Bon Fiction: Tree-to-Bar Chocolate from Andhra Padesh, India

Editor’s note: We first heard about Bon Fiction from a previous story on craft chocolate in India. After meeting Akhil Grandhi and trying his chocolate we were convinced we needed to learn even more.

Akhil and Prathina Grandhi photo courtesy of Akhil Grandhi

Just like the rest of the world, India’s market for chocolate has been growing at a robust rate and is expected to grow from USD 2.4 billion in 2023 to USD 4.1 billion by 2028, translating into a compound annual growth rate of 8.8%. Part of this pie belongs to the promising Indian artisanal chocolate market. With a focus on innovation and sustainability, these producers often handcraft goodies in small batches using single origin cocoa and boast of unique native flavours. And one brand that has been making waves in the artisanal chocolate space is Rajahmundry (Rajamahendravaram) based Bon Fiction. Located in the south Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, Bon Fiction is the brain child of Indian couple Akhil Grandhi and Prathina Grandhi.

Eclectic Backgrounds

Prathina Grandhi on the farm photo credit Akhil Grandhi

It is really interesting to note that both Akhil and Prathina worked in multiple industry verticals before setting up Bon Fiction. This includes diverse areas like agriculture, business and technology. Akhil is an engineer by education and also holds a masters in industrial engineering from University of Buffalo, in New York. Says Akhil “I spent a few years of my early professional life in Uganda where I managed a plantation business. It was both challenging and fulfilling. To manage a business in a foreign land miles away from home gave me a taste of what it is to start and manage a business all on my own.”

Prathina is armed with a degree in electronics and communication engineering along with a masters in Management. Share Prathina, “I worked for some time at the family’s hospital where I spearheaded vital managerial and administrative changes. I also hold a level 2 certification as a chocolate taster from the International Institute of Chocolate & Cacao Tasting (IICCT),” which makes her the perfect candidate to head R&D at Bon Fiction. The skillsets of the couple complement each other which they managed to leverage successfully when they started Bon Fiction.

Prathina and Akhil Grandhi inspecting cacao beans photo courtesy of Akhil Grandhi

Success Built on R&D

The spirited duo always wanted to harness the potential of the Indian agro industry and their family’s cacao plantations became the launchpad for their dreams. Growing up around the plantations of Rajahmundry they always wondered why India’s abundant cacao farming never led to the local production of world-class chocolate. “The driving force was always a deep desire to showcase the best of the cacao beans grown in India and to put it on the world map. We wanted to prove that the best chocolate does not necessarily have to be made abroad” explains Akhil. This pushed the duo to undertake extensive efforts in research and development while continuously creating chocolate using the cacao from their farms which they fermented on their own before turning them into chocolate masterpieces in 2019.

After 3 years and over 300 trial chocolate batches, Bon Fiction was formally launched in 2022 when it released a whopping 14 unique flavours many with whimsical names. “Each flavour is a revelation of its own with every bar being 100% natural and catering to the requirements of today’s health conscious and discerning consumer,” shares Prathina. As if 15 flavours wasn’t enough, they recently added an additional seven new flavours to their repertoire.

Key Focus: Quality Control and Sustainability

Women working at the cacao farm photo credit Akhil Grandhi

Bon Fiction procures cocoa beans from their own farm as well as six other farms located close by. The cacao is grown under the shade of coconut trees and they use natural manure like jeevamrutham and vermicompost to increase the fertility of the soil. The fallen leaves and cacao pod shells serve as compost too. “We train all our farmers on sustainability and check every pod when we receive it at the fermentation unit to ensure that there are no damages to the pods which can lead to contamination of the beans” adds Akhil. The beans are dried in temperature and humidity controlled solar dryers to ensure that the flavour is retained in the cacao. The beans are then sorted and stored in sealed bags to prevent damage and contamination. “The processes at our farm actually lets our beans last for many years while retaining its flavour as it ages. We roast at low temperatures for a longer time to reduce the bitterness and this also helps develop the flavour profile of the bean. Even when the chocolate is in the conching stage we continuously check the texture and flavour being developed over the course of the stone grind. When moulding the chocolate, a snap test is done to check for tempering quality” explains Akhil.

A Federation of Odd bar

Innovative Flavours

From blueberries and mango to coconut and blue pea tea, Bon Fiction has curated a wide variety of flavours. Winning international awards for their “An Eclipse of the Senses” and “Order of the Dark Roast” bars is a testament to their ingenuity and quality. “We have developed a coconut bar with coconut sugar made from coconut blossom nectar which does not cause sugar levels to spike. The coconut mylk used gives it a velvety texture with creamy coconut notes. It is an ode to the coconut trees under whose gentle shade our cacao grows. For a truly indulgent treat we created the white paradox. Butterfly pea flower also called sanku puvvu is found commonly in the wild in our district and has always been used by our elders to make tea for good health. When we saw the increasing popularity of tea, we experimented it with our white chocolate. The tea gives a subtle flavour and a rich blue hue to the chocolate. The dried unsweetened blueberries are a perfect complement to the Matcha Prince and the Blue pea bar” shares Prathina.

Yet another of their signature offerings is the “A Federation of Odd”, a vegan mylk chocolate bar that is made from watermelon seeds. A completely new ingredient, this one lends a surprisingly rich flavour. Naturally reducing the bitterness, the superfood watermelon seeds adds a novel dimension and is a worthy replacement for a traditional dairy milk chocolate bar.

Looking Forward

An Eclipse of the Senses

So, what is in store for Bon Fiction in the future? “Apart from export plans, we want to make our chocolates available in more stores across India. We want to make dark chocolate an indulgent treat and hope to become a part of many happy memories of our customers” say the dynamic duo.