Chocolate and Sweets · Ho Chi Minh City, Southern Vietnam
Marou
Vietnam's pioneering bean-to-bar chocolate, made near Saigon from local cacao.
- Founded
- 2011
- Founded by
- Vincent Mourou, Samuel Maruta
- Based in
- Ho Chi Minh City, Southern Vietnam
Their story
Vincent Mourou, a filmmaker, and Samuel Maruta, a banker, were two Frenchmen who met on a trek through southern Vietnam. When they learned there were thousands of acres of cacao growing around the Mekong Delta, and that hardly anyone was turning it into chocolate locally, they decided to try.
Marou launched in November 2011. With no chocolate machinery available in the country, the founders bought equipment in local markets, adapted it, and roasted beans themselves. The company grew into a factory outside Saigon and a flagship shop in District 1 of Ho Chi Minh City. Maruta died in January 2021, and Mourou continues to lead the company.
How it's made
Marou buys cacao from growers in southern Vietnam and makes chocolate from the bean at its own facility near Saigon. Bars are labeled by province, and the recipes keep sugar and additives low so the regional character of the beans comes through.
Our featured pick
Ben Tre Mini Dark Chocolate Bar (24G | 78%)
$5.00
Marou’s Ben Tre 78% Dark Chocolate Bar has a delicious story to tell in every robust, fruity bite. It’s sourced and crafted in Vietnam, from beans meticulously hand-selected by Marou from farms in.
We were really flying by the seat of our pants back then.
Why we carry them
We think Marou is one of the best ways to taste how much place matters in chocolate. Try two provinces side by side, and the packaging alone is worth a look.
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