Madagascar Chocolate
Madagascar is not widely known for its chocolate production, at least not in comparison to Switzerland or Belgium. But as chocolate experts already know, Madagascar is a high quality cocoa producing nation that has two major bean-to-bar chocolate factories, making delicious chocolate using premium quality cocoa that grow exclusively in the Ambanja region 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 colonial times, 1937 to be precise. In those days, Madagascar was a major cocoa exporter to a metropolitan France. Today Madagascar's cocoa production is tiny in comparison to the Ivory Coast which produce about 38% of the world's cocoa, while almost all cocoa grown in Madagascar come from an area about 50-kilometre in radius and represent less than 1% of the world's cocoa production. The area is Sambirano, which is also the name of a river with its source in the foothills of Madagascar's highest peak. The Sambirano riverbed and its surrounding cocoa plantations are enriched with nutrients in the soil by annual floods. Unlike many cocoa producing regions and nations, the area of Sambirano 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 operated by small and independent family-run farming businesses, who have been growing cocoa in their natural environment for generations without use of fertilisers and other mass farming techniques. While slave labour is commonly reported in the cocoa industry, especially in the Ivory Coast, it is non-existent in Madagascar. Much of Sambirano's cocoa grow on former fruit plantations that were in use during the French colonial period. The result is a crop with a uniquely fruity flavour that that is naturally sweet and especially suitable for producing non-bitter dark chocolates without use of excessive sugar content and various unatural flavoring agents. The final product is generally rich in antioxidant flavoinoids, the healthy ingredients found in high proportions in pure Malagasy cocoa.
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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 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 based 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 chocolate for Madecasse, a brand which is exported and sold primarily within US and Canada.
A third and tiny but nonetheless appreciated Malagasy chocolate maker is Chocolaterie Colbert. Although they do not run their own farms or buy and process cocoa directly from farmers they cannot be classified a bean-to-bar producer, their recipes are their own and since they buy the raw ingredients from both Chocolaterie Robert and Cinagra, their final products are of single Malagasy origin. Colbert's highly priced range of handmade pralines and chocolate bars can be found only at Pâtisserie Colbert in Antananarivo. Their chocolates, handmade by a small team of talented chocolatiers, is always sold fresh at the counter and make ideal presents for special occasions.
Madagascar is not an heavily industrialised mass farming nation of any measure, and thus it's cocoa remains relatively short in supply. Perhaps this explains why Madagascar chocolates cannot easily be found outside Madagascar. A good tip for anyone visiting the country: Buy and bring with you back home as many of Robert's, Cinagra's and Colbert's bars and pralines as your budget or suitcase will allow, because it's unlikely that you will find a similar or high quality chocolate at the same price anywhere else in the world!
