“Make this world happier with chocolates” is the motto of the chocolate shop VANILLABEANS Minatomirai. Not only do they bring joy to chocolate fans, but they also make producers of cacao beans and their families happy. A unique chocolate coating machine stands at the entrance and beckons people inside where they will find a factory, gift shop and cafe. Fans of chocolate flock here from as far as China and Taiwan, frequently causing long lines on weekends.
The 30 different kinds of chocolate bars called “Tablette chocolat” draw attention with colorful packaging. Staff carefully select and roast the cacao beans and make “Bean to Bar” chocolates here. You can choose from 13 kinds of chocolate bars (¥648) made from different cacao beans from various producing countries, and 17 kinds of chocolate bars (¥756) with flavorings such as nut, herb, fruit, liquor and more. Equally popular is their “Chocolat” series of chocolates, which are smooth chocolates sandwiched in crispy butter cookies to tasty perfection. From “Marc de Champagne” (¥378) with its hint of brandy and fruit to small chocolate cakes like “Paris Trois” (¥324), you may be enticed to try all 9 varieties.
At the cafe, try Chocolate Journey (¥1,134), a sample of 12 kinds of chocolate bars served with your choice of drink. Also recommended is VANILLABEANS Parfait (¥1,944), an authentic chocolate parfait using cacao beans and fruit pulp. “The parfait is enough for two, so please enjoy it with someone special this Valentine’s Day,” their PR rep, Mizuki Watanabe, says with a smile just as sweet as the chocolates themselves.
According to Watanabe, their CEO, Katsuhisa Yagi, realized one of his dreams last year. In 2006, Yagi learned about the harsh conditions of cacao plantations in developing countries and started using fair trade chocolates the next year. Then, hoping to “make both chocolate fans and producers happy”, he launched a charity project to build a school in Ghana. He succeeded in collecting 5 million JPY over 5 years through a chocolate auction and built a brand new school in Ghana in 2015. Of course, his challenge continues. For Valentine’s Day why don’t we all join this sweet scheme to “make our world happier with chocolates”?