Euden Valdez - Philstar.com
February 14, 2025 | 10:40am
MANILA, Philippines — Many of us have probably heard of this chocolate fact: Cacao beans were as valuable as gold in Aztec culture.
It can be thus said that adoration for chocolate began in ancient times. As early as the 1500 B.C., cacao trees were already being cultivated and grown in Central and South America. The beans of these trees would soon be discovered as the prized ingredient for chocolate drink, which the Olmec, Mayan and Aztec civilizations loved.
While the association of Valentine’s Day to romance dates back to the 13th century, its commercialization as a public holiday came much later in the 1840s thanks to Queen Victoria of Great Britain. The people of the time, called Victorians, “…loved showering their significant others with Cupid-bedecked gifts and cards, but Valentine’s Day was about to get happier,” the Smithsonian magazine reported.
The reason, chocolates! Thanks to George and Richard Cadbury—brother scions of the British chocolate manufacturing company—looked for a way to make chocolates more “palatable.” In 1866, they turned their company’s drink made with cocoa butter into totally unadulterated cocoa, making it “Absolutely pure, therefore the best!”
It marked a major turning point for the company as it soon led to the creation of Cadbury Dairy Milk, which combined a glass and half of milk with the pure cocoa butter. And this new product would be marketed in heart-shaped boxes with Cupids and rosebuds—making it a perfect and romantic Valentine gift.
This helped give way to the tradition of giving chocolates during Valentine’s Day, which to this day remains.
As a celebration-loving race who value family, friendship and different forms of relationships, we Filipinos quickly picked up the gesture, putting chocolates at the heart of unforgettable Valentine moments.
When we were young, we gave chocolates on Valentine’s Day to confess our feelings to our crushes in school, or the other way around as the recipient. Then we grew up and still gifted chocolates to express affection, gratitude, and love for the important people in our lives.
Understanding this fully well, Mondelez International in the Philippines continues to set the standard for meaningful connections and gifting during the love holiday.
As the company behind well-loved chocolate brands Cadbury Dairy Milk and Toblerone, Mondelez International is empowering Filipinos to celebrate love in heartfelt, thoughtful and memorable ways this Valentine’s Day 2025.
With Cadbury Dairy Milk, acknowledge that despite differences in relationships, love is “perfectly imperfect.” Love and understanding will overcome different genres of music, different travel goals, or different dining preferences.
This is what Cadbury Dairy Milk is highlighting this love month as it introduces “Perfectly Imperfect” Cadbury packaging. With its smooth chocolate that melts your heart, choose from Milk Chocolate, Fruit & Nut and Hazelnut flavors to express your perfectly imperfect love with your special someone.
On the other hand, Toblerone stands out with its iconic triangular shape, premium Swiss chocolate, and customized packaging. As the chocolate that’s never square, expect to have unique and distinct celebrations with your loved ones.
Its tagline “Never Square” emphasizes personal connections through creativity and individuality—making it the perfect gift not just for romantic reasons but also for expression of appreciation or affection to people we value. It can be our besties since childhood, our team leads in the office, or our titas and titos too.
With these unique messaging, Cadbury Dairy Milk and Toblerone make the most thoughtful Valentine’s Day gifts, while being great for snacking too with their delicious chocolate products.
