Whether or not you’re a fan of Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, a tour of a chocolate laboratory sounds like a pretty fun experience, especially when complimentary product samples are thrown into the mix.
Fun aside, Southeast Asia is home to Indonesia, the world’s third-largest cocoa exporter, and other notable producers like Malaysia and the Philippines.
In recent decades, sustainable and ethical farming practices have also drastically changed the region’s cacao industry, resulting in fair trade and world-class chocolates with unique and exotic flavour profiles.
1. Junglegold Chocolate, Indonesia (Formerly Pod Chocolate)
Indonesia may be one of the world’s biggest cocoa producers, but the country only has a handful of chocolate makers.
One such chocolatier is Junglegold Chocolate, a business that started from a small thatch-roofed hut in 2010 and blossomed into the world’s first 100 percent plant-based chocolate factory.
When its founder, Toby Garritt, started making chocolates on the island as a hobby, he found that pests were rampant and farmers were only paid a fraction of the market value for their beans.
Garritt worked with local farmers to develop sustainable farming methods and improve post-harvest techniques. He introduced fermentation and solar drying for better-quality beans. To cut the company’s carbon footprint, he began using locally sourced cashews and coconuts as a non-dairy milk alternative.
If you want to know exactly what goes into your bar of Junglegold Chocolate, book a tour at the Junglegold Chocolate Factory. This facility is responsible for churning out the brand’s range of over 20 delicious chocolates.
Here, visitors can watch the chocolatiers craft the artisanal bars. They can also sample chocolatey treats and, for a tasty souvenir, mould their own chocolate bar to take home.
Once you’re done with the tour, step into the on-site cafe for your fill of chocolate frappes.
Address: Jl. Denpasar-Singaraja No.29, Werdi Bhuwana, Kec. Mengwi, Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80351, Indonesia
Contact: +62 361 209 1011
2. Lemuel Chocolate, Singapore
For the founders of Lion City’s Lemuel Chocolate, the inspiration to start their own small-batch chocolate workshop came after visiting a bean-to-bar chocolatier in Japan.
Combining their passion for chocolate and experience in the chocolate industry, Ronald Ng and his partner Hideki Sakanishi launched Lemuel Chocolate in 2017, the first chocolate store with a mini-production facility in Singapore.
While the chocolate maker sources single-origin cacao beans from around the world, including Southeast Asia, India, Africa, and Latin America, the beans are roasted, cracked, and winnowed in-house and transformed into decadent chocolate bars with the addition of raw organic cane sugar.
To share their love of the chocolate-making craft, Lemuel Chocolate runs factory tours at their Star Vista facility. Kids and adults can learn about the bean-to-bar process and design their own chocolate bar with personalised toppings.
There are also interactive on-site workshops, such as ‘Intro to Chocolate for Kids’, which includes chocolate bar painting and truffle rolling, and ‘Tempering and Moulding’, for chocoholics aged 16 and above.
Address: 1 Vista Exchange Green, #01-04/05 The Star Vista, Singapore 138617
Contact: +65 8947 0863
3. Benns Ethicoa, Malaysia
Benns Ethicoa, a portmanteau of ‘ethical’ and ‘cocoa’, is passionate about two things – improving the livelihoods of cacao farmers throughout Asia and producing great-tasting chocolate.
Established in 1973, the chocolatier sources its single-origin beans directly from several estates across the region, including Sungai Ruan in Malaysia’s Pahang state, Anaimalai in Tamil Nadu, India, and Lampang in Nakhon Lampang, Thailand.
By eliminating the middleman, farmers are able to earn three times the market rate for their beans, and invest in better production methods and sustainable practices, which ultimately result in better quality chocolate that you can sample in the range at Benns Ethicoa.
These include 100 percent natural, vegan, and gluten-free chocolate bars to artisanal bonbons in tempting flavours like teh tarik (pulled tea) and cendol.
To discover how single estate beans are turned into fine chocolate, sign up for a complimentary guided tour of their Chocolate Lab in Selangor, Malaysia.
During the 45-minute tour, visitors will gain an in-depth understanding of the processes involved in chocolate-making and learn about the different flavour profiles of each bar while sipping on the house-made chocolate and cocoa tea.
Tours are held on Fridays and Saturdays only, so book your spot early.
Address: Lot no. 6, Jalan Cj 1/6c Kawasan Perindustrian Cheras Jaya, Batu 11, 43200 Cheras, Selangor
Contact: +60 3 9082 0955
4. Malagos Chocolate, Philippines
Established by Roberto and Charita Charina, the multi-award-winning Malagos Chocolate, based in Davao City, Mindanao, has long advocated sustainable farming practices.
After purchasing a farm with existing cacao trees in 2003, the couple made it their mission to revitalise the Philippines cacao industry, which suffered a massive blow in the 1980s following a global crash in cocoa prices.
To do this, they began empowering local farmers by providing technical support and investing in improving cacao farming and post-harvest techniques.
Malagos Chocolate—a single-origin, tree-to-bar chocolate—was launched in 2013 and won its first international award two years later.
Besides their award-winning 72 percent dark chocolate bars, Malagos Chocolate also produces refreshing cacao juice made from the liquid collected after cacao pods are split, and Malagos Porter, a chocolate beer with a deep chocolate and salted caramel finish.
In 2017, the chocolatier opened the Malagos Chocolate Museum at Malagos Garden Resort, where guests can learn about the wonders of cacao through interactive displays and infographics and make their own treats at the chocolate laboratory.
Address: Malagos Chocolate Museum, Malagos Garden Resort, Malagos, Baguio District, Calinan – Baguio Rd, Dabaw, 8000 Lalawigan ng Davao del Sur, Philippines
Contact: +63 82 221 8220
5. Chris and Charly’s Chocolate Factory, Indonesia
Longing to escape the grind? If you want to combine your love of chocolate with a fantasy island vacay, you can at NIHI Sumba.
At this beautiful resort, which blends into the untamed wilderness of Sumba island, you can trek the highlands to remote villages, paddle with horses in the sea as they cool off, and indulge your Willy Wonka fantasies at Chris and Charly’s Chocolate Factory.
Inside the magical factory resembling a Hobbit hole, the young (and young at heart) can learn the history of cacao cultivation on the island and how chocolate is crafted before trying their hand at making dark or milk chocolate bars with various toppings.
These edible works of art will then be delivered straight to your room after turndown service. Children can also try the yummylicious cacao and brown sugar scrub at the Boathouse Spa.
And even if you’re unable to join the chocolate-making workshop, you’ll still be able to sample Chris and Charly’s chocolates – which include 65 percent milk chocolate with almonds and raisins, 70 percent dark chocolate, and 85 percent dark chocolate – in the mini bar in your room.
With every chocolate purchase, you will contribute to The Sumba Foundation, which empowers islanders while preserving and respecting their cultural traditions.
Address: Hoba Wawi, Wanokaka, West Sumba Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia
Contact: +62 361 757149
This story by Chitra Santhinathan was originally published on AirAsia. Zafigo republished this story in full with permission from the publisher, simply because good stories should be read by as many people as possible! If you have stories that will be of interest and useful to women travellers, especially in Asia, please get in touch with us at [email protected].
