Think of ‘craft chocolate’ and your mind possibly wanders towards a bar of imported Belgian or Swiss chocolate. But let us take you on a journey to the heart of Andhra Pradesh, specifically the West Godavari region, where an Indian brand is redefining the landscape of chocolate-making. Introducing Manam Chocolate, a brand founded in 2023 by Mr. Chaitanya Muppala. This artisanal brand does not just craft chocolate; it weaves a narrative of local heritage and quality.
Originating in Hyderabad, Telangana, Manam Chocolate has received numerous global accolades, including a spot on TIME’S annual list of the ‘World’s Greatest Places to Visit’ (2024).
unstumbled engaged in a candid conversation with Mr. Chaitanya about what makes Manam Chocolate stand out in a market dominated by global brands. We also discussed how Indian cacao holds its ground, how the brand innovates and remains relevant, and how it taps into the ‘craft’ and ‘experience’ of consuming chocolate.
In Conversation With Chaitanya Muppala, Founder, Manam Chocolate & CEO Of Distinct Origins Private Limited
unstumbled: The Name Manam In Manam Chocolate Translates To “We” In Telugu. Why Was This Idea Of Collectivity So Important To You While Building The Brand?
Chaitanya Muppala: Everything we do at Manam Chocolate has a strategic root, from the name to the colors we use. We wanted a name that felt premium and gift-worthy, because gifting is at the core of the business we’re building. At the same time, we wanted it to carry our internal philosophy without needing a direct translation for the consumer.
Manam Chocolate works beautifully that way. It sounds like food, it’s warm, and internally it reflects how this brand exists. If you translate it into Hindi, it becomes hum. That sense of “we” mattered to us because Manam Chocolate is truly built by a collective.
From farmers and fermenters to chocolate makers, chocolatiers, and even storytellers, this is a collective effort. At every level, it’s a collective. The name is less for the customer and more for us, because it constantly reminds us why and how we do what we do.
unstumbled: Are There Any Childhood Memories That Have Quietly Shaped How Manam Chocolate Tastes And Feels Today?
Chaitanya Muppala: I would love to clarify that Manam Chocolate isn’t built on my memories alone. It’s a collective memory of chocolate for Indians. For many of us who grew up in the 90s, chocolate wasn’t just a bar. It was usually the Black Forest cake we savored on our birthdays and during parties or the ice-cream cone with a little chocolate surprise at the bottom.
These associations matter because they have shaped our memories of what it is to consume chocolate. What we try to do at Manam Chocolate now is reconstruct those familiar memories and elevate them. We’re complex people. We’re well-traveled, aspirational, and global. We didn’t want to stereotype ourselves while building chocolate for modern India.
unstumbled: Indian Cacao Has Long Stayed In The Background Compared To Swiss Or Belgian Chocolate. What Makes Indian Cacao Worth Paying Attention To?
Chaitanya Muppala: Well, you must know that cacao doesn’t grow in Switzerland or Belgium. It largely grows in places like Ghana, Ivory Coast, and yes, India. Historically, chocolate was consumed by the ‘colonizer’ and grown in the ‘colony’, which shaped how industrial chocolate evolved.
India grows less than half a percent of the world’s cacao but we believe India can be a country that excels in premium cacao origin. The challenge is that Indian cacao genetics were designed for productivity, not flavor. Industrial chocolate doesn’t rely on the bean for flavor; it relies on fat and added processing.
What we’ve built at our sister entity, Distinct Origins, is an indigenous proprietary technology that is very evolved technology based post-harvest processing. We use data, sensors, and science to compensate for genetic limitations. That’s what allows us to create fine-flavor cacao and, hopefully, build a reputation for Indian cacao globally.
unstumbled: Manam Chocolate’s Journey Begins Even Before The Bean. What Were The Early Challenges When You Started Working With Farmers In West Godavari?
Chaitanya Muppala: We began our journey with only three farmers. By our fourth year, we had over 250 farmers across nearly 3,000 acres. Early on, the biggest challenge was building trust. It is natural for farmers to feel skeptical when an urban person discusses cacao, flavor, and uses terminology they may not be familiar with.
The only way to build that trust was to show up every day and work. Build relationships, follow through with action, and stay consistent. That’s how trust grows.
unstumbled: Many Consumers Still Believe Indian Products Should Be Cheaper. Is That One Of The Biggest Misconceptions You’re Trying To Challenge?
