The Forecasted Rise of Kasama

There is a famous debate in economics known as the infant industry argument. The crux of it asks whether a developing industry within a country will benefit from fierce protection against international competition. As this House’s interests lie in the creative promulgation and distribution of hot chocolate within this city, I find myself wondering whether entrepreneurial Vancouver-based chocolatiers deserve a degree of partiality to promote their success and continued ingenuity. I thus face the classic choice between objective critique or unjustified praise to fuel my cocoa demagogue ambitions.

Alas, my chief loyalty lies not with any person, not even myself, and not even with hot chocolate’s glorious sweeping of the drink market. Indeed, it lies only with the honest crafting of quality hot chocolate. It is with this sentiment that I impartially present my review of Vancouver-based Kasama Chocolate’s Pastillas de Leche Hot Chocolate, an entry for the 2025 Vancouver Hot Chocolate Festival.

The drink is “inspired by Filipino water buffalo milk” and features a splash of sweetened condensed milk, whipped cream, and pieces of jackfruit chips. Naturally, the hot chocolate leaned heavily towards the taste of fruit. It is important to note that Kasama Chocolate already leans this way sans jackfruit. Indeed, chocolate produced at lower temperatures – which I highly suspect is the case for Kasama – tends to feature notes of fruit and florals. Altogether, this made the drink quite sweet.

Subtle cocoa flavours coloured my sips, and the milk and cream blended smoothly with the melted chocolate. The variation between rich cream, tropical jackfruit, and acidic chocolate was intriguing, but a far cry from revolutionary. The Trophy of Mediocrity is perhaps its highest glory. If this drink were an industry, it would be in need of much development.

There is one thing I must beg of Kasama: do substitute your shards of jackfruit for an extract. It was thoroughly unpleasant to drink a smooth chocolate intermingled with barely chewable fruit pieces that wedged themselves in my teeth. They are entirely unnecessary and, frankly, risk eternal damnation. It is fortunate that Kasama chocolates have an intriguing flavour profile to compensate; that is what secures this drink a spot in Purgatory.

Honest review of Vancouver chocolatiers invokes another economic theory: having belief in the potential and genius of a domestic industry. This House never settles for mediocrity not out of cruelty but out of a true faith that chocolate genius lies within our midst. Kasama, with effort, can become an even greater hot chocolate crafter. The first step is eliminating chunks of jackfruit. I am on my knees, imploring you.