Warning, these local chocolates may cause serious cravings
PETALING JAYA : Whether you like your chocolate dark and intense, creamy and sweet, or spiced with a Malaysian twist, there's no better time to indulge than on World Chocolate Day.
From Sabah-grown beans to Belgian-style dessert cafés, here is a list of homegrown brands putting Malaysia on the global chocolate map.
Harriston Chocolate
Started by SC Teng in a tiny cocoa boutique back in 2005, Harriston Chocolate now operates a café-museum in Kuala Lumpur and a boutique in Penang.
They offer over 150 unique chocolate varieties – from classic milk and dark bars to exotic fusion flavours. Signature treats include their crunchy coconut ruby chocolate bar and durian dark chocolate pralinés.
This playful brand even claims a world first: a ruby-chocolate bar dotted with coconut. In short, Harriston is all about whimsical, Malaysia-inspired creations for chocoholics. They've expanded to six outlets in three states as of 2025.
Love18 Chocolate's popular speculoos-biscuit bars. (Love18 Chocolate pic)
Love18 Chocolate
A husband-and-wife duo launched Love18 Chocolate from their home kitchen in 2013. The brand quickly gained a cult following for its freshly handmade bonbons and bars.
Each batch is crafted the morning it's sold. It was even the first Malaysian company to win an International Chocolate Award in 2019.
Love18's signature line is the 'First Love' series – rich ganache in bite-size forms – and they're known for their speculoos-spiced biscuit bars, which are basically gingerbread cookies dunked in chocolate.
In casual terms: you'll love these cosy, homestyle chocolates that put a smile on your face (and are often sold at kiosks around Malaysia, too).
Chocolate Concierge
This is Malaysia's bean-to-bar boutique run by Ong Ning Geng, who grows some of the cacao himself.
Based in Bangsar, Chocolate Concierge specialises in single-origin Malaysian cocoa, making small batches of bars and pralines that spotlight local beans.
They have even produced award-winning bars like their 70% dark chocolate from Kelantan and 70% dark chocolate from Kota Marudu (Sabah).
Fun fact: their bonbons are filled with local flavours – laksa, onde-onde and teh tarik – for a uniquely Malaysian twist. You can find them at TRX and Bangsar Shopping Centre.
Benns Ethicoa
As the name suggests, Benns Ethicoa is all about 'ethical cocoa'. This heritage bean-to-bar maker (and its sister 'Benns Chocolate Factory' brand) works directly with farms in Malaysia and around Asia.
Founded in 1973, Benns Ethicoa is one of the country's oldest chocolate companies.
It sells a range of bars, cacao nib snacks, bonbons and even drinking chocolate – all made in its own Cheras factory-cum-cafe.
In 2022, their 63% Merdeka Blend bar took home four International Chocolate Awards medals – an unprecedented win for a Malaysian-origin chocolate.
Cocoraw's pistachio kunafa chocolate bar. (Cocoraw pic)
Cocoraw
Founded in 2016, Cocoraw specialises in 'nama', Japanese-style chocolate truffles and bars with a Malaysian spin.
Run by Michael Woo and Lee See Pin, this boutique makes super-creamy ganache chocolates infused with local ingredients.
They also sell single-origin dark bars, plus fun variants like gin and limau nipis. Their bars use Belgian dark chocolate as a base, and they even have a vegan series made with coconut oil.
Try out their recently launched Tiramisu with a little twist of a layer of chocolate ganache on top.
Jaws & Claws' signature crunch bonbons are a work of edible art. (Jawas & Claws Chocolate Instagram pic)
Jaws & Claws Chocolate (Sabah)
If you've never tasted chocolate made from Sabah-grown beans, this is your sign to try Jaws & Claws Chocolate.
This is a small-scale bean-to-bar chocolate brand that works directly with female cocoa farmers across Sabah – from the foothills of Apin to the lush plantations of Sook and Salung.
The brand is co-owned by Josephine Lu, a passionate chocolate lover who wanted to spotlight Borneo's rich cacao potential.
Their single-estate dark chocolate bars are ultra-flavourful, with natural tasting notes like walnut, butter, blackcurrant and even honey – proof that East Malaysian terroir is something special.
They collaborate with Chocolate Concierge in Kuala Lumpur to bring a taste of Borneo to the West.
Chocoloco caffe specialises in Belgian chocolate desserts. (ChocoLoco Caffe pic)
ChocoLoco Caffe
If your idea of happiness is waffles drowned in molten Belgian chocolate, then ChocoLoco Caffe is your sweet escape.
Founded in 2016 by local entrepreneur Hadi Asasa, this proudly Malaysian-owned dessert café serves up next-level indulgence with everything from crepes, churros and pancakes to brownies, fondants, and signature sizzling plates – all smothered in premium Belgian chocolate.
Located in Solaris, try out their popular '1st in Malaysia Chocolate Kunafa Cake Bomb'.
For more Malaysian chocolate goodness, check out Cocova and Fidani Chocolatier as featured in FMT Lifestyle! Happy World Chocolate Day everyone.
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