Chocolate industry in the Philippines
Philippine cocoa industry is Southeast Asia's primary producer.
Cacao trees, originally from Mesoamerican forests, were brought to the Philippines by Spanish colonizers about four hundred years ago. This introduction led to the development of the country’s chocolate industry. For a long time, the Philippines was the top cocoa bean producer in Southeast Asia, though the industry now operates on a small to medium scale.
In Filipino, chocolate is called *tsokolate*, which also refers to a hot chocolate drink made from *tablea*—tablets of roasted, ground cacao nibs. These tablets are traditionally mixed with hot water using a *batirol* (the local version of the Mexican *molinillo*) in a *chocolatera* to create a frothy, thick drink known as *tsokolate de batirol*, or *sikawate* in the Visayas. *Tablea* is also used in *champorado* (or *tsamporado*), a sweet rice porridge often eaten hot or cold with dried fish like *tuyo* or *daing*.
The cacao plant arrived in the 1700s via a Spanish galleon from Mexico, carrying pure Criollo—one of the finest cacao varieties—from Mesoamerica to the Pacific. Although cacao originally grew in Mexico and Central America, the Philippines proved ideal for cultivation due to its tropical rainforest location, 10–15 degrees from the equator, within the cacao belt (20 degrees north and south). Today, cacao is grown across the Caribbean, Africa, Southeast Asia, and Pacific Islands like Samoa and New Guinea.
Key production areas include Batangas, which produced only 0.47 metric tons in 2016 but is famous for its *tsokolate tablea*, a local delicacy used in traditional hot chocolate. Cebu and other Central Visayas provinces contribute about 1% of national output, yet Cebu is known for high-quality cacao, including the *cacao bisaya* (a Criollo variety with a strong, aromatic bittersweet taste and rich texture). Fewer than a hundred farmer groups and individual growers farm around 2,000 hectares there, aiming to expand. Cebu also hosts Ralfe Gourmet, The Chocolate Chamber, and Casa de Cacao, led by Raquel Choa, who has helped elevate Philippine cacao products. The Davao Region supplies 81% of the country’s annual cacao (according to the Philippines Statistics Authority’s CountrySTAT), with Davao del Sur, Davao City, Davao del Norte, Davao Oriental, and Davao de Oro as top producers in 2016. Over 20,000 hectares of cacao farms exist there; Davao City alone has 6,060 hectares.
- Field
- Agriculture and food processing
- Nationality
- Philippines
- Known for
- Primary cocoa bean producer in Southeast Asia; traditional tsokolate and tablea products
- Key regions
- Davao Region (81% of annual production), Batangas, Cebu
- Major agencies
- Department of Agriculture, Department of Trade and Industry, DOST-PCAARRD, CocoaPhil, CIDAMi, FedCo, CACAO
Lore & Background
The cacao plant was primarily brought to the Philippines in the 1700s when a Spanish galleon from Mexico transported pure Criollo cacao from Mesoamerica. The Philippines became an ideal cultivation ground because of its geography as a tropical rainforest located 10-15 degrees from the Equator, within the cacao belt. Today, cacao trees are cultivated throughout the equatorial region including the Caribbean, Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Islands.
Key production areas include Batangas, known for its tsokolate tablea; Cebu, home to the superior 'cacao bisaya' (criollo) and enterprises like Ralfe Gourmet, The Chocolate Chamber, and Casa de Cacao; and the Davao Region, which accounts for 81% of annual production, with over 20,000 hectares of cacao farms. The industry consists mostly of smallholder farmers supplying medium-scale manufacturers, but local demand outweighs supply both locally and globally.
Reader's Guide
The chocolate industry in the Philippines holds historical significance as the primary cocoa bean producer in Southeast Asia, with roots in Spanish colonial introduction of Criollo cacao. Despite its long history, the industry remains on a small to medium scale, facing challenges such as lack of post-harvest knowledge, equipment, and facilities. This has led to cacao exports (512 tons in 2012) being far less than imports (3,662 tons). However, recent increases in cafes and restaurants offering chocolate drinks, along with healthy lifestyle trends, have created growing market opportunities for tablea. Government agencies like the Department of Agriculture, Department of Trade and Industry, and DOST-PCAARRD support the industry through policies, funding, and research programs. Organizations such as CocoaPhil, CIDAMi, FedCo, and CACAO work to increase production, improve farmer livelihoods, and connect small farmers to international buyers. The industry's legacy includes traditional products like tsokolate de batirol and champorado, and a focus on quality cacao varieties like criollo in Cebu.
Did You Know?
- The cacao plant was brought to the Philippines in the 1700s on a Spanish galleon from Mexico.
- 81% of annual cacao production in the Philippines comes from the Davao Region.
- In 2012, cacao imports amounted to 3,662 tons while exports were only 512 tons.
- The Filipino hot chocolate drink tsokolate de batirol is made using a batirol (adapted from the Mexican molinillo) and tablea tablets.
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