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'''Madagascar is not widely known for making chocolate, at least not like the chocolate nations of Switzerland and Belgium. But as most chocolate experts know well, Madagascar is a high quality cocoa producing nation boasting two major bean-to-bar chocolate factories, making especially dark and above all delicious chocolates from naturally organic cacao grown in the northwest [[Ambanja]] region of the country.'''
{| class="captionTable" style="border-spacing: 4px;"
|align="right" style="padding: 2px 0px 2px 0px;"|[[File:Chocolaterie Robert 020.jpg|195px]]
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|colspan="3"|[[File:Magnify-clip.png|right|link=File:Chocolaterie_Robert_024.jpg]]Pralines sold at one of Robert's ''[[La ChocolatiéreChocolatière]]'' boutique boutiques in [[Antananarivo]]
|}
[[File:Cinagra 070.jpg|thumb|600px|none|Crushed Malagasy cocoa with splinters of cocoa nibs ready for processing into liquid chocolate]]
Most if not all cacao plantations in Madagascar are small farms run by families who have been growing cacao in their natural environment without use of fertilisers and mass farming methods for generations. While slave labour is commonly reported in the cacao industry, especially in Ivory Coast, it is non-existing existent in Madagascar. Much of Sambirano's cacao trees stand on former fruit plantations dating back to the French colonial times. The resulting cocoa has hints of citrus fruit and is naturally sweet, which makes the Malagasy cocoa especially suitable for production of non-bitter dark chocolate without use of excessive sugar content or other additives. Furthermore, the final Madagascar chocolate product is usually rich in antioxidant flavoinoids as well as other healthy and reputedly aphrodisiac ingredients found in high proportions in pure Malagasy cacao. <!--(phenylethylamine??)-->
[[Chocolaterie Robert]] and [[Cinagra]] are the only two bean-to-bar chocolate producers in Madagascar. Their chocolates are of single origin, using cacao grown in Madagascar with their products made and packaged entirely in Madagascar.
Chocolaterie Robert dates back to 1937, when a French couple, Mr and Mrs Robert, set up Madagascar's first chocolate factory in [[Brickaville]]. Today, Chocolaterie Robert's bars can be found everywhere in Madagascar, from small village shops to upmarket confectionery stores in metropolitan areas. In 2006 Chocolaterie Robert's ''Mora Mora'' and ''Sambirano'' brands respectively won the Chocolate Academy's Silver Cup and the Best Buy Ethical Award. In 2013 Robert launched a range of bars branded [[Chocolat Madagascar]] intended mainly for export.
[[File:Cinagra 013.jpg|thumb|600px|none|Cinagra Tsar Noir 100%]]
* [[Chocolaterie Colbert]]
If you can't buy chocolate in Madagascar, there are various chocolate makers in other countries which offer [[Chocolate makers using Madagascar cocoa|Madagascar cocoa based chocolateschocolate]], either made from bean to bar or from exported pre-crushed cocoaexported from Madagascar. However, such brands are mostly available mostly in specialised gourmet chocolate stores, usually at relatively high prices.
* http://www.madagascar-tribune.com/KKO->International-met-le-cap-sur,22293.html
