Our Cacao Story
In1651, Spanish ship sailing the Acapulco-Manilla Galleon trade route brought the first cacao seeds to the Philippines, making the Philippines the first country in Asia to grow cacao.
The Roots: A Family Legacy
For 78 years, the Susada family has nurtured cacao trees on their ancestral farm in the lush soils of Mindanao.
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Generation after generation, the family has cared for these trees with patience, respect for nature, and the belief that cacao is not just a crop, but a way of life.
At the heart of this legacy is Lola Mary, the family matriarch. At 98 years old, she still tends cacao in her orchard, lovingly hand-crafting 100% cacao tablea the same way her mother once taught her. Her tablea is not just chocolate. It is memory, heritage, and a symbol of resilience.
A Daughter’s Journey
One of Lola Mary’s granddaughters, Uzziel Susada, grew up among the cacao groves, running around barefoot, helping her papa and grandma tend the trees, drying beans under the tropical sun, and learning the quiet art of fermentation that brings out chocolate’s soul.
Years later, when Uzziel moved to California, she was struck by a surprising discovery: hardly anyone knew that the Philippines even grows cacao.
She realized that her father’s life’s work, her grandmother’s tablea tradition, and the dedication of countless Filipino farmers remained invisible to the world.
A Calling,
Not Just a Business
Out of love for her papa, respect for Lola Mary, and a commitment to the farming community she grew up in, Uzziel founded Pacific Cacao Co.
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Her mission is simple yet meaningful:
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To bring Filipino cacao to the global stage
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To open doors for her family and their fellow farmers
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To honor 78 years of farming tradition with every shipment of beans
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This is not just a business venture. It is a bridge between past and future, between the Philippine countryside and chocolate makers across the world.
The Pacific Cacao Promise
When you partner with Pacific Cacao, you aren’t just sourcing cacao beans.
You are: