Our Story
Cacao Culture Farms is a social enterprise that seeks to help cacao farmers and women in our community by developing and promoting cacao-based products and encouraging entrepreneurs to use high quality, locally and ethically sourced cacao products from the Philippines. Cacao Culture Farms' cacao products are proudly locally grown, harvested and processed in Davao City, the chocolate capital of the Philippines.
The Beginning
Cacao Culture Farms was initially set up as a cacao seedling nursery to cater to small holder farmers and private farm owners. It is accredited by Bureau of Plant Industry as a Plant Nursery Operator. Later on, the operation expanded to buying cacao beans from neighboring farmers and the founders decided to explore post-harvest processing and cacao product manufacturing. That's when they started working with more cacao farmers. Along side the nursery and post-harvest processing operations, Cacao Culture Farms has developed a 3-hectare farm in Calinan, Davao City.
Our Founders
Kenneth and Shiela Reyes-Lao were tech-entrepreneurs based in Manila. They ran a tech startup company funded by Globe Telecoms under Kickstart Ventures in 2013. They decided to move to Davao City in 2016 seeking a new pace and lifestyle away from the busy corporate and technology startup scene. Looking for opportunities, they found themselves attending agricultural seminars hosted by local organizations. They did not have any experience in agriculture but fell madly in love with Cacao and the idea that they can grow their own chocolate. They jumped into the opportunity and never looked back.
