Firetree Madagascar Dark Chocolate

On the north-west coast of Madagascar lies the Sambirano Valley, with the sea to the west and volcanic hills to the east. Its warm, humid microclimate and rich volcanic soil makes it the ideal place for growing cocoa, giving the beans a distinctive hint of raspberry and red fruit overtones.

With the cocoa trees’ yellow, red and orange pods, from a distance it can look like a tree on fire, say the founders of Firetree Chocolate.

This chocolate maker’s name also resonates with its sourcing of cacao from small islands on the Pacific Ring of Fire, all of which have a volcanic past. In some cases, the cocoa trees are still growing besides dormant volcanos.