Like many craft chocolate makers, Vincent Mourou and Sam Maruta, the founders of Marou Faiseurs de Chocolat, arrived at cacao after first pursuing other careers. While living in Vietnam and exploring the jungles of the south, the two French expats met and quickly became close friends. Vincent was a filmmaker; Sam, a banker. Their shared curiosity led them to discover thousands of acres of cacao growing in the Mekong Delta—and the idea of making chocolate in Vietnam took hold.

Their vision was simple yet bold: to combine French chocolate-making expertise with Vietnamese cacao sourcing and production. In 2011, that dream became reality with the founding of Marou. At the time, no one was producing chocolate in Vietnam. Cacao was exported solely as a low-value raw material, and there was no existing chocolate infrastructure. Undeterred, Mourou and Maruta took on the roles of both engineers and chocolatiers, building the tools and processes needed to bring their chocolate to life.

Before long, Marou’s distinctive bars were delighting chocolate lovers in Hong Kong, Paris, and Singapore, while gaining a devoted following at home in Vietnam. The company grew rapidly, and today Marou chocolates are featured in specialty shops around the world, as well as in the brand’s own cafés and boutiques throughout Vietnam. Their work has been celebrated by three-Michelin-starred chef Michel Roux and by Pierre Hermé, one of the world’s most acclaimed chocolatiers and pastry chefs.

Tragically, after more than a decade of shared success, Sam Maruta passed away in France at the age of 46. His loss was deeply felt by Vincent and the entire Marou team. Yet Sam’s spirit endures. Guided by the values he helped establish in 2011, Marou continues to honor its commitment to quality, sustainability, and craftsmanship—adding value to Vietnam and delighting chocolate lovers around the world.