I recently participated in a virtual coffee and chocolate tasting hosted online by The Philippine consulate. Featured local coffee roaster KAPE Coffee who imports the green beans from the Philippine’s and then roasts their coffee here locally.

Iona and Paolo Fresnoza both grew up in the Philippine’s, over time each moved to Canada settling in Vancouver, a few years ago they both decided to start a coffee company importing the coffee beans from back home in the Philippine’s.

Kape is a beans to cup company an importer of the green beans, they then roast their coffee locally and package it for distribution as well as retail to consumers.

I brewed up one of the coffee’s (Ate Marivic Dubria) at home in my french press, a very smooth and tasty coffee.

Their coffees are available to purchase direct online here or you can contact them about obtaining their coffee in other ways.

They also featured Kasama Chocolate who makes their chocolates locally on Granville Island. They import the cacao beans from the Philippine’s, as a bean to bar company they then roast the beans and make their chocolates locally at their place on Granville Island.

Kasama means togetherness, friendship, camaraderie and collaboration, and that is exactly what their chocolate is all about! Kasama Chocolate is a group of four friends: Stefan, Dom, Oliver and Vince who make small batch, hand crafted, bean-to-bar chocolate and truffles in Vancouver, BC.

I loved both the Blueberry Dark Chocolate as well as the 70% Davao as I prefer darker chocolate over the others.

They have won many international awards for their chocolates over the past few years. I look forward to learning more about them as well as trying more of their chocolates. You can purchase their chocolates on Granville Island at their retail shop located at 2-1244 Cartwright Street in Vancouver or purchase online here.

By: Richard Wolak