Madagascar Chocolate
Madagascar is not widely known for their chcolate production, at least not in comparison to Switzerland or Belgium. Madagascar is however a high quality cocoa producing nation which has two major bean-to-bar chocolate factories producing premium quality chocolate made with cocoa from the Ambanja province in the northwest of the country.
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In fact, Madagascar has a long history of chocolate production, dating back to the early years of the French colonisation, 1937 to be precise. In those days when metropolitan France, Madagascar was considered a major cocoa exporter. Today Madagascar's cocoa production is tiny in comparison to the Ivory Coast which produce about 3?% of the world cocoa while almost all cocoa grown in Madagascar come from an area about 50-kilometre in radius and which represents less than one percent of the world's cocoa production.
The area is Sambirano, which is also the name of a river sourced in the foothills of Madagascar's highest peak. The Sambirano riverbed and its surrounding plantations are enriched with nutrients in the soil by its yearly floods. Unlike many other cocoa producing nations the area is unique in that it yields cocoa crop all year round. There is plenty of Criollo (the finest), Forastero (the most common used for bulk cocoa) and Trinitario (a cross between the two).
Most if not all cocoa plantations in Madagascar are run by small
independent family farming businesses who have been growing cocoa in
a very natural environment for generations the use of fertilisers
and other mass farming techniques. Slave labour which which
is commonly reported in the cocoa industry, especially in the Ivory Coast,
is non-existent in Madagascar.
Most cocoa in Madagascar grow on former fruit plantations that were in use during the French colonial period. The result is a unique and fruity flavour that that is naturally sweet and especially suitable for producing non-bitter dark chocolate without excessive sugar content.
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Chocolaterie Robert and Cinagra are the only two bean-to-bar chocolate producers in Madagascar. Their chocolate is of single Malagasy origin, meaning they grow their cocoa and produce their finished chocolates in Madagascar.
Chocolaterie Robert dates back to 1937, when a French couple, Mr and Mrs Robert, set up Madagascar's first chocolate factory in Brickaville. Today Chocolaterie Robert's bars can be found everywhere from small village shops to upmarket confectionery stores in metropolitan areas. In 2006 Chocolaterie Robert's Mora Mora and Sambirano brands respectively won the Chocolate Academy's Silver Cup and the Best Buy Ethical Award.
The second largest and more recently established Malagasy chocolate maker, Cinagra, has been making chocolate at their Antananarivo factory since 2006, also using single origin cocoa grown in the Sambirano region.
In 2009 their 63% cocoa based Tsar bar won first price at the Salon de Chocolat Paris in France and since 2008, Cinagra is producing the chocolate for Madecasse, a brand which is exported and sold primarily in the US and Canada.
A third, tiny but nonetheless noteworthy Malagasy chocolate maker is Chocolaterie Colbert. Although they do not grow their own cocoa and can therefore not be classified a bean-to-bar producer, their recipes are their own and since they buy the raw ingredients from Chocolaterie Robert and Cinagra, their products are of single Madagascar origin. Colbert's highly priced range of handmade pralines and chocolate bars can be found only at the Patisserie Colbert in Antananarivo. Colbert's chocolate made by small team of talented chocolatiers and always fresh at the counter. Their gift-wrapped chocolate creations make ideal presents for special occasions.
As Madagascar is not an heavily industrialised mass farming state of any kind, it's cocoa is relatively short in supply. It's total production amounts to less than 1% of the world's cocoa. On this note, Robert's, Colbert's or Cinagra's chocolates cannot easily be found outside Madagacar. A good tip for anyone who is visiting Madagascar: Bring as many Chocolaterie Robert, Cinagra and Colbert bars your budget or suitcase can carry, because it's highly unlikely that you will come across the same high quality chocolate at a similar price anywhere else in the world!