Chaitanya Muppala: Absolutely! There’s this ingrained prejudice that if it’s Indian, it must be inferior or cheaper. People will happily pay INR 600 for an industrial chocolate bar made from commodity cacao just because it’s labeled Swiss or Belgian. But they would think twice before spending the same amount of money on an Indian craft chocolate – because it carries an ‘Indian’ tag.
Fine-flavor cacao trades at a 75 to 100% premium globally, and our cacao has been recognized with 36 international awards in our first three years. This shift is happening across categories in India, whether it’s whisky, apparel, or luggage. We’re simply doing our bit in chocolate.
unstumbled: Could You Walk Us Through The Approach You Follow When Experimenting With New Flavors And New Ways To Present Craft Chocolate?
Chaitanya Muppala: On a personal level, I don’t have extensive expertise in this area – that would be Chef Ruby Islam, our Head Chef, who can give a thorough answer. However, I can summarize our approach. We begin product ideation right at the farm stage. We ask questions like, “How does a specific farm with unique soil chemistry produce beans with distinct flavor profiles?” and “How can we utilize these beans to create innovative products?” This is the foundation of our chocolate formulation process.
And when we manage to create a bean that has interesting flavor profiles, we think about how we can use it to create an interesting product. This approach then meets with our commitment of creating unique experiences – how can we integrate that flavor into your chocolate habits? Do we add it to our snacking collection, drinking collection, or introduce it through our gifting collection?
unstumbled: What Are Some Key Trends That You’re Currently Observing In The Indian Craft Chocolate Market?
Chaitanya Muppala: I think that one of the dangers and pitfalls that we are getting into is something called ‘craftwashing’ – I call it by that name.
Major brands, large scale industrial producers are appropriating the terminology of ‘specialty’ and ‘craft’. They are more focused on what their brands ‘sound like’ instead of what they ‘taste like’.
But I also feel that that’s a trend that consumers will quickly see past because consumers are becoming more and more aware on a daily basis.
People are gravitating towards more interesting origins. People want to know how this cacao came from, who grew it.
Additionally, chocolate is a superfood but we ruin it by adding sugar! As we reach more and more people, we’re optimistic that chocolate consumption will only see an uphill climb in the near future.
unstumbled: Instead Of Educating Consumers Aggressively, You Focus On Experience. Why?
Chaitanya Muppala: In India, much of the chocolate available isn’t actually chocolate in the traditional sense; it’s often what’s called ‘compound’. This means that instead of rich cacao butter, it contains cheaper fats like palm or vegetable oil, mixed with sweeteners and vanilla.
At Manam Chocolate, we’re eager to help consumers discover and enjoy high-quality chocolate. Our aim is to elevate their chocolate experience without coming across as overly instructive. We’re not looking to tell people what to eat; we simply want to create delicious, memorable chocolate that they’ll love.
A good quality chocolate is easy to get used to. A six-year-old and a sixty-year-old should both be able to eat our chocolate and say, “haan, maza aaya” (translation: “I enjoyed it”).
Because once you experience quality, you don’t go back!
unstumbled: Manam Chocolate’s Retail Spaces Feel Less Like Stores And More Like Experiences. How Important Is Experiential Retail To You As A Brand?
Chaitanya Muppala: Experience is central to how we’re building this category. We want customers to feel that they’re engaging with a global-standard product through a global-standard experience. At the same time, our stores allow us to show people how cacao is grown, how it’s processed, how it becomes chocolate, and eventually how it transforms into what we call a world of endless confection.
This sense of experience also helps us place Indian cacao and Indian chocolate at a very high level. The category itself is still new in India, so experience becomes a powerful way for people to associate, engage, and connect with what we’re building.
unstumbled: Manam Was Featured On TIME’s List Of The ‘World’s Greatest Places To Visit’. What Did That Recognition Mean To You?
Chaitanya Muppala: It was definitely a strong validation for the entire team. It supports the mission we’re on, which is to create global recognition for Indian cacao and Indian chocolate. However, we do not take this success for granted. It reflects the hard work we have done so far, but it is not the end goal. There is still much more to accomplish!
Also Read: A Slow, Soulful Indulgence: In Conversation With Palak Khimavat, Founder Of SLOW Cafe
unstumbled: With Gen Z Gravitating Toward Experience-Driven Brands, How Do You Plan To Stay Relevant?
