Madhu Chocolate will be joining us at Prima Dora for a special chocolate tasting event, on Saturday, August 10, from 11 AM to 1 PM. Not only does Madhu make great chocolate, but they’ve got an interesting story to tell. Read on to learn more!
How did you get started making chocolate bars?
Madhu Chocolate from Austin, Texas, had very interesting beginnings. It all started when Elliott traveled to India with Harshit, who was going on a family visit. Elliott was fascinated with the mix and combinations of spices and flavors in Indian desserts. They wanted to do something with that in America, and after discussing the matter, they decided chocolate would be the best way to present what they love about Indian desserts to an American audience. Madhu is driven by the craft of chocolate, as well as flavor creation. They love and enjoy everything being hand-made: “We believe that putting in the work in all aspects of the process makes for a higher quality, more delicious chocolate.”
How much time and effort were involved in getting from your initial idea to officially selling your first chocolate bars? Did you encounter any significant obstacles in bringing your dream into reality?
We registered our company under “Madhu Chocolate” in April 2018. From there we wrote 15 documents and compiled them into a proper business plan so we could fully understanding the feasibility and risk. We started experimenting with different flavors in chocolates even before we registered as a business, and it took several months of daily testing to get the right recipes. Chocolate does not like hot and humid weather and so we were definitely feeling like total idiots while working on this during the summer months.
You cite Harshit’s mom as being a big source of inspiration for your business. Do you have any fun or inspiring stories about her that you can share with us?
One consistent source of inspiration has been Harshit’s mom. She is a wonderful cook and always has inventive recipes. Not to mention, she makes an amazing chai. She is the reason why Harshit grew up with so much passion for food. Because she has been a great inspiration since the inception of this business, we thought it would only be appropriate to give the business same name as her: Madhu. Madhu in Hindi means honey or sweet which we think makes total sense for naming a chocolate company. It is also the mantra of our lives ‘Be Madhu to one another’.
What does the future hold for Madhu? Can we expect any new flavors or treats?
Madhu chocolate just started its wholesale program in June 2019. Our plan is be available at major cities in Texas and select cities in the country by 2020. Beyond that we are looking to open our first brick and mortar shop which will encompass the entire chocolate experience with a variety of chocolate indulgences.