These Filipino Cacao Producers Were Named Among the Best of the World in 2025

Chocolate lovers, take note: two Filipino cacao producers have just joined the global elite. In the 2025 edition of Cacao of Excellence, one of the most prestigious competitions in the chocolate world, Apoy Benit’s Cacao Agricultural Farming and David Christopher dela Serna were named among the “Best 50” cacao samples in the world.

From the Asia-Pacific region, the Philippines earned two coveted spots. Representing Eastern Visayas is Apoy Benit’s Cacao Agricultural Farming from Barangay Dagum, Calbayog City, Samar, while David Christopher dela Serna, an individual producer from Barangay Tacunan, Tugbok District, Davao City, joins from Mindanao. Both entries were recognized as commercial samples under this year’s “Best 50.”

Local chocolate makers and cacao advocates were quick to celebrate the recognition online. Among them was Auro Chocolate, which has long partnered with David Christopher dela Serna.

In a statement shared on social media, the brand announced that it was the third time their beans had made it to the Cacao of Excellence Top 50—this time through their collaboration with David in Davao. “Over the years, we have been working with Mr. Dela Serna and supporting the preservation and continuous improvement of his cacao, ensuring quality and sustainability are at the heart of every bean,” the brand wrote.

Established in 2009, Cacao of Excellence is an international program that spotlights the world’s finest cacao and the farmers behind them. Every two years, it organizes a global competition that gathers experts across the chocolate industry to assess exceptional beans and highlight the range of flavors unique to each region.

For 2025, the organizers evaluated 191 entries from 45 origins. Each sample was physically assessed, turned into cacao mass at the program’s R&D laboratory, and tasted blind by members of its Technical Committee. The 50 highest-rated beans will now advance to the next round, where they’ll be transformed into dark chocolate under identical conditions. Final results—naming the Gold, Silver, and Bronze winners—will be announced on February 20, 2026, at the Chocoa Trade Fair in Amsterdam during Amsterdam Cocoa Week.