Davao-based Malagos Chocolate wins gold in competition in Hannover, Germany

Davao City-based chocolate manufacturer Malagos Chocolate took four Gold awards at the recently concluded Schokoladen Gourmet Festival in Hannover, Germany.

It won in the festival’s World Drinking Chocolate Competition, a competition that celebrates the origins of chocolate as a drink and comes with the revival of the appreciation of chocolate drinking within the craft of chocolate movement. 

The World Drinking Chocolate Competition celebrates the origins of chocolate as a drink and comes with a revival of high-quality drinking chocolate within the craft chocolate movement. 

The results of the competition were announced during the virtual holding of the festival on October 25.

The recent victory of Malagos Chocolate at the World Drinking Chocolate Competition 2020 in Hannover, Germany showcases the excellence of Philippine cacao, according to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

Malagos Chocolate claimed four Gold awards, especially the top prize in the Plain/Origin Drinking Chocolate Dark category that bested entries from all over the world. It also received three Golds in Special Awards categories: Growing Country, Chocolate Maker, and Direct Traded.  

Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez congratulated the Davao-based company, particularly the Puentespina family, and thanked them for their support of 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. 

Meanwhile, Malagos Chocolate’s victory in the Special Awards Category affirmed the Filipino company’s championing of the Philippine cacao.  

Malagos Chocolate won Gold in categories that emphasized the integrity of its products. For example, the Gold Growing Country award is given to chocolate completely produced and packaged in a recognized cacao-growing country. This chocolate should have also qualified in the Grand Jury round. Moreover, there should at least be 10 products from the country entered into this category.   

Meanwhile, the Gold Chocolate Maker award is given to a product fully made from cacao beans into finished chocolate in the entering company’s own factory. The Gold Directly Traded is given to chocolate made from cacao with no middlemen involved, with as few steps as possible in chain, and where the chocolate maker has direct contact with the grower. 

Rex Puentespina, managing director of Malagos Chocolate, said, “It goes to show that our chocolate is world-class and makes you proud to be a cacao grower.” 

DTI has been working with Malagos Chocolate in its journey towards global recognition with the help of the trade agency’s Foreign Trade Service Corps (FTSC).   

“We highlight our Philippine cacao in foreign countries as a high-value product that matches the taste of chocolate lovers across the globe,” said FTSC Executive Director Anthony B. Rivera. 

Lopez praised Malagos for their victory and reiterated DTI’s commitment to promote Philippine culinary heritage across the globe.  

“We are dedicated to 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 hardworking 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,”Lopez said. 

Raquel P. Gomez
Special Features writer at Philippine Daily Inquirer. She is tasked to write anything under the sun, but certain topics appeal to her personally, like technology, gardening, cooking, food, movies, TV series, heritage and historical areas, and travel. You may email her at rgomez@inquirer.com.ph