The story of Theo & Philo is one borne out of a passion for food, fearless flavors, and the Filipinos’ timeless love affair with chocolate.

Theo is short for Theobroma Cacao, the scientific name of the cacao tree, which is the source of all chocolate. Cacao beans can only grow in regions that are within 20 degrees of the equator. This makes the Philippines the perfect place to grow them and this is rooted in the country’s agricultural heritage. The Philippines was the first Southeast Asian country to grow cacao trees.

Philo is derived from the Greek word, philos, which means love. Love for the Philippines and its many flavorful characteristics, and a love of chocolate. Philo Chua, the chocolatier behind Theo & Philo, realized the opportunity to help thrust the proud homegrown chocolates into the consciousness of the world. Since then, it has been Philo’s personal mission to grow a business anchored on sourcing and crafting high-quality chocolates straight from its very roots.

Together, Theo & Philo translates to “chocolate and love”—the very same elements that go into every bar of Theo & Philo chocolates.

Today, Theo & Philo proudly honors high-quality local ingredients—from the cacao beans of Davao in Mindanao, where fertile land and temperate climates produce some of the best cacaos in the region, and the world-famous sugar of Bacolod—and the renowned craftmanship of Filipinos as we share the distinct culture and fearless flavors of the finest single-origin chocolates from this side of the world. Every bar of Theo & Philo chocolate is a masterpiece, carefully crafted to capture the rich heritage of the Filipinos.