentation, the ideal fermentation temperature, the size of the beans, the height of the fermentation box, the size of the fermentation box, the amount of wind, the amount of sunlight, and the drying capacity of the process are all critical factors that contribute to the beans quality.
Grading cacao beans is also an art and progress has been made in this area as the entire Philippine cacao industry has agreed to develop a more standardized approach to grading beans since. They recognize the importance of quality over quantity due to the maturation of the industry.
Simply put, better beans = better chocolate. Better beans = higher prices which improves the economic incentives for farmers. Better beans = the most immediate path to sustainability for Philippine cacao.
Female Empowerment
One other important topic that was studied and then reported by the Philippine Commission on Women is the role of women in the cacao industry. Cacao farming is hard work and requires a lot of time and effort though not brute strength. Cacao farming requires patience, cultivation, and constant attention. Cacao is not a "set it and forget it" crop. During peak pick season, pods are harvested daily or weekly, and pruning is required to remove excess leaves and branches to ensure the flowers can grow and the nutrients go mostly to the pods. More women are entering the industry and the quality of Philippine cacao is improving because of it.
Many attribute the resurrection of the Philippine cacao industry to Charita Palmares Puentespina. Mrs. Puentespina starting Puentespina Farms in 2000 and is credited for producing export quality cocoa beans and for reviving the export of premium quality beans from the Philippines. She was involved in several panel discussions and willingly shared her experiences and knowledge with the entire Kakao Konek audience. It was inspiring to hear someone with such vast knowledge and expertise in cacao growing and Philippine agriculture be open, honest, and willing to share very practical tips on what works and how to improve.
Puentespina farms made it to the list of ‘BEST 50 BEANS IN THE WORLD’ in 2017. An amazing win and one all involved with the Philippine cacao industry can be proud of. Thank you to Mrs. Puentespina for sharing with us your knowledge.
The Reputation of Philippine Cacao is Becoming World Class
Where there is smoke, there is fire. The 2017 win ignited a fire in the Philippine cacao industry and according to Valente Turtur, “The Cacao Industry Development Association of Mindanao (CIDAMI) is optimistic that the five dried and fermented cacao bean entries of the Philippines from Davao Region will win in the prestigious 2019 International Cocoa Awards (ICA) during the Salon Du Chocolat in Paris, France on October 30.”
Exciting times for the Philippine cacao industry are ahead and we are certainly all excited to see what happens in just a few days.
Oodaaloly is honored and grateful to have been a small part of Kakao Konek 2019. Let’s hope for an even brighter outlook for 2020.
If you live in the United States, have your first taste of Philippine cacao sourced directly from Davao by trying our oodaalolly collection. Use discount code H71LCHY to get 15% off on your next order.
Click here to download a short press release that can be shared.
Hernan Lauber addressing the Kakao Konek delegation
Talking about the US bean to bar chocolate market and the potential for Philippine cacao