BAGAN DATUK: The Malaysian Cocoa Board (LKM) is ready to collaborate with any company to commercialise its latest chocolate bar product, Bagan Datuk Single Origin.
Its director-general Datuk Dr Ramle Kasin said the idea for this chocolate bar product emerged after the success of Bagan Datuk LKM at the International Cocoa Awards in 2019.
"This success has inspired a new venture in Bagan Datuk, producing chocolate from locally sourced cocoa beans, which offer a distinct and traceable flavour profile.
"The process involves locally cultivated cocoa beans that undergo a specialised drying method before being refined into chocolate.
"This careful approach reveals a distinctive taste profile, described as tangy with subtle fruit undertones.
"This means we can identify the specific plot where the cocoa beans came from, and we named it Bagan Datuk because it's located here,'" he said when met recently.
Bagan Datuk Single Origin chocolate offers a smooth, balanced flavour with subtle cocoa notes, a touch of tangy acidity, and a distinctive character, resulting in a memorable and refined tasting experience.
Ramle said the chocolate bars come in two flavours, namely Dark Chocolate and Coconut Milk Chocolate, both of which can be purchased at the LKM Bagan Datuk Cooperative at RM15 each.
"The dark chocolate flavour has a very good taste with a hint of sourness that is part of its flavour profile. During processing, the cocoa pulp imparts a unique taste," he said.
"As for the coconut milk flavour, we know that Bagan Datuk is known for its coconut trees, so we took the opportunity to combine this flavour using our advanced technology. We have extensive knowledge and skills in producing high-quality chocolate," he said.
He added that LKM has a sensory team capable of detecting the type and flavour profile based on the specific plot where the cocoa was grown.
"We hope this product will gain recognition. If LKM doesn't pursue commercialisation, we hope interested companies might, as we have our beans, originally from Bagan Datuk.
"We also look forward to collaborating with any interested company to commercialise our products. In addition to chocolate, we have a wide range of products including food items, non-food items, cosmetics and more," he said.
Ramle added that he hopes Bagan Datuk Single Origin could become as widely commercialised as KitKat Dark Borneo, made exclusively with cocoa beans grown in Sabah and Sarawak.
"The beans are sourced through the Nestle Borneo Cocoa Initiative (NBCI), and with the partnership between Nestle Malaysia and LKM, this initiative will improve Malaysia's food security and benefit farmers.
"Partnering with companies will support our cocoa farmers in continuing cocoa cultivation and discourage them from switching to other crops, as the country strives to decrease its dependency on imports," he said.
On Oct 24, Plantation and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani called on small farmers to continue cultivating cocoa and resist the shift to other crops, as Malaysia seeks to reduce its reliance on imports.
Johari said cocoa cultivation was easier to manage compared to oil palm, as cocoa trees are shorter and require less labour from foreign workers.