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Most if not all cocoa plantations in Madagascar are small family run farms, who have been growing cocoa in a natural environment without the use of fertilisers or other mass farming methods for generations. And while slave labour is commonly reported in the cocoa industry, especially in the Ivory Coast, it is not existing in Madagascar. Much of Sambirano's cocoa trees stand on former fruit plantations dating back to the French colonial period. The resulting cocoa has strong hints of citrus fruit and is naturally sweet, which makes the cocoa especially suitable for producing non-bitter dark chocolates without use of excessive sugar content or other additives. Furthermore, the final Madagascar chocolate product is usually rich in antioxidant flavoinoids and other healthy and reputedly aphrodisiac ingredients found in high proportions in pure Malagasy cocoa. <!--(phenylethylamine??)-->
[[Chocolaterie Robert]] and [[Cinagra]] are the only two bean-to-bar chocolate producers in Madagascar. Their chocolate is chocolates are of single Malagasy origin, meaning they grow their own cocoa as well as make their chocolates within 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.
The more recently established Chocolaterie Cinagra has been making chocolate at their [[Antananarivo]] based factory since 2006, also using single origin cocoa grown on plantations within the Sambirano region. In 2009 their 63% cocoa based ''Tsar'' bar won the first price at the [http://www.salon-du-chocolat.com Salon de Chocolat Paris] in France. Since 2008, Cinagra produces chocolate for [[Madécasse]] - a US importer and brand, sold primarily in the US and Canada.
A third, small smaller but nonetheless appreciated Madagascar chocolate brand is [[Chocolaterie Colbert]]. Although they do not buy and process cocoa beans directly from farmers and can therefore not be classified a bean-to-bar producer, Colbert's recipes are their own and since they do buy processed cocoa from both Chocolaterie Robert and Cinagra, their final products are of single Malagasy origin. Colbert's highly priced range of pralines and chocolate bars is sold only at the [[Pâtisserie Colbert]] in Antananarivo, part of [[Hotel Colbert]]. Their bars and pralines, handmade and gift-wrapped by a small team of talented chocolatiers, are always sold fresh at the counter and make ideal presents for special occasions.<br clear="all">
[[File:Chocolaterie Colbert 01.jpg|600px|thumb|none|Chocolaterie Colbert's dedicated team of chocolatiers proudly presenting their freshly made pralines]]