Chaitanya Muppala: I don’t really worry about staying relevant – we’re already there! Design, art, music, and storytelling are such an important part of who we are. We like to think of ourselves as a design-driven company, whether it’s in our packaging, retail spaces, or how we communicate.
These days, consumers are looking for that emotional connection before they decide to buy. If a brand can pique your curiosity enough to make you want to step inside, taste, and truly experience it, then we feel like we’ve done a big part of the job already.
unstumbled: What Environmental Challenges Does Chocolate Production In India Face?
Chaitanya Muppala: The biggest concern is rainfall and shifting seasons due to climate change. But Indian cacao has certain natural advantages, it is actually more resilient than many cacao-growing regions. We have far fewer diseases, and cacao here is largely child-labor-free and deforestation-free by default. Because of this, Indian cacao is inherently more sustainable, especially in the way our agri work is structured through Distinct Origins.
unstumbled: How Does Manam Chocolate Embed Sustainability Into Its Sourcing And Operations?
Chaitanya Muppala: Our economic model itself is built around sustainability. While most of the world buys dried beans, we buy the fruit and handle all the processing. This removes cost and risk from the farmer while ensuring they earn a premium.
We also transact digitally through an in-house system that creates traceability and equity. Every bean carries data, from who harvested it to how much they were paid. This keeps us compliant with global regulations and standards.
Beyond that, we return cacao shells to farms, create vermicompost, maintain farmer implement libraries, and align our processes with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
unstumbled: You’re India’s First Level 3 Certified Chocolate Taster. What Do You Look For When Tasting Chocolate?
Chaitanya Muppala: You know, when I’m tasting chocolate, the first thing I notice is what’s been added to hide bad cacao. If I see a lot of added sugar, vanilla, or even synthetic vanillin, it usually hints at lower-quality beans. Once I sort that out, I really want the chocolate to share a story with me.
I’m not just after a simple sweetness; what I crave is brightness, a touch of fruit acidity, maybe some nuttiness or caramel notes. I’m looking for something that goes beyond just being “sweet and brown.” That’s when chocolate becomes truly fascinating!
unstumbled: One Overrated And One Underrated Chocolate Flavor, According To You?
Chaitanya Muppala: Overrated? Matcha. It’s everywhere and it can be done right, but right now, it’s just an Instagram trend.
Underrated? High-percentage dark chocolate. Indians tend to associate dark chocolate with bitterness because of mass-produced industrial chocolate. As more people experience fine-flavor craft chocolate, that perception will change.
Also Read: From Cravings To A Hype-Worthy Cafe: The Story Of Benne, Mumbai
unstumbled: For Someone Trying Manam Chocolate For The First Time, What Would You Recommend?
Chaitanya Muppala: The Almond Praline Cluster is a great place to start! We also love the Malted Cacao Bean Dragée, which taps into nostalgia around malted drinks we’ve grown up drinking.
And however you eat chocolate, savor it. We always say, melt, don’t munch. Letting chocolate melt allows you to experience its full complexity.
unstumbled: Manam Chocolate Offers Over 350 Products Across Categories. Do You Have A Personal Favorite?
Chaitanya Muppala: Absolutely. My current favorite is our 100% Dark Single Origin West Godavari. It’s a chocolate we’re extremely proud of. It’s a single-ingredient bar, nothing but the bean, and it truly reflects what that cacao has to offer. Most people tend to shy away from 100% dark chocolate, but when they try this, they’re pleasantly surprised. It’s expressive, balanced, and enjoyable, not aggressive or bitter.
Beyond that, one of my favorite stories we tell is through the Chakkarakeli banana, a variety native to the Krishna and West Godavari river delta. It has a very distinct flavor. We grow these bananas around our fermentary and bring them fresh to our stores every day, whether in Hyderabad or Delhi. We create eight to nine products using this ingredient, and my personal favorite among them is the Chakkarakeli Banana Soft Serve Ice Cream.
unstumbled: Finally, What Does The Future Look Like For Manam Chocolate?
Chaitanya Muppala: In the next three years, you can expect to see us in major metropolitan areas in various formats. We are particularly excited about our beverage bars, as well as locations in airports and both large and small retail spaces.
To make a significant impact on the cacao supply chain, we need to scale our efforts. This is the direction we are heading in.
