Each year, we propagate seedlings from pods, hand-picked from the native cacao variety at the foot of Mayon Volcano.
Currently, we have planted 28,000 trees with more than 500 farmers. Around 4,000 trees are currently fruiting and each year, the harvest grows exponentially.
We have 38 buying stations scattered around Mount Mayon region and at least once a week, our truck buys and collects fresh harvest.
With thorough research, and working hand-in-hand with local government agencies, we developed our own method of processing and established a cacao processing factory where the pods are opened, beans are fermented, dried, roasted and processed through to the cacao nib stage.
Tempering creates shine and snap by controlling the crystallization of cacao butter in the chocolate.
We are using the Tabling Method in tempering our chocolates.
Well-tempered chocolate has a firm snap, and it prevents bloom. It also gives you the best ‘mouth feel’ – smooth & slow melting.
Tempering doesn’t change the ‘flavour’ of the chocolate but it does change the way we experience the flavour. Moreover, we prefer tempering by hand or tabling method instead of using tempering machines because it creates employment especially for the single mothers that we currently have as part of the production team.
In our Chocolate Laboratory, the final and delicate processing and retail packaging is done, with the help of local experts, half of whom are single mothers in the locality.
Mayon Gold is the true ‘Tree-to-Bar’ Craft chocolate, processed from the very beginning until the final product that you purchase.