They say a piece of dark chocolate can cure almost anything. Where is the lie? For as long as I can remember, chocolate has always been my comfort food. Growing up in Mumbai in the ¡¯90s, I had to rely on my NRI relatives to bring me dark chocolate bars from abroad, which I would stash away and consume sparingly through the year.?
At that time, the homegrown chocolate industry was restricted to mass-produced chocolates by brands like Cadbury, Nestle, and Amul. The only chocolates available to us were Dairy Milk, 5 Star, KitKat, Munch, and Milkybar, with a few yearly special editions.??
But, in recent years, India has emerged as a hotbed of craft chocolate brands. A wave of chocolatiers has popped up all around the country. Almost all of them are bean-to-bar producers, meaning they control the entire process from the sourcing of the beans to the final product that you see on your supermarket shelf. This marks a serious evolution in the Indian market.?
According to research by the IMARC Group, the Indian chocolate market reached a value of US$2.4 billion in 2022. The focus appears to be premium ¡°clean-label and specialty chocolate product variants in diverse shapes and flavours... to cater to evolving consumer preferences¡±. You are one web search away from finding vegan, plant-based, all organic, gluten-free, and sugar-free chocolates. And in terms of quality, Indian craft chocolate sits comfortably with the best international brands.?
However, Indian chocolate makers are still relatively small-scale and often use locally sourced cocoa beans, which gives their chocolates a more unique flavour profile. Additionally, Indian craft chocolate makers are still experimenting with different techniques, which means we should gear up for more exciting results ahead.
Finding chocolate that works for you can be overwhelming. So here¡¯s a curated guide to the eight best homegrown chocolate brands. Make sure you don¡¯t miss any of them.?
Based in Jaipur, this bean-to-bar chocolate brand sources its cocoa beans directly from farmers across the country. The cacao is grown under ethical and sustainable conditions by skilled Indian farmers. Its small-batch chocolates are inspired by the simple joys of life¡ªtravels, childhood memories, or a forgotten phrase from a favourite book. The founders draw inspiration from tales of their favourite city, colour, flowers, and even the best parts of their days. Current offerings include chocolate bars, bonbons, and hot chocolate mixes, which are available at multiple stockists in India. All Things also customises flavours and packaging for bulk orders.
¡°Once it makes its way to us, we create divine chocolate goodness from ¡®Bean to Bar¡¯ by pairing it with fresh, locally sourced ingredients,¡± said Kuhu Kochar and Tejaswi Chanderi, co-founders of All Things. ¡°We are fortunate to work directly with a number of tremendous farmers who enable us to create chocolate products that taste great and do not require additives or artificial flavouring.¡±?
Founded in 2022, this new chocolatier aims to re-introduce the magic of childlike wonder into our lives. Based in Mysuru, the brand is making a name for itself thanks to its unique flavours and stunning packaging. Brightland¡¯s bestsellers include Hokey Pokey, Peanut Butter Berry Crumble, Almond Rocca, and Old-fashioned Cherry Crisp.?
This brand¡¯s chocolates are gluten-free and soy-free, with no white sugar or preservatives. In addition, Brightland¡¯s dark chocolates are vegan. The company retails its offerings on its website and at select gourmet stores.
Established in Mysuru in 2012, Naviluna was the first craft chocolate brand in the world to produce bean-to-bar dark chocolate exclusively from Indian cacao. This brand is dedicated to demonstrating the wealth of the Indian subcontinent. It sources its beans from various regions of India, each with its own flavour profile. Naviluna¡¯s chocolate bars are known for their complex flavours and distinctive ingredients, such as bamboo shoots, long pepper, and coffee. Its offerings are sold at small, independent organic stores and specialty cafes. Naviluna¡¯s Kerala Single Origin Chocolate Bar and Tokai Coffee & Pineapple Chocolate Bar are crowd favourites.
Kocoatrait is an environmentally sustainable Indian bean-to-bar chocolate brand by L Nitin Chordia, India¡¯s first certified chocolate taster. The brand sources its cocoa beans directly from Indian farmers, and uses traditional and non-refined ingredients such as desi khandsari sugar and A2 milk to make its chocolates. Kocoatrait wears its eco-friendliness on its sleeve ¨C it uses sustainable packaging made from reclaimed cotton and cocoa husk. The brand offers chocolate bars and baking essentials such as Organic Cocoa Nibs, Raw Cacao Powder, and Dark Chocolate Chips Buttons. Their 55% Dark Milk Irish Cream Coffee is excellent, as are some of their floral experiments with jasmine and rose milk chocolate.?
Possibly the best-known and most-marketed Indian bean-to-bar brand Headquartered in the village of Kadayiruppu in Kerala, Paul and Mike¡¯s is named after two Latin American cocoa farmers whom the founders met during their research trip to Latin America. Launched in 2019, they grow and ferment cocoa on their farms in Kochi and Coimbatore. In their first year, the brand¡¯s jamun and Alphonso mango chocolate won a bronze at the Asia Pacific leg of the International Chocolate Awards.?
Since then, their 64% Dark Sichuan Pepper and Orange Peel variant won a silver medal at the 2020¨C2021 International Chocolate Awards. Presently, its India-inspired flavours are popular. The brand¡¯s latest offerings include Almond Rochers in Fine Milk Chocolate, Halloween Wonder Bar, and the Chocolate Coated Rum and Rummy Raisins Bar. Moreover, their bonbons filled with single malt-flavoured ganache make excellent gifts.
Pascati is a bean-to-bar chocolatier based in Mumbai. It is India¡¯s first USDA organic and Fairtrade-compliant chocolate brand. Pascati works with plantations in Kerala to source cacao beans. It crafts chocolates in small batches using traditional methods. Pascati¡¯s offerings are renowned for their subtle and nuanced flavours. The brand¡¯s bestsellers include the Pascati Blueberry Walnut Dark Chocolate Bar, Pascati Guava, Chilli, and Sea Salt Bar, Pascati Paan Dark Chocolate Bar, and Pascati Strawberry and Honey.
Located in Auroraville, this vegan chocolate brand was established by Jane Mason and Fabien Bontems. The brand uses only the finest organic cacao beans to make its chocolate. Mason & Co.¡¯s chocolate offerings boast a rich flavour and smooth texture and are free of preservatives and emulsifiers. The brand¡¯s Chilli and Cinnamon Dark Chocolate, Black Sesame and Raisin Dark Chocolate, and Rosemary and Sea Salt Dark Chocolate come highly recommended. Furthermore, Mason and Co. crafts custom chocolates, which are very popular for gifting and weddings.?
Vivanda Chocolate Co. is a well-known chocolate brand based in Mumbai. Founded in 2012, the brand¡¯s portfolio includes a wide range of chocolate products, including truffles, bonbons, bars, and gift boxes. Vivanda also retails custom-made chocolate delicacies for weddings, corporate events, and other special occasions. The brand is committed to offering good-quality chocolates that are both sustainable and ethical. Vivanda works with small-scale farmers and pays them fair prices for their cacao beans. This sets them apart by delivering a truly bespoke and distinctive experience for their customers.??