Highlights
- Nadiskubre ng mga Uson ang Filipino craft chocolate noong magbakasyon sila sa Davao.
- Maaaring maging isa sa mga major exporters ng cacao beans ang Pilipinas.
- Nangingibabaw ang lasa ng cacao sa asukal pagdating sa Filipino craft chocolate.
"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]," biro ng negosyanteng si Chris Uson.
Pag-aaari ng Melburnians na sina Chris at Jean Uson ang Filo Artisan Trade, isang online shop na naka-pokus sa pagpapakilala sa Australya sa single-origin, bean-to-bar na Filipino craft chocolate.
The Uson family Source: Chris Uson
Mula Pilipinas patungong Australya
Nadiskubre ng mag-asawa ang Filipino craft chocolate ng magbakasyon sila sa Davao.
"We passed by this chocolate shop where we saw a lot of Filipino craft chocolates. We were surprised with how they presented them," saad ni Chris.
"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."
The couple found out about Filipino craft chocolate on a trip to Davao. Source: Chris Uson
Ngayong nagiging popular na ang Philippine cacao, ninanais ipakilala ng mag-asawa sa Australya ang mga produkto na gawa dito.
Dahil engineer si Chris, aminado siya na kinailangan niya talagang aralin ang ukol sa tsokolate at 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."
With Philippine cacao potentially becoming world-famous, the Usons decided to introduce Australia to the raw material's finished products. Source: Supplied
Mula sa buto, naging tsokolate
Kasama sa mga ready-made na tsokolate na ito ang Auro Chocolate, Theo & Philo Artisan Chocolates, Malagos Chocolate, Cacao Culture Farms at Rosario's Chocolates.
Nangunguna ang mga ito sa bean-to-bar chocolates at ang ilan sa kanila ay nabigyan ng mga internasyonal na parangal para sa kanilang mga produkto.
"[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."
The said brands are pioneers of bean-to-bar chocolates in the Philippines. Source: Supplied
Ibinahagi rin ni Chris na ang Theo & Philo naman ay nakilala para sa kanilang mga Pinoy na Pinoy na tsokolate gaya ng Milk Chocolate with Adobo at Dark Chocolate with Calamansi.
"Growing up, we know brands like Hershey's and Cadbury; but the amount of cacao they actually contain is low."
Another distinctly Filipino Theo & Philo flavour Source: Supplied
"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."
Gaya ng wine, nakadepende ang lasa ng cacao beans sa lupa, klima at lugar kung saan sila pinatubo at sa farming techniques na ginamit dito.
"Makers pay a premium for the beans which helps farmers improve their farming techniques. This then helps in producing better beans."
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. Source: Malagos Chocolate
Dahil mas maganda ang cacao beans na naaani, tumataas din ang kalidad ng tsokolate na nagagawa nila. Ayon kay Chris, "happy and proud" siyang ibahagi ang mga produkto na ito sa Australya.
BASAHIN / PAKINGGAN DIN
Better beans make for better chocolates, which Chris shares they are "happy and proud" to share with the rest of Australia. Source: Chris Uson
