Auro Chocolate is among the world’s top 50 best cacao beans | New Day
It was a sweet win for a Filipino chocolate brand after it joined the list of the Top 50 Best Cacao Beans in the World.
But it’s not just about raising our flag but also helping and working directly with our local farmers to promote sustainability.
To tell us more about this achievement are Auro Chocolate co-founders and Managing Directors, Kelly Go and Mark Ocampo.
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But it’s not just about raising our flag but also helping and working directly with our local farmers to promote sustainability.
To tell us more about this achievement are Auro Chocolate co-founders and Managing Directors, Kelly Go and Mark Ocampo.
Visit our website for more #NewsYouCanTrust: https://www.cnnphilippines.com/
Follow our social media pages:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CNNPhilippines
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cnnphilippines/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/cnnphilippines
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00:00 It was a sweet win for a Filipino chocolate brand after it joined the list of the top 50 best cacao beans in the world.
00:07 But it's not just about raising our flag, but also helping and working directly with local farmers to promote sustainability.
00:13 And to tell us more about this achievement, we have with us Auro Chocolate co-founders and managing directors, Kelly Goh and Mark Ocampo.
00:20 Good morning, guys.
00:21 Morning.
00:22 So great to have you here.
00:23 So first, congratulations on winning this award.
00:26 Tell us a little bit about how you came to be in the running for being among the best cacao beans in the world.
00:34 Any of you can take that.
00:37 So actually, every country is actually represented in the Cacao of Excellence Award.
00:43 And so typically what happens is that there's a nationwide panel.
00:48 They select three different participants specifically in the Philippines and then from there, they're selected.
00:56 They're narrowed down specifically for the international competition.
01:00 And so we were just very excited to find out that we had won.
01:04 It's really such an honor.
01:06 Right. So you were up against all the other countries in the world, is that right?
01:10 So we have a cacao growing, which is located around the equator.
01:14 So there are actually over 220 entries worldwide.
01:19 And we were very fortunate to have made it to the top 50.
01:22 And they'll be announcing from there that lists there will be regional winners that they'll be announcing in Amsterdam in February.
01:28 So fingers crossed. We're very excited.
01:30 Hope we make it all the way.
01:31 What does it mean for you guys personally and for your business to have won this award?
01:36 I think that it's really about better representation of the Philippines.
01:40 Of course, cacao has been in the Philippines for a long time.
01:42 But then in terms of getting recognized or for even people knowing about cacao and chocolate in the Philippines,
01:48 it's not something that people immediately associate it with.
01:51 And so we're really trying to kind of support more local farmers specifically
01:56 and give them a platform to showcase the incredible work that they're doing to the rest of the world.
02:02 Right. And that's something that's always puzzled me
02:04 because the Philippines is in the chocolate cacao belt, as you said.
02:08 Right. But it's maybe only been in the past decade or two that we've started really producing world class end product chocolates.
02:17 Because normally, you know, you're like, oh, there's Belgian chocolates or Swiss chocolates.
02:20 And like they're nowhere near the coffee belt. Right.
02:23 Tell us about the process that it took to get us here.
02:27 So what's amazing about the Philippines, as you said, is we have this is cultural significance.
02:31 First country in Asia to plant cacao. But we're not known for it because it was a huge shift in our own industry with,
02:38 you know, this bean to bar craft chocolate and now tree to bar,
02:41 which is actually like that it's now cacao producing countries also producing the chocolate.
02:46 These are really new concept. I mean, you know, truthfully, cacao doesn't grow in Europe nor in North America.
02:52 Right. Right. But yet they are the countries known for the final product.
02:55 So I think what's great about this as we get recognition for the raw material, not only for the raw material,
03:00 but also for our chocolate, that we're able to do more of the process,
03:05 the entire process in cacao growing countries and also make products that represent us more, our culture, our taste.
03:14 Right. It's taken a while, but we're here. We're and we're continuing to grow in that respect.
03:19 But let's talk about the beans. What are the specific flavor profiles of the beans?
03:24 And you know how like when it comes to wine, the sommeliers are so specific about it.
03:28 It's from this region, from this winery, even from this plot of land, because it has a certain terroir or whatever.
03:36 Is it that complex and specific when it comes to cacao beans now?
03:40 Yes, absolutely. It definitely depends on the different varieties, the environment, the location, the elevation,
03:47 like maybe different crops that actually grow around it as well.
03:50 Cacao definitely has a lot of amazing flavor profiles that I feel like people don't really realize.
03:56 So, of course, there are like berry notes, for example, there are floral notes, there are nutty notes,
04:01 sometimes even more savory notes, like in terms of more herbs, etc.
04:07 And those are really things that people don't realize are actually indicative of quality cacao beans or quality chocolate.
04:14 And so for us, it's really about focusing on the process and really going back to the land and showcasing like how incredible
04:21 these ingredients or like these raw materials are, especially coming from the Philippines,
04:26 which has an incredibly rich cultural heritage of growing and consuming cacao and chocolate.
04:33 Well, you guys have mastered the art of getting these flavors, extracting them from the beans and producing amazing products.
04:43 Tell us a little bit about what you have on offer for the holidays. Where can we find you? Where can we shop you?
04:49 Sure. So you can always check out our website, ourchocolate.com, as well as our Instagram.
04:53 And we now have a lot of new holiday flavors coming out, especially in Oro Café.
04:59 So we have like limited edition holiday bonbons that feature really nostalgic, well-loved holiday flavors,
05:07 as well as at Oro, people know that we're always launching new products.
05:11 And so our latest line would be our dragées.
05:14 These are chocolate-covered caramelized nuts, which are highly snackable for yourself or for sharing.
05:23 Right. And what are your personal favorites from everything you've produced?
05:26 Oh, my goodness. So I really love our calamansi cheesecake, which I think is a newer flavor,
05:31 but it's something that has really kind of taken, taken, taken legs in a sense.
05:38 And I really love our new products, which are the hazelnut dragées, which are chocolate-covered hazelnuts.
05:43 Those are super addicting.
05:45 I got to try those. And for you, Kelly?
05:47 Oh, my favorites always change. I get to find, we have, obviously we have a product for every mood that you're in.
05:54 One of my favorites right now is all of the collaboration products we have with Mitsukoshi.
05:58 So that's really, truly a marriage of Japanese and Filipino flavor and ingenuity.
06:03 So one of the newest flavors that came out is caramelized white chocolate with miso.
06:08 Wow. And, and sichimi, which is like seven Japanese spice.
06:14 So that's really a combination of something very caramel, sweet, and then a bit savory.
06:18 So here, you know, at our, we're always playful, like to push the boundaries and always give some people something new.
06:24 Yeah, it sounds amazing. Well, guys, please, for chocolate lovers like me and all over the world, please keep doing what you're doing.
06:31 Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you so much for being here, guys.
06:34 That was Mark and Kelly joining us here on New Day.