JUST in time for the day of love, artisans in the cacao industry of Northern Mindanao converged to showcase their locally produced chocolates in the first ever Northern Mindanao Chocolate Festival and Artisinal Fair at the fifth floor of SM CDO Downtown Premier.

The chocolate festival and artisinal fair, a collaborative event by SM and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-Northern Mindanao, is to give avenue for cacao producers to promote their local products as part of DTI's 2016-2022 Philippine Cacao Industry Road Map.

“We have been looking for avenues to promote and strengthen the cacao industry in the Philippines, especially in Mindanao. DTI is committed to establish a globally competitive and sustainable cacao industry as envisioned in the 2016-2022 Philippine Cacao Industry Road Map,” DTI-Misamis Oriental director Almer Masillones said.

SM CDO Downtown Premier Mall manager Evageline Ditona, for her part, was hopeful that the event will open more doors for the 20 participating exhibitors to manufacture their full line of artisinal chocolate.

“SM Downtown Premier saw the need to organize the first ever artisinal chocolate fair to give way for our local cacao producers from Bukidnon, Misamis Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Cagayan de Oro City, and Camiguin to showcase their produce in one amazing event,” Ditona said.

She also encouraged everyone to support the participating local producers through purchasing their products.

“We look forward to more years of chocolate fair here at SM Downtown Premier. We are positive that more local producers will venture into chocolate making,” Ditona said.

The Northern Mindanao Chocolate Festival and Artisinal Fair will run from February 13 until 16.