Pralus 45% Mélissa Craft Chocolate Bar

Pralus, founded by François Pralus, is a brand born from a dream to own a cocoa plantation. After two years of searching, François found his ideal spot in 2003 on Nosy-Be, an island off the northwest coast of Madagascar, known as the Island of Perfumes. Surrounded by the scents of ylang-ylang, vetivers, peppers, and vanilla, he began his tree-to-bar journey.

Set amidst the rolling hills of Nosy-Be, beyond the rice fields and between fragrant vetiver trees, frangipani, and raphias, lies the fertile land where François Pralus’ cocoa trees thrive. The plantation, cultivated from scratch on a hillside, started with a nursery nurturing over 25,000 cocoa plants. Here, a variety of criollo beans, typical to the Malagasy land and known for the prized white bean, were chosen for their finesse.

These seedlings, once matured, were planted in a preserved primary forest, under the canopy of large trees, allowing them to flourish for at least five years before bearing their first cocoa pods. Pralus’ journey from a passionate dream to crafting exquisite tree-to-bar chocolate encapsulates a deep commitment to quality and the art of chocolate making.