GENERAL SANTOS CITY (PIA) -- SM City General Santos in partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry XII opened Friday the three-day Cacao Mindanao Chocolate Fair where  products from homegrown businesses were showcased for everyone to view, taste, and purchase.

DTI XII Regional Director Jude Constantine S. Jaugan said the event was  designed to promote the chocolate products of cacao producers and processors in Soccsksargen such as Kablon Farm Foods, Remy Food Products, South Rays, Sebul Farm, Diomrie Farm, Don Ricardo's Chocolate Shop, and Rodrigo's Milk Chocolate, to name a few. 

“Over the years, the demand for chocolate has grown increasingly which has in turn created an opportunity for our local cacao industry as well as motivated chocolate producers to improve their production and make quality products that we can all be proud of.”

Jaugan cited the region’s geographic advantage such as the high elevation cacao plantations, and the all-year fine weather, among others has paved the way for the production of higher value cacao beans and continues to open the door for the region to solidify its position in the competitive global market.

“As a region with innovative and dedicated small to medium scale enterprises in cacao products manufacturing, and with the growing market opportunities for chocolates we hope to take advantage of this activity to help expand our people’s interest in our local products, and most importantly, boost the potential of the region’s cacao’s industry,” he said.

Mall Manager, Engr. Hermon Hernandez expressed his gratitude to DTI XII as he took pride with the launching of the first Chocolate Fair in Region 12 at SM City General Santos.

“Cacao and chocolate industries truly improved with the strengthened bean to bar initiative among cacao stakeholders in the region. We are glad that we can now mount the Chocolate Fair after a two-year hiatus. Together with DTI 12, this festival brings in together the best cacao growers and processors in Region 12.”

Hernandez said the Chocolate Fair is launched simultaneously in all SM Supermalls in Mindanao, featuring the homegrown cacao products in other parts of the island and expanding the festival to as far as Zamboanga, Cagayan de Oro, and Butuan.

“With the help of our great leaders and policy-makers, we hope to have a Chocolate Festival Week soon, which could be at par to our regular festivities. This is to fully take pride on homegrown cacao and chocolate products as the same time draw tourists to appreciate better all locally-made chocolate products,” he added.

Aside from DTI XII, SM City General Santos also partnered with the Cacao Industry Development Association of Mindanao and the city government of General Santos to launch the Chocolate Fair here at SM Event Center from May 27-29, 2022. (PGFruylan/PIA-Gensan)