TAGUM CITY, Davao del Norte — A family cacao farm here has evolved into Cocoa Kraftique, a new tablea producer led by entrepreneur Lorraine Rebato, who officially launched the business in 2024 and now supplies her signature tablea exclusively to Kreativ Café in Magugpo Poblacion.
Cocoa Kraftique transforms homegrown cacao into authentic tablea, turning more than two decades of family farming knowledge into a purpose-driven local enterprise. The company emphasizes organic practices, product quality, and community support as it scales operations from farm to café.
Cocoa Kraftique was formalized in 2024 after Lorraine and her family decided to add value to their long-cultivated cacao harvest. The family has tended cacao trees for over 20 years, developing cultivation techniques through hands-on experimentation and training. Cocoa Kraftique grows its own beans, processes them into tablea, and supplies the product to Kreativ Café, where customers can order chocolate drinks and local delicacies made with the tablea.
Lorraine said initial capital outlay for cacao-processing equipment posed a major hurdle, prompting targeted investments to ensure product quality. Recruiting farm labor has been difficult as fewer people enter agriculture, and building effective employee management remains an ongoing priority.
She also credited leadership and people-management improvements with helping stabilize the workforce.
Quality, health, and organic transition
Cocoa Kraftique positions itself on quality rather than price, marketing its tablea as a healthier option due to careful processing and organic cultivation. The COVID-19 pandemic triggered a decisive shift to organic farming and the production of on‑site fertilizers, a move Lorraine describes as strengthening the farm’s self-reliance and sustainability.
Support from the Department of Trade and Industry helped Lorraine strengthen marketing, product development, and value-adding capabilities through mentorship programs. The business creates local employment, contributes to chapel construction and maintenance, and supports barangay events. Lorraine says the company measures success by community well-being as much as by financial returns.
Cocoa Kraftique currently employs three regular staff members and three part-time workers. The business has not yet fully recovered its startup costs but reports certified products and a self-reliant farm. Lorraine projects continued innovation, market responsiveness, and gradual growth as the company pursues broader opportunities.
Lorraine also urges aspiring entrepreneurs to conduct feasibility studies, remain hands-on, build durable systems, and return to their original purpose when facing setbacks. She said family, community, and health remain the guiding values as Cocoa Kraftique moves forward. (FRG/PIADavao/DTI11).