The Ho Chi Minh City–based bean-to-bar chocolate maker『Marou Faiseurs de Chocolat』won a total of seven awards — 2 gold, 2 silver, and 3 bronze — at theInternational Chocolate Awards Asia-Pacific competitionheld in Kyoto on April 4, 2026. Its flagship product,"Bonbon Phở," took silver with 89.07 points,and a 65% dark bar infused with pop rice and pho spicestook gold with 90.6 points,both also winning the special "Local Ingredients" award at the same time. The ceremony was held within the Kyoto Coffee & Chocolate Festival, where co-founders Monica Meschini and Martin Christy presented the certificates in person.Based on the award list on theInternational Chocolate Awards official website, here we lay out Marou's record and where its expression of Vietnamese ingredients stands today.
2 gold, 2 silver, 3 bronze — the breakdown of Marou's seven awards
The awards Marou won at the 2026 competition are as follows.Products made mainly with single-originVietnamese ingredients, all highly praised for expressing a sense of "Vietnamese-ness."
| Award | Product name | Score | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold | Dark 65% Popped Rice with Pho spice | 90.60 | Dark bars with inclusions (Local Ingredients special award) |
| Gold | Bonbon Chili Lime | 90.20 | Flavoured ganaches/truffles (Gastronomic special award) |
| Silver | Bonbon Phở | 89.07 | Flavoured ganaches/truffles (Local Ingredients special award) |
| Silver | Single Origin Vietnam Cacao Butter | 85.70 | Cocoa butter ingredients |
| Bronze | Candied Ginger Enrobed W/ 65% Chocolate | 86.70 | Dark enrobed fruit pastes |
| Bronze | Mango Enrobed With 65% Dark Chocolate | 86.50 | Dark enrobed whole fruit |
| Bronze | Single Origin Vietnam Cacao Powder | 84.30 | Cocoa powder ingredients |
The two gold-winning products reached the 90-point range, placing them among the top scorers across the entire Asia-Pacific division. The pop rice × pho spices bar in particular was praised for its"skill in translating the spices symbolic of Vietnamese pho (star anise, cinnamon, cardamom, and so on) into chocolate,"and was selected for the Local Ingredients special award.
"Bonbon Phở" is a translation piece that captures the aroma of pho in chocolate
"Bonbon Phở" is a bonbon that blends the spice mix used in pho broth —star anise, cinnamon, cardamom, clove, and coriander seed —into a dark chocolate ganache made from Vietnamese cacao. The outer shell features Marou's signature geometric pattern, with silver-and-black wrapping as its hallmark.
The score of 89.07 was among the top in the flavored ganache category at this competition, and the judges praised it, saying,"The pho spices don't intrude on the chocolate's terroir, and the way they layer on the finish is exquisitely balanced."It's sold in a box of six on Marou's official online shop, and can be tasted in person at『Maison Marou』each of its Ho Chi Minh City stores (167-169 Calmette, the Thao Dien store, and others).
The award ceremony held within the Kyoto Coffee & Chocolate Festival
The ceremony was held from2:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 4, 2026,at the Kyoto Coffee & Chocolate Festival venue in the city of Kyoto. In the traditional style, co-founders Monica Meschini and Martin Christy stood on stage, personally handing certificates to the winners and awarding laurel wreaths, with the event streamed live on YouTube.
Kyoto was chosen because the festival has become established as one of Asia's largest gatherings of craft chocolate and specialty coffee. It also reflects the maturity of Japan's chocolate market and the growing base of buyers who favor bean-to-bar and single-origin products. For Marou, an award in Japan — its largest export market — ties directly to expanding distribution.
Reactions on social media and in the industry
"I tried Bonbon Phở, and it really does smell like pho. The way the spices and cacao relate to each other is genius." (Instagram, paraphrased post by a Ho Chi Minh City–based chocolate writer)
"I was at the Kyoto ceremony. A piece where Vietnamese cacao fuses with local ingredients taking gold is a sign of the times." (X, paraphrased post by a Tokyo-based chocolate buyer)
“Marou wins gold again. The potential of cacao from Dong Thap (formerly Tien Giang) is limitless” (paraphrased Facebook post from a cacao farmer based in Ho Chi Minh City)
On X and Instagram, photos from the Kyoto ceremony spread, and"the chocolate Vietnam can be proud of before the world"is a context in which Marou's recognition is rising further. Japanese specialty chocolate shops noticeably moved to increase their stock right after the awards, with limited restocks reported at upscale select shops in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Fukuoka.
