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Story NAM THI
Photos MAROU
The finest chocolate is produced right from the source. Local brand Marou has put Vietnamese bean-to-bar chocolate on the world map.
100% made in Vietnam
Stepping into a Maison Marou café or shop and savoring its delicious chocolates, one might wonder how Vietnam has become the home of some of the world’s finest bean-to-bar chocolate.
More than a decade ago, two Frenchmen living in Vietnam, Vincent Mourou and Samuel Maruta, decided to abandon their stable jobs in advertising and banking to research and pursue a daring idea: producing chocolate right on the land where cacao beans grow.
From the start, Sam and Vincent traveled across various cacao-growing regions in Vietnam to collect the highest quality raw materials. The budding chocolatiers quickly noticed that the cacao beans possessed distinctive flavors depending on the soil, climate, water source and even the farming techniques used in each area. Vincent recalls that he and his close friend would open each bag of cacao, hold the beans in their hands, inhale the aroma, taste the flavor and carefully observe the color. Each step in the process resembled the way one might savor a glass of fine wine.
After six months and 55 experimental samples in Sam’s small kitchen, Marou succeeded in creating its first six chocolate bars, each reflecting the taste and the source location of the cacao beans that gave the chocolate its distinctive flavor: Dak Lak 70%, Tien Giang 70%, Dong Nai 72%, Lam Dong 74%, Ba Ria 76% and Ben Tre 78%. All are dark chocolates, without any added additives or flavorings.
Marou has continued to expand its offerings from single-origin bars to pairings with fruits and nuts and other specialty items. Building on the meticulous approach of their founders, any staff member at Maison Marou’s 12 retail branches around Vietnam can professionally introduce customers to the distinctive features of the Marou Tien Giang chocolate bar along with further products with its cinnamon and honey flavors or the Marou Lam Dong bar, which carries deep coffee accents. Ingredients such as cane sugar, lotus seeds, cinnamon, star anise, kumquat, passion fruit and coffee are all sown and raised by dedicated Vietnamese farmers.
Crafted with love
Chocolates by Marou Faiseurs de Chocolat have received numerous awards and commendations and proudly stand among the best in the world as acknowledged by the Academy of Chocolate in the United Kingdom. To achieve this recognition required more than just high-quality natural cacao beans: Marou chocolates also needed the love and care of both the founders and their myriad Vietnamese partners. From farm to shop, Marou has forged strong connections with everyone involved. To consistently maintain the highest quality of cacao beans, farmers are educated and updated on the latest cultivation process for cacao trees. The result is a sense of pride and passion for the products they helping to create.
Furthermore, to contribute to environmental protection and sustainable development, Marou intermixes cacao cultivation with other types of crops. This practice ensures the soil isn’t eroded. Moving forward, Marou is introducing organic chocolate products, which requires farmers to put in extra effort for the cacao beans to obtain international organic certification. Above all, consumers can trace the origin of the products clearly and confidently.
At the flagship Maison Marou stores, the first impression visitors get is the intoxicating aroma of chocolate. All stages of product preparation and packaging take place here, and customers can witness the process firsthand. Every step is entirely handcrafted with meticulous attention and care by the staff. The space is arranged with vibrant colors, brimming with creative energy and friendliness, making it a popular choice among young people for group studies and collaborative work with friends.
On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of Heritage Magazine, Marou created a special gift of superb chocolate bars flavored with lotus or pho, affirming the boundless creativity that is imbued within the Vietnamese identity. With endless love and passion for cacao beans and finished chocolate products, Marou hopes to inspire many more individuals while becoming the best chocolate brand in Asia.
