Tasting the Future with Manam Chocolate

As someone who lives at the intersection of travel, food, and culture, I’m always curious about brands that go beyond product to create experience. That curiosity led me to Manam Chocolate, India’s celebrated craft chocolate brand, at their newly opened experiential space in Eldeco Centre, Saket, New Delhi. A single square of their dark chocolate, tried on a whim, turned into a full dive into the story of how they’re reimagining Indian cacao, and the man behind it all: Chaitanya Muppala, Founder, Manam Chocolate & CEO of Distinct Origins Private Limited.

I confessed to Muppala that I hadn’t yet visited their immersive space in the city. “How come we haven’t seen you there?” he asked, half joking. “Been travelling?” I had, and it was a friend’s insistence and a taste of one of their chocolates that drew me in.

If you think craft chocolate is just about bean-to-bar indulgence, Manam Chocolate will rewrite that notion entirely. At their experiential space in New Delhi, visitors can sip on a chilli-spiced drinking chocolate, watch molten chocolate pipe through factory-style tubes overhead, and handcraft their own tablet from origin chocolate taps. This is chocolate as theatre and storytelling, but more than anything, it is chocolate rooted in the soil of India’s cacao-growing regions.

The Roots of a Movement

Manam, meaning “we” or “us” in Telugu, is no accident of branding. It’s a collective journey. “We got into chocolate because we wanted to work in the category,” Muppala told me. But five years ago, they realised something: most players were working with the same two or three multinational sources. “It didn’t seem like a strong enough differentiation for me,” he said.

So they started where most brands end, at the farm. Manam invested years in building one of the world’s largest fine-flavour cacao fermenteries in Tadikalapudi, West Godavari, Andhra Pradesh. This wasn’t just about scale; it was about science. Sensors, fermentation data, soil genetics, it’s all part of the quiet engineering behind every bar.

“We’re trying to build a reputation for Indian cacao,” Muppala said. And they’re not just growing beans; they’re growing respect.

From Almond House to the Chocolate Cartel

Muppala isn’t new to premium food. His work with Almond House, a heritage brand in Indian sweets, taught him the nuances of indulgence, gifting, and building cultural relevance through food. “It wasn’t just values we carried forward from Almond House,” he said. “We brought our entire understanding of premium food, especially in the context of gifting and sharing. We applied the same attention to detail, except this time, the category was chocolate.”

That transition came with a clear focus. “We’re product people,” he added. “We love a good story, but it has to be backed by a great product. We’ve always believed that a well-made product speaks for itself.”

Chocolate That Needs No Persuasion

I asked whether Indian consumers were hesitant to adopt craft chocolate in a market long dominated by legacy brands. Muppala didn’t flinch. “Chocolate doesn’t need selling,” he said. “It comes pre-sold.”

Though Manam’s chocolate is rooted in craft, customers don’t necessarily need to understand fermentation protocols or flavour balances to appreciate it. “It should just be good,” he said. “It’s very easy to get used to good quality.”

That said, for those curious enough to go deeper, Manam offers that too: guided tastings, origin stories, and sensory mapping. But none of that gets in the way of flavour.

The Soul of the Bean

When asked which product best captures the spirit of Indian cacao, Muppala commented, “The 100 per cent dark single-origin tablet from West Godavari is the purest expression,” he said without hesitation. “It’s a single-ingredient chocolate—no sugar, no added butter, nothing. That makes it a reflection not just of the bean, but also of our craft as chocolate makers. It’s not easy to make, and that’s why we’re proud of it.”

Another personal favourite? “The malted cacao bean rashee,” he said. “It’s essentially eating the bean. We coat the whole cacao bean in our 43 per cent malted milk chocolate. It’s delicious, snackable and brings you as close to the source as possible.”

A Balancing Act of Flavour

Muppala explained that building flavour isn’t just about the recipe. It starts in the soil. “We try to balance three key sensory notes: fruitiness, bitterness and astringency,” he said. “That work begins at the farm with the genetics we choose, how we manage the soil, and the farming practices we promote. Every decision from there, how we ferment, roast, refine, is aimed at creating a final product that tastes balanced and complex.”

He added, “If a bean is already balanced and fruity, we might roast it lightly to preserve that. If it’s unbalanced, we roast differently to correct that. Each of the 14 or 15 steps in our chocolate-making, from pre-refining to conching, is an opportunity to amplify or refine those qualities.”

Sensorial testing plays a big role here. “We don’t just taste—we record every evaluation digitally. That helps us continuously improve. But again, the end goal is simple: it should taste great.” Manam doesn’t limit itself to traditional Indian flavours either. “Peanut butter is just as Indian as it is American,” he smiled. Their offerings include raspberry and balsamic truffles, and even white chocolate popcorn dusted with Guntur chilli.

Chocolate, Reimagined

At the Eldeco Centre in Delhi, Manam’s vision of chocolate comes to life. Here, over 350 products range from 60 per cent jaggery-sweetened bars to matcha-infused almond dragees. There’s a Make-Your-Own Tablet Station, a classroom, and live chocolatiers moulding truffles by the hour.

The patisserie turns out fresh viennoiserie, soft serves, and show-stopping entremets like the Cherry and Chocolate cake, made with 60 per cent dark chocolate mousse and inspired by the Black Forest. “That one’s close to my heart,” Muppala said.

Before we wrapped up, I asked him what he’d recommend to a first-time visitor. “Start with the malted cacao bean rashee,” he said, “and if you're feeling bold, try the 100 per cent dark. It’s not for everyone, but we’re proud of it.” And that’s the magic of Manam: whether you’re here for comfort, discovery, or sheer indulgence, the chocolate speaks for itself. All you have to do is listen. Or better yet, taste.