Impact on Japanese tourists
When visiting Ho Chi Minh City from Japan,『Maison Marou』is a go-to spot for souvenir shopping. The flagship store is at 167-169 Calmette Street in District 1, within walking distance of Saigon's Central Market (Ben Thanh Market). The award-winning "Bonbon Phở" and "Bonbon Chili Lime" line up in a dedicated display case in-store, in boxes of six ataround 300,000 dong (about 1,765 yen).The tablet-style single-origin 80g bar isaround 120,000 dong (about 706 yen),significantly cheaper than its retail price in Japan.
At the shop you can taste and sample, comparing the differences between single-origin bars from Dong Thap (formerly Tien Giang), Lam Dong, Vinh Long (formerly Ben Tre), and other regions.As a piece of Vietnam-born food culture on par with egg coffee,Marou has become a byword for "high-quality souvenirs that are quintessentially Ho Chi Minh City."
Ripple effects on the industry and market
Marou was founded in Ho Chi Minh City in 2011 by two Frenchmen, and has grown rapidly through a bean-to-bar model that sources directly from cacao farmers in southern Vietnam. Thishaul of 2 gold, 2 silver, and 3 bronzeis a top-tier record even for a single maker in the Asia-Pacific division, setting the stage for entry into the world championship in years to come.
In Vietnam's cacao industry, a high-value model like Marou's is credited with driving a shift"from cacao as a commodity crop to cacao as a terroir product."” is said to be driving that shift. Centered on the four provinces of Dong Thap (formerly Tien Giang), Vinh Long (formerly Ben Tre), Lam Dong, and Dong Nai, the price Marou pays its contracted smallholder farmers for cacao runs1.5 to 2 timesthe normal export price, contributing to higher farmer incomes as well.Alongside expanding distribution in the Japanese market,Marou is also increasing its sales channels in South Korea, Singapore, and Australia.
Where to buy the award-winning products and stocking information
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Brand name | Marou Faiseurs de Chocolat |
| Headquarters | District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, |
| Flagship store | Maison Marou Saigon（167-169 Calmette, District 1） |
| Other stores | Maison Marou Thao Dien、Maison Marou Hanoi（91A Tho Nhuom） |
| Price of the award-winning "Bonbon Phở" | About 300,000 VND (box of 6, about 1,765 yen) |
| Single-origin bar (80g) | About 120,000 VND (about 706 yen) |
| Ceremony date | April 4, 2026 (Kyoto) |
| Organizer | International Chocolate Awards / Kyoto Coffee Chocolate Festival |
| Available in Japan | Upscale select shops in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Fukuoka; Marou's official online store |
Summary: Vietnamese cacao reaches the world wrapped in "pho spices"
Marou's seven awards in 2026 are the fruit of 15 years of quality control built through bean-to-bar work, combined with the originality of translating Vietnamese food culture into chocolate. The fact that a bonbon using pho spices and a dark bar infused with pop rice took gold and silver at the same time symbolizes an era in which the world values "Vietnamese-ness."
For Japanese visitors to Ho Chi Minh City, a tasting at Maison Marou is a gateway to a new kind of “souvenir diplomacy.” Standing before the showcase of award-winning bars, experience for yourself the moment the aroma of Dong Thap (formerly Tien Giang) cacao meets star anise — a discovery you can only have on the ground.
Source
- International Chocolate Awards｜Asia-Pacific Bean-to-Bar and Craft Chocolatier Competition 2026 – Winners
- International Chocolate Awards｜Asia-Pacific Bean-to-Bar and Craft Chocolatier Competition 2026 – Grand Jury Finalists
- Marou Chocolate official website
- International Chocolate Awards｜Calendar 2026
