REGIONAL FOCUS - THAILAND
could be a viable home for a bean to bar chocolate operation, and how has the local environment shaped your approach? When I moved to Chiang Mai, what struck me most was how quickly the region had transformed its coffee industry from instant coffee to specialty coffee grown right in the northern mountains. Watching that shift convinced me that cacao could follow a similar path. At the time I really wanted to try a Thai chocolate bar made from local beans, but I could not find anything. That realisation became the spark for starting Siamaya. I thought that if coffee could develop into a high quality, locally grown product, then chocolate could do the same. I also knew I was living in a cacao growing region, and it seemed like an opportunity waiting to be explored. Chiang Mai has shaped my approach in deeper ways too. The city is colourful, friendly and incredibly creative. Those qualities influence everything from the flavours we choose to the packaging we design. Thailand is full of bold flavors and bright colours, and we try to reflect that spirit in our chocolate. We lean heavily on local ingredients because they are exceptional and because they help us express the story of northern Thailand. We also try to build a company culture that reflects the positive and collaborative energy of Chiang Mai.
Thailand’s cacao industry is still young compared to neighboring countries. From your vantage point, what are the most promising developments and biggest growing pains you are observing among Thai cacao farmers today? Thailand’s cacao industry is still young, although cacao has been grown here for decades. In the past the country lacked processing infrastructure, and without a stable market farmers struggled to maintain interest. What has changed recently is the rise of the craft chocolate movement. Today
farmers and makers has already carried the industry a long way in a short period.
THAILAND’S CACAO INDUSTRY IS STILL YOUNG, ALTHOUGH CACAO HAS BEEN GROWN HERE FOR DECADES
most Thai cacao is sold directly to small makers as specialty cacao, and this niche market has become the backbone of the entire sector. It has given farmers confidence that there is finally a reliable path forward. One of the most interesting aspects
of the Thai market is how consumers experience chocolate. Most Thai customers enjoy chocolate in drinks, pastries and small confections rather than in large tablet bars. Because of that, there is a very active chocolate drink scene across the country. Cafes in places like Chiang Mai and Bangkok offer single origin cold chocolate drinks sourced from local farmers, and the creativity in that space is remarkable. The challenges are significant as well.
Access to technical knowledge is still limited for many farmers. Thailand also has a narrow range of cacao genetics, with most farms growing either Chumphon1 or IM1. Fermentation and drying practices vary widely, and consistency takes time to develop. There is also the issue of scale. Nearly all Thai cacao is purchased by craft makers, who produce excellent chocolate but cannot absorb high volumes. Without an industrial buyer, long term scaling will require continued investment in education, processing and market development. Even so, I am optimistic because the passion and dedication of Thai
Your bars often highlight distinctly Thai flavors, from durian to Thai iced tea. How do you strike the balance between creating adventurous, region driven products and maintaining the integrity of fine flavour chocolate? Chocolate is endlessly versatile, so early on we set one guiding rule. Everything we make must be inspired by Thailand. That includes flavours rooted in Thai cuisine, fruits, teas, spices and cultural traditions. Within that theme the possibilities are still enormous, but having that framework helps us maintain our identity as a Thai inspired craft chocolate company. Quality ingredients drive everything
we do. We use only natural ingredients and never use artificial flavourings, which means we spend a great deal of time searching for the right producers. An example is our Tom Yum bar, which uses candied tomatoes. Many versions in the market contain artificial colouring, so we spent weeks trying to find something better. Eventually we found a small producer in central Thailand making award winning candied tomatoes that tasted incredible. Once we tried them, we knew they were essential. Our biggest rule is simple. If a chocolate
does not taste right, it never leaves the prototype stage. We have experimented with flavours like Pad Thai, mangosteen and pineapple fried rice, but these did not translate naturally into chocolate, so we let them go. We also rely heavily on the strength of our base chocolates. Our Signature 75%, Signature 85%, and Signature Milk Chocolate all taste excellent on their own, which makes them strong foundations for flavoured bars.
Innovation is constant, but the integrity of the chocolate always comes first.
DECEMBER/JANUARY 2025/26 • KENNEDY’S CONFECTION • 19
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