Maison Marou on October 29 launched its second store in Ha Noi, with most of its ingredients originating in Viet Nam.

After the first store on Tho Nhuom Street in Hoan Kiem District, Maison Marou's second outlet is at 64 Xuan Dieu Street in Ho Tay District.

The company behind the hand-made chocolate said the new store would enable it to reach more domestic and international consumers with its products, which are bursting with Vietnamese flavour.

Vincent Mourou, co-founder of Maison Marou, said that except for flour, butter, and cream, which are imported from Europe, the rest of the ingredients are from provinces in Viet Nam.

"Viet Nam is blessed to have tropical fruits, nuts, herbs, and spices, so many to choose from. So we really try to elevate those ingredients by combining them with a French pastry," Mourou explained.

The main ingredient, cacao beans, are collected from several provinces in Viet Nam, including Ben Tre, Tien Giang, Ba Ria - Vung Tau, Dong Nai, Lam Dong and Dak Lak. Cacao beans from each province taste different because of their distinctive profiles and characteristics.

Mourou also believed that Maison Marou’s chocolate would bring the world of chocolate closer to these provinces and Viet Nam in general.

"Chocolates have been around for a very long time, and we have always been familiar with imported chocolate products. So we offer totally novel chocolate with a unique taste from Viet Nam, and the world of chocolate now has to acknowledge Viet Nam," the co-founder added.

The chocolate maker has put a lot of effort into finding cacao beans, setting standards and helping farmers produce the best ingredients.

"Cacao growers are our most important partners. There have been many challenges over the last few years, like climate change and fluctuations in cacao prices, so we have done everything we could to ensure they are doing well," Mourou said.

"Only good quality cacao can help us bring Vietnamese chocolate to the world." — VNS