Theo & Philo

Love for chocolate

Philo Chua lived and worked in Pittsburgh, USA for a number of years, as an IT employee. But he had always wanted to start his own company. During his time in the USA he watched the Food Network Channel and became fond of cooking. Then, a new store opened in Pittsburgh selling special chocolate from all over the world and calling it “single origin”. And even though at the time, in the USA, European chocolate was considered best, Philo realized that the beans came from the origin countries – amongst others, from his native Philippines.

At that moment, no chocolate was made in the Philippines at all, and cocoa bean farmers were suffering under the pressure of global markets. Philo decided to return home in 2007 and start making chocolate. In 2009 he sold his first bars. The chocolates are unique with bold flavours based on ingredients sourced entirely from the Philippines, and have won several prices.

Theo & Philo source their cocoa beans directly from a small cocoa farming community in Malabog, Davao. They have eliminated the middlemen and offer the farmers a better price. Additionally, the farmers are supported with funds for setting up a post harvesting infrastructure.

Theo stands for Theobroma cacao, the scientific (Latin) name for the cocoa tree. And Philo is not only Philo Chua’s first name, but also comes from the Greek word philos which means love. How beautiful is that? Theo & Philo is love for chocolate!