Bon Fiction's chocolates are prepared with natural products like watermelon seeds and candied orange peels

The banks of river Godavari have rich cacao plantations. But, for a very long time, they have been ignored and most people aren’t aware of the rich produce that comes from these plantations. Akhil and Prathina Grandhi, who own a part of these plantations, wanted to build something of their own and create a luxury chocolate experience from local ingredients. “When we speak of rich and decadent chocolates, not m a ny local brands come to mind. We only speak of foreign companies. So, we started Bon Fiction, and used the rich cacao that we find in Rajahmundry to produce chocolates infused with only natural ingredients. The cacao seeds are carefully picked and the best quality seeds make it to the preparation. We then look for other natural flavouring agents and choose a range of fruits and nuts. Then, the process of chocolate-making happens. Before we came out with any array of 14 flavours, we did about 300 trials to create these perfect bars,” Akhil shared. The brand sent us their chocolates to taste and here are our top picks…

For coffee lovers, When Coffee met Cacao might pique their interest. Belonging to their infusion range, the dark milk chocolate is combined with arabica coffee and chicory. While the arabica adds a hint of sweetness to the bar, the chicory root adds an intense earthy flavour. Next up we sampled their Roasted Almond Revival variant. This one came topped with roasted almonds and watermelon seeds, giving it just the right crunch. It also had a dash of sea salt that gave the chocolate light salty notes.

They also have a vegan range that includes bars like A Rose in Pistachio Skies — rose petals and pistachio nuts-based dark chocolate — the nutty and floral notes worked for us. We also tasted their Mango Menace, where dehydrated slivers of Alphonso were used and gave the bar a mild but delicious fruity flavour. But, it was the addition of mundu chillies that surprised us with a kick of spice. We weren’t expecting the chilli twist and the bar was over in minutes. An absolute must-try if you ask us.

Other interesting picks also include Lost in an Orange Haze (candied orange peel and cinnamon), The Secret Life of Nuts and Raisins (loaded with cashews, almonds, and raisins), and Brown Fields and Country Roads (pure dark chocolate).

Rs 225 upwards for a bar. Available online.

— bsuchitra@newindianexpress.com