Moulinet Chocolat started with a Crowdfunder campaign to fund a UK-based company, and a Fine Chocolate Cooperative for the Philippines.

We are now working hard at establishing the identity of Philippine cacao in the world market.

This is our online platform for hosting e-commerce (which will be announced when completely finalised) and our advocacies in the fine/flavour cacao segment, the world of fine chocolates, and cultural heritage sector.

The Fine Chocolate Cooperative for the Philippines has been much harder to establish, due to to capital and individual membership requirements. Nevertheless Moulinet continues to campaign to improve the Philippine fine cacao sector over two fronts: first, by looking for the right partners for a conference on the history of cacao in the Philippines, as a country branding exercise Philippine heirloom cacao and its place in the Pacific cacao trail; second, by educating the Filipino public about the difference between fine vis-à-vis bulk chocolate, and the ethics behind shorter supply chain of fine/flavour cacao through more direct trade.

From Moulinet à batidor: A short history of the chocolate whisk

The following represents the intended Development Stages for Moulinet Chocolat...

STAGE 1.
Direct Trade and its Ethical Commitments
We operate based on the concept of direct trade and the ethics of equitable profit sharing behind it. There is an expectation for the premium paid for fine/flavour cacao, made by large landholding farmers, to be passed on in a transparent way to cacao workers. Thus we are currently working with landholders, medium- and small-scale chocolatiers both in the Philippines, Europe, and New Zealand in order to pass on the profits of fine cacao production to cacao workers. We are actively looking for ways not only to support the development of a local and an international market for Philippine fine/flavour cacao; for farmers to get the recognition and the right price for the quality of their beans; but also to facilitate artisanal chocolate making in the Philippines.

STAGE 2. History of Cacao Conference
This phase of development demonstrates how cacao can be used as a tool for Country Branding for the Philippines. The proposed Call for Papers about criollo cacao’s place of in the Manila-Acapulco galleon trade is intended, not only as a means of stimulating regional cooperation amongst the sites where cacao was established, but also to show cultural and creative collaborations can use history as a marketing tool.

STAGE 3. Chocolate Industry Knowledge Transfer 2016
This describes the three components of a proposed Chocolate Industry Knowledge Transfer, that has to potential to fundamentally transform the fine/flavour cacao sector of the Philippines: (i) post-harvest/fermentation/genetics; (ii) chocolate tasting/appreciation; (iii) bean to bar chocolate making.

Zoi Papalexandratou – Post harvest/fermentation/genetics
Martin Christy – Chocolate tasting/appreciation
Duffy Sheardown – Bean to bar chocolate making

STAGE 4. Institutionalization of Cacao/Chocolate Workshop
This refers to the integration of the Chocolate Industry Knowledge Transfer into the curriculum of a vocational course provider. This will provide the skilled manpower required for the emerging cacao industry, in particular in the areas of post-harvest and fermentation process, and artisanal chocolate making.

STAGE 5. Fine Chocolate Cooperative
The Fine Chocolate Cooperative represents the collective or association unifying or centralising the efforts benefitting cacao farmers, fermentation supervisors, bean to bar chocolate makers, chefs, and other professionals associated with the fine/flavour cacao and fine chocolate sectors and contribute to the skills of Filipino chocolatiers.

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