Halal dark chocolate makes wave

MS3 AGRI-VENTURES, manufacturer of Halal raw cacao products, is now manufacturing Halal dark chocolates made from their own cacao tablea. 

 Before deciding into production of dark chocolates, MS3 agri-ventures specializes in production of tablea, powder, nibs, and tea from cacao. “We saw that the raw products are not as marketable so we decided to develop other products. So we came up with these value adding dark chocolates. We know that chocolates are fast-selling because it is ready to eat. The coffee shops can also use this as ingredient to their products,” MS3 Agri-Ventures CEO and managing director Neil “Abdul Kareem” Q. Santillan said.  

Their dark chocolates are available in 50 percent, 65 percent, and 75 percent varieties. Their 50 percent was given the name Bonchoc or “Bean of Nature Chocolate”.  

They first introduced and launched the new products in public during the 1st International Exhibition in Malaysia which was conducted last January. However, a month before that, they had already supplied stocks to an event of the Department of Tourism at Royal Mandaya. Slowly, their product was introduced to the consumers.

The chocolates are available in 20-gram and 50-gram packages. Their 20g is available for P35 or a discounted price of P100 for 3 pieces. The 50g chocolates are priced at P65 or a discounted price of P50 for orders made for at least 50 pieces.

Santillan said they had just signed a contract with one of the major supermarkets in the country allowing them to supply to 13 of its branches nationwide. He said, as they are still finalizing some documents and the supermarket branches preparing racks to display their chocolates, they target that their products will be available by March of this year.

However, anyone interested to buy their products can do so now. Orders can be made through their Facebook page MS3 Agriventures or through email ms3_agriventures@yahoo.com.

As they have first introduced the products to Malaysia through an international exhibit, booking orders from Malaysia for their products had already been made. Santillan said they are just preparing their export documents but a memorandum of understanding between MS3 Agri-Ventures and a Malaysian company distributing Halal products had been signed.

Part of the MOU is the agreement that the said Malaysian company will be the sole distributor of MS3 Agriventures’ products in Malaysia. 

“These Halal products are important not just for us, Muslims but for all because it has undergone hygienic process. The raw materials were inspected, how you made the product, until the packaging. It should really be clean. There are protocols in the operation and production that needs to be followed. Your packaging also needs to be made by a Halal company as well,” Santillan said. 

 In connection with their efforts to continually promote Halal products in the Philippines, MS3 Agriventures’ cacao tablet was awarded with Asia Halal Brand Awards in Malaysia. 

By Jennie P. Arado

Read more: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/davao/business/2018/02/06/halal-dark-chocolate-makes-wave-587595