Sweet win! Auro Chocolate among Top 50 Best Cacao Beans in the World

MANILA, Philippines – Homegrown tree-to-bar artisanal chocolatier Auro does it again! Auro Chocolate’s partner Saloy Organic Farmers Association (SOFA) is the Philippines’ lone representative in the annual Top 50 Best Cacao Producers in the World list.

Judged by the international Cacao of Excellence Awards, SOFA was selected out of a diverse and global roster of 222 “exceptional entries” of samples from 52 cacao origins.

Based in Saloy, Davao, SOFA is committed to sustainable agriculture, and its producers have partnered with Auro Chocolate for their chocolate-making process since 2015. However, the organization was formally created under Auro Chocolate’s Organic Conversion Program (OCP) in 2021. Since then, Auro has been supporting the cacao producers in their mission of sustainable and organic agriculture.

Represented by Judith Gabasa, this year’s inclusion marks SOFA’s second entry to the Cacao of Excellence Awards’s annual best-of list. The organization first placed in the esteemed list in 2022. In addition to this accolade, SOFA was also honored at the Philippine Cacao Quality Awards 2022 as one of the “top producers of quality cacao.”

“It’s the 2nd time for our farming partners to be awarded this prestigious award! A NEW Philippine origin no less! Saloy!” Auro Chocolate said on their Facebook page.

SOFA’s journey at the Cacao of Excellence Awards isn’t over – the Davao-based farmers will proceed to the awarding’s final leg, where the bronze, silver, and gold winners will be chosen from the pool of 50 producers. Winners will be announced at the Amsterdam-based Chocoa event awarding ceremony on February 8, 2024.

Auro Chocolate is an internationally awarded and sustainable tree-to-bar chocolate brand working with local farmers to produce Filipino cacao beans and chocolate products with unique and tropical flavors. – Rappler.com