Hyderabad’s Manam Chocolate Factory Makes Time’s “World’s Greatest Places” List

Hyderabad:

‘Manam Chocolate Karkhana’ in Hyderabad doesn’t just sell high-quality Indian-made chocolates but also shares a narrative. It tells a significant tale about the source of the chocolate from Indian cacao, cultivated in the fields of West Godavari, and its distinctive voyage to becoming a sought-after item in the shop, with acknowledgment to all those who contributed to its creation. That’s why it is named Manam, which means ‘us’ or ‘we’ in Telugu, encompassing farmers, female harvesters and processors, fermenters, chocolate makers, and chocolatiers.

This unique hub, comprising a retail outlet and a chocolate manufacturing plant, received recognition in Time Magazine’s 2024 list, featuring among the top 100 extraordinary destinations worldwide.

The exterior of the retail-cum-factory establishment in Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, resembles a chocolate bar. Upon entry, a rich scent of roasted chocolate beans greets visitors, leading them into a paradise for chocolate enthusiasts. The array of choices is extensive, ranging from chocolate bars, tablets, bonbons, palettes, truffles, and gelato to a diverse range of confections like cakes, cups, loaf cakes, macarons, beverages, snacks, shortbread cookies, and viennoiserie, with a collection of over 300 products spanning more than 50 categories.

Founder Chaitanya Muppala is the Indian equivalent of Willy Wonka. His goal is to promote chocolate produced from Indian cacao, by Indians, for Indians and the global market. He emphasizes the importance of exploring Indian craft chocolate, which has already clinched 17 prestigious international awards within a year of its launch.

“We aim to demonstrate to the world that chocolate is a product of trees, not shelves or supermarkets. We aim to break away from the fascination with European brands like Swiss, Belgian, and French and build a reputation for Indian cacao, showcasing our ability to create top-notch, award-winning chocolate of international standards using Indian cacao,” he elaborates.

Chaitanya rejects the traditional bean-to-bar chocolate narrative, hence the collaboration with nearly 150 farmers in West Godavari, Andhra Pradesh, starting long before the beans are even cultivated, capturing flavors influenced by their surroundings. Post-harvesting operations take place at the world’s second-largest fine-flavor fermentation facility, employing proprietary methods to enhance distinct flavors and complexities from the beans themselves, without the use of additives. AI and blockchain technologies are leveraged for transparency and meticulous monitoring of various parameters. Once the beans are carefully fermented and dried, they are transported to Hyderabad.

“Our objective is to extract complexity and flavor directly from the beans and showcase them through various chocolate crafting techniques. Unlike commodity or industrial cacao, where the goal is to eliminate all natural characteristics of the beans and introduce flavors through industrial processes or additives, our approach aims to balance bitterness, astringency, and acidity during the bean roasting process. The cracked beans are transformed into nibs that retain their palatability and deliciousness due to the high-quality cacao beans,” he explains.

Each chocolate bar in the store features a QR code that reveals the cacao’s origin, allowing traceability back to the farmer, cultivation conditions, and processing methods. This not only ensures traceability and acknowledges the contributions of farmers and others involved in the process but also guarantees fair compensation for their efforts.

“Every chocolate bar is traceable to the specific tree, with the farmer’s name printed on the wrappers. By scanning the QR code, you can access information about the farm where the cacao was grown and processed to create that particular bar. This is in stark contrast to European chocolates that often use cacao from regions like Ivory Coast and Ghana, characterized by a historical power imbalance between the colonizers and the colonies responsible for cacao production,” he adds.

Visitors can take a tour of the Manam Chocolate Factory to witness the meticulous roasting, grinding using Coimbatore-style idli grinders, chocolate production, and the artistry involved in creating various chocolate forms. Chef Ruby Islam, boasting years of experience in patisserie, showcases her culinary skills.

“Cacao butter is not only delicious but also expensive, with the bean containing nearly 50% fat. However, many chocolates in the market replace this high-quality fat with cheap hydrogenated vegetable oil,” visitors are informed.

The facility includes a chocolate laboratory where visitors can design their own chocolate bars. They can choose from dark, white, and milk chocolate flowing from taps at the lab, selecting ingredients like Imam Pasand, Kashmiri walnuts, freeze-dried strawberries, and more for customization. Chakkarakeli, a popular banana variety from West Godavari, is transformed into delectable treats. Customers can personalize their products and even have their names engraved on them.

Thirteen-year-old Naithik expresses his love for chocolate, particularly appreciating the factory’s transparent operations. “Most people don’t get to see the chocolate-making process, so having that experience here was truly fascinating. The emphasis on recognizing the farmers makes you think more about their contributions,” he shares.

Anil, an employee at Microsoft in Seattle, finds the story behind Indian chocolate intriguing. “I have sampled various flavors, but the freshness and uniqueness of the chocolate from West Godavari are truly exceptional. It’s remarkable to witness such innovation in Hyderabad,” he remarks.

His wife Shwetha notes, “In the past, we used to bring chocolates from abroad as gifts for family and friends in India. Now, I feel inspired and proud to share chocolates crafted in India with my friends in the US.”

Over the next three years, Manam Chocolate aims to expand to multiple metropolitan cities across India, with the long-term vision of becoming a premium global brand that celebrates the narrative of Indian-origin chocolate craftsmanship.