Delicious blends of Vietnamese chocolate combined with regional agricultural goods such as coconut, pepper, ginger, and coconut nectar are catching on with foreign clients.
The global chocolate market is expanding rapidly due to increased demand. Mordor Intelligence predicts that the chocolate market will increase from $111.97 billion in 2023 to $133.18 billion in 2028, at a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 3.53%.
In Vietnam, the industry is expanding as more enterprises research, develop, and launch new products.
Nguyen Ngoc Diep, director of Xuan Ron Cho Gao Cocoa Co., Ltd., a chocolate manufacturer in Tien Giang province known for the Alluvia Chocolate brand, explained the combination.
"We are producing and distributing all kinds of dark chocolate made from ingredients grown in the Mekong Delta region. The creation of agricultural chocolate, specifically coconut chocolate, ginger, pepper, and cinnamon, stems from our desire to boost the value of Vietnam's agricultural products among international consumers.
"We mixed cocoa with Ben Tre coconut, Phu Quoc pepper, Cao Bang ginger, and, most recently, Tra Vinh coconut nectar, which has piqued people's interest. As a result, we now sell our products nationally and in Japan and Taiwan. Alluvia presently has 10 locations in the domestic market, spread across Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Hoi An, with the majority of consumers being from overseas."
According to Diep, cocoa powder is mixed with coconut nectar from Sokfarm (a brand of Tra Vinh Farm Co., Ltd. in Tra Vinh province) to make coconut nectar chocolate. Coconut nectar has a low sugar index, making it ideal for diabetics and individuals on diets.
Olivier Nicod, a French chocolate specialist with 30 years of experience, stated that Vietnamese chocolate is becoming increasingly popular around the world. Cocoa powder, the raw substance used to manufacture chocolate, has a distinctive flavor. He has met with several partners from around the world and discovered that they are interested in Vietnamese chocolate and looking for producers to buy from.