Bohol chocolate-maker gets gold award from London body

Young entrepreneur Dalareich Polot, earns the title Bohol’s “Chocolate Princess,” established the first and only chocolate factory in Bohol, aside from saving the cacao heritage. PHOTO BY JOSEPH EMMANUEL JAPOS

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol — A Bohol-based chocolate maker just bagged an international award.

The Dalareich 100% Unsweetened Chocolate won a Gold Award in a prestigious international London-based Academy of Chocolate Awards 2019.

This is the first time that the Philippines got the Gold Award since the international chocolate award started in 2015.

“We didn’t expect it because we are competing with chocolates from all over the world,” said Dalareich Polot.

It was the first time for Dalareich to send an entry to the international chocolate award based in London.

“Dalareich 100% Unsweetened Chocolate” got the Gold award under drinking chocolate category together with Manila-based Auro Chocolate.

Other Philippine companies such as Malagos Chocolate, Theo and Philo, got silver and bronze awards from different categories.

The Academy of Chocolate was founded in 2005 by five of Britain’s leading chocolate professionals, united in the belief that eating fine chocolate is one of life’s great pleasures.

The Academy campaigns for better chocolate and to promote a greater awareness of the difference between fine chocolate and the mass-produced chocolate confectionery, which most people eat.

According to the Academy of Chocolate, there were many participants for this year’s Chocolate Awards – featuring producers from India, Slovakia and Vanuatu for the first time – alongside products from more established chocolate making countries.

More than 1,500 entries representing producers from 46 nations have been received, making it the most successful year in the history of the awards.

Dalareich, 30, has been known as the “Chocolate Princess” in Bohol.

She established the first and only Chocolate House in the province.

She is also saving the province’s cacao trees—the seeds of which yield cocoa powder to make “tableya,” a traditional Filipino hot chocolate beverage made from 100% pure, roasted cocoa beans that are pressed into coin-shaped tablets, and, chocolates.

For her, this is just the start of making the island of Chocolate Hills known for its fine chocolates, literally.

“Bohol is already famous for its Chocolate Hills internationally. Our goal is to add another title—the ‘Home of Chocolates,’” she said.  (Editor: Leti Boniol)