Entrepreneurs bring award-winning Filipino craft chocolates to Australia

For a good number of years, the Philippines has been inconspicuously producing world-class artisanal chocolates. Chris and Jean Uson feel that it's about time Australia took notice.

Cacao beans in the Philippines [L] are turned to Filipino craft chocolates [R], which are now sold in Australia. Source: Supplied

Key Points

• The Usons were introduced to Filipino craft chocolate while on a trip to Davao.
• The Philippines could potentially be one of the world's main sources for cacao beans.
• Filipino craft chocolate emphasises the taste of cacao over sugar, with some beans having fruity undertones.

"My wife and I were saying - if we can't sell these chocolates here, the worse thing that could happen is we just eat them [ourselves]," entrepreneur Chris Uson jokes.

Mr Uson and his wife Jean own Filo Artisan Trade, an online shop focused on introducing Australia to single-origin, bean-to-bar Filipino craft chocolate.

The Uson family Credit: Chris Uson

From the Philippines to Australia

The husband-and-wife team, from Melbourne, found out about Filipino craft chocolate during a trip to Davao.

Craft chocolate is confectionery produced on a small scale, focusing on the natural flavour of the cacao beans.

"We passed by this chocolate shop where we saw a lot of Filipino craft chocolates. We were surprised by how they presented them," Chris shares.

Te couple found out about Filipino craft chocolate on a trip to Davao. Credit: Chris Uson

"Also at that time, I chanced upon an article about how there might be a shortage of cacao in the future; and how the Philippines - because it is at the equatorial belt - has the chance of becoming a nation providing beans to the world."

With Philippine cacao potentially becoming a known exporter, the Usons decided to introduce Australia to the raw material's finished products.

Chris, an engineer by trade, admits that they had to learn not just about Filipino chocolate, but about importation.

"I first met with the owners of Auro Chocolate and they trusted us to bring the chocolates here. We brought their chocolates through air freight because they are very temperature-sensitive. That was one of the challenges of bringing ready-made chocolates here."

From bean to bar

The ready-made chocolates include brands such as Auro Chocolate, Theo & Philo Artisan Chocolates, Malagos Chocolate, Cacao Culture Farms, and Rosario's Chocolates.

The said brands are pioneers of bean-to-bar chocolates in the Philippines and have been winning international awards for their products.

The said brands are are pioneers of bean-to-bar chocolates in the Philippines Source: Supplied

"[When] Malagos [began], they were helped by Mars, Incorporated [when it came to cacao agricultural practices]. Malagos then started producing their own beans and their own chocolates. From there, they've been winning awards overseas."

Chris also shares that the brand Theo & Philo, on the other hand, is unique because it carries distinct Filipino flavours such as Milk Chocolate with Adobo and Dark Chocolate with Calamansi.

"Growing up, we know brands like Hershey's and Cadbury, but the amount of cacao they actually contain is low.

"Filipino craft chocolate is more focused on the cacao, and they come from a single estate [one region]. Some can have fruity, berry-like undertones."

In as much as the taste of wine varies depending on the area it was produced, soil, climate and farming techniques influence the taste of the cacao bean.

"Makers pay a premium for the beans which help farmers improve their farming techniques. This then helps in producing better beans," he said.

Better beans make for better chocolates, which Chris says the couple is "happy and proud" to share with the rest of Australia.