Chocolate makers using Madagascar cocoa

The three major Madagascar chocolate makers, Chocolaterie Robert, Chocolaterie Cinagra and Chocolaterie Colbert, all produce their chocolates in Madagascar using only Madagascar sourced cocoa. Apart from these locally based companies, several chocolate makers in various other countries also use Madagascan cocoa but which have been exported to their factory locations where their chocolates are produced and packaged.

In cases where producers begin their chocolate production process using whole cocoa beans exported from Madagascar, as opposed to pre-processed and crushed cocoa, they qualify as “bean-to-bar” chocolate makers using Madagascar sourced cocoa. Additionally, some specially branded products are made and packaged in Madagascar by either Cinagra or Chocolaterie Robert for export only on behalf of resellers in other countries.

The various brands using Madagascan cocoa, whether they are brands intended for export only, bean-to-bar products or otherwise, not including the main three local Madagascar chocolate brands, are listed below:

• Patric Chocolate - a US-based micro, bean-to-bar, chocolate maker.
• Amano Artisan Chocolate - a US-based bean-to-bar chocolate factory making a 70% Malagasy cocoa bar.
• Amedei - an Italian-based chocolate maker producing a bar with 70% cocoa content.
• Coppeneur Chocolate - a German chocolate maker which has a small cocoa plantation on Nosy Be Island.
• Sambirano Madagascar - a 70% cocoa bar by the Italian chocolate maker Domori.
• Eilles Madagaskar - a 37% cocoa milk chocolate by German chocolate maker Eilles.
• Madécasse - a chocolate produced in Madagascar by Cinagra and exported to USA, Canada and Germany.
• Excellence Madagascar Noir - a 65% cocoa based chocolate with a light vanilla flavour, part of Lindt's Excellence range.
• VAO VAO - a chocolate produced in Madagascar by Chocolaterie Robert and exported to the US.
• Sambirano - a 70% cocoa Madagascar bar from Rougue Chocolatier in the US.
• Madagaskar & Ambanja - a 46% cocoa milk chocolate and a limited edition 72% dark chocolate by J.D. Gross.
• Madanga - a 39% cocoa bar made by German chocolate maker Rausch Schokolade.
• Pierre Hermé Paris - a 75% Madagascar cocoa chocolate sold in France.
• Mangaro by Michel Cluizel is a 65% cocoa bar made in France with cocoa from the Mangaro plantation in the Sambirano Valley.
• Pralus - a 75% cocoa Madagascar bar sold in France.
• Thorntons - a 32% cocoa Madagascar bar.
• Åkesson's - a dark bar made with cacao grown on the Ambolikapiky Plantation in Sambirano.
• Madagascar 67% cocoa by US bean-to-bar chocolate maker Snake & Butterfly.

A 72% cocoa limited edition “Ambanja” bar by J.D. Gross