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'''Four years ago, François Stahl produced 100 percent Swiss chocolate with cacao fruits from the Masoala Rainforest of the Zurich Zoo - the first chocolate made of Swiss cacao. This year, the second round of the "Sélection Masoala" is introduced. The proceeds of the sale are used for a project in Madagascar which supports farmers in planting and maintaining cacao plantations. '''
''Text by By Sandra Boulos, March 2015''
A couple of years ago François Stahl could never have imagined what would emerge from a handful of cacao beans and a family tradition. Today, he sits in a coffee shop in the Swiss town of Wallisellen, and talks with enthusiasm about a new project in Madagascar and his trip to this island next year. But first things first. It all began ten years ago, following a family tradition; François Stahl and his wife planted around a dozen cacao beans in honour of their daughter's birth. Shortly afterwards, the couple donated the plants to the Masoala Rainforest of the Zurich Zoo. Within a few years, they flourished to magnificent cacao trees, bore fruits and were harvested. But what do you do with Swiss cacao fruits? The chocolate expert François Stahl did not think twice: chocolate! But not any kind of chocolate - no, the first pure Swiss chocolate with all ingredients originating from this country. The chocolate made headlines, was sold, and the proceeds were used for a good cause. Four years later, François Stahl reports on the project that was initiated with the proceeds, a project which goes far beyond the production of Swiss chocolate.
The Masoala Rainforest is a specially designed hall in the [http://www.zoo.ch/xml_1/internet/en/application/d693/d2176/d695/f699.cfm Zurich Zoo] which imitates the rainforest in Madagascar. The tropical oasis in the Zoo covers an area of some 11,000 square meters. It includes approximately 17,000 plants and trees and 430 animals. Visitors can walk around the hall and observe the plants and the animals which jump, fly and crawl around freely. The Masoala Rainforest of the Zoo Zurich opened in 2003 and is the centrepiece of the zoo's nature conservation strategy.
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The above is an English translation of an original article published in German language in the Swiss publication [http://www.avwa.ch Anzeiger von Wallisellen] on 16th October 2014.
== More information ==
* [[Sélection_Masoala]]
* [http://www.chocolatshalba.ch chocolatshalba.ch]
* [http://www.cacaotree.ch cacaotree.ch]