CHOCOLAT MADAGASCAR | Single Origin Fine Dark Chocolate | 100% Cacao | 85 g

Product Information

We will call our coffee Arabica Elita,' Spiliopoulos says, 'and we will start a branding system, like appellation controlée for wines, for gourmet coffee grown in this district. To be competitive with the great coffees, we have to limit our production and focus on quality. The maximum we will ever produce in this region is 1,200 tons a year.' Malagasy has shown a strong interest and samples have been tested for quality by CIRAD, a certifying body in Montpellier, France. 'They liked it,' Spiliopoulos enthuses, 'and I believe we have a strong chance of being among the best three coffees in the world.' Unfortunately, current labelling rules don’t allow consumers to easily distinguish between single-origin chocolate made in the origin country and single-origin chocolate harvested in one country but made elsewhere, so it’s left to manufacturers, distributors and retailers to explain. Chocolat Madagascar uses the Raise Trade label, a movement seeking to positively identify products manufactured in the country of origin. How can cacao producers benefit? Exclusive to Henley Bridge the range is now available in chocolate drop format to make it easier for bakers, pastry chefs and chocolatiers to use in their creations. Equitrade also has its critics - the main objection being that its integrity rests with those who already have money, power and influence. Malagasy, for example, is described as a 'partnership' between Noetic Associates and the Ramanandraibe family - which owns not just the Ambanja export business but the chocolate factory in the capital (Chocolaterie Robert) where Malagasy bars are made. Another supporter is Marc Ravalomanana, the president of Madagascar - a country with a turbulent history, even by the breathtaking standards of other tropical islands where Marxist leaders have literally fought to fill the political vacuum after colonial rule. Cinagra's 72% cocoa Tsar bar with roasted cocoa nibs and its 44% cocoa variety with natural vanilla

Cocoa was introduced to the island of Madagascar by the French in the 19th century. The majority of the cacao plantations in existence today are run by descendants of the same families who have been growing and harvesting the beans for generations. Flavor Profile of Madagascar Chocolate The ancients of Mesoamerica called chocolate a divine magical potion. Now, research claims that in its raw, bitter form, without processing or sugar, cocoa wards off cancer, lowers blood pressure, and improves memory. Cacao, the less-processed form of cocoa, is high in antioxidants and its anti-inflammatory chemicals, called flavonoids, are making their way into health and wellness products. It even promises spiritual awakening in trendy Cacao Ceremonies handed down from the Mayans and Aztecs. It is the skill of the origin farmer, fermenter, and chocolatier to bring the best sensorial experience from each seasonal nurtured harvest to the consumer -- Neil Kelsall, Marketing Director , Chocolat Madagascar​ One of only a few chocolate makers in the world that makes chocolate at its source, Menakao proudly sources and crafts its chocolate on the island, using only local ingredients. Unfortunately, this is rare even for craft chocolate – it’s estimated that less than 5% of the world’s chocolate is produced in the same country the cocoa is grown. The more recently established Chocolaterie Cinagra has been making chocolate at their Antananarivo based factory since 2006, also using single origin cacao grown on plantations within the Sambirano region. In 2009 their 63% cocoa based Tsar bar won first price at the Salon de Chocolat Paris in France. Since 2008, Cinagra produces chocolate for Madécasse - a US importer and brand, sold primarily in the US and Canada as well as Germany.There’s two variants of vegan chocolate available on the market – passively/accidentally vegan and certified vegan. The first is where companies develop recipes using no animal products. These are often produced in factories that handle animal products (most typically, milk). While the product will be branded ‘vegan’, small print on the rear of the bar usually explains it is produced in a facility that handles non-vegan ingredients. Certified vegan products are those that have been vetted by external auditors to ensure the product uses vegan ingredients and the production process minimises cross-contamination as far as practically possible. I suppose there’s still a small risk of cross-contamination on certified products but I would expect a far smaller chance of this occurring.

Located in the Sambirano Valley, in the North-West of Madagascar, the plantation produces since 1920 world-famous aromatic cocoa. Besides 300 tons per year of Madagascar Trinitario cocoa, a very limited production of Criollo cocoa (2 tons per year) is harvested separately. This chocolate has a very expressive cocoa aroma with subtle fruity-sweet tartness and pleasant flavour notes that evoke citrus and red berries. Awards: As well as a successful business producing premium chocolate bars, MIA is also one of the companies at the forefront of efforts pushing for change in the cocoa sector, by basically either paying farmers more for their beans - and in MIA’s case bringing a value-added share of a chocolate bar, by keeping production in the origin country. Although this price premium is positive for cocoa growers, the beans remain a raw material export. The chocolate is then manufactured in Europe or North America, with ingredients (cocoa butter, milk, sugar) sourced elsewhere. Most of the costs are added outside the country of origin; typically, raw ingredients only make up about 3% of a bar’s price. Our first production unit was set up in 2005 and development started with our first recipes, with the help of a French Maître Chocolatier. The country’s slash-and-burn approach to farming is evident in an endless stretch of treeless rice patties; some cacao parcels where more progressive growing practices haven’t been introduced contain small trees bearing little fruit.

The reverse of the boxes is a little less exciting, but contains the obligatory ingredients list and nutritional information. The bars are labelled as suitable for vegetarians, and all three carry a warning that these products may contain nuts. It also mentions that all three bars are produced in Germany using single-origin cocoa from the respective sources. The new idea of single-origin chocolate means that all the ingredients in the couverture (the wholesale/bulk cocoa used by chefs, chocolatiers etc) must come from the same country and be processed locally. According to the World Resources Institute, one 200-gram bar of dark chocolate made from cocoa from a cleared rainforest contributes the CO2 equivalent of a petrol-driven car travelling just five miles.