On the ground in Chiang Mai, Kennedy’s Confection Editor Kiran Grewal meets Neil Ransom, CEO of Siamaya Chocolate to explore how one of Thailand’s most distinctive bean-to-bar makers is helping shape a young but thriving cacao industry—through bold flavours, close farmer relationships and a deeply local sense of place.
As Thailand emerges as an unexpected but compelling cacao origin, Siamaya Chocolate stands at the centre of its craft chocolate movement. Based in Chiang Mai, the brand has built its reputation on translating Thai culinary culture— from fragrant curries to iced tea—into chocolate that is both playful and precise. In this exclusive interview with Kennedy’s Confection, Siamaya reflects on the rise of specialty cacao in Thailand, the realities of working directly with farmers, and why small-batch, feedback-driven sourcing has become the backbone of the country’s cacao sector. From test batches returned to growers to the challenge of turning dishes like Massaman or Tom Kha into chocolate, Siamaya offers a vivid snapshot of a national industry finding its voice.
Siamaya Chocolate is rooted in Chiang Mai, a region not traditionally associated with cacao. What first convinced you that Northern Thailand could be a viable home for a bean to bar chocolate operation, and how has the local environment shaped your approach?
When I moved to Chiang Mai, what struck me most was how quickly the region had transformed its coffee industry from instant coffee to specialty coffee grown right in the northern mountains. Watching that shift convinced me that cacao could follow a similar path. At the time I really wanted to try a Thai chocolate bar made from local beans, but I could not find anything. That realisation became the spark for starting Siamaya. I thought that if coffee could develop into a high quality, locally grown product, then chocolate could do the same. I also knew I was living in a cacao growing region, and it seemed like an opportunity waiting to be explored.
Chiang Mai has shaped my approach in deeper ways too. The city is colourful, friendly and incredibly creative. Those qualities influence everything from the flavours we choose to the packaging we design. Thailand is full of bold flavors and bright colours, and we try to reflect that spirit in our chocolate. We lean heavily on local ingredients because they are exceptional and because they help us express the story of northern Thailand. We also try to build a company culture that reflects the positive and collaborative energy of Chiang Mai.
Thailand’s cacao industry is still young compared to neighboring countries. From your vantage point, what are the most promising developments and biggest growing pains you are observing among Thai cacao farmers today?
Thailand’s cacao industry is still young, although cacao has been grown here for decades. In the past the country lacked processing infrastructure, and without a stable market farmers struggled to maintain interest. What has changed recently is the rise of the craft chocolate movement. Today most Thai cacao is sold directly to small makers as specialty cacao, and this niche market has become the backbone of the entire sector. It has given farmers confidence that there is finally a reliable path forward.
One of the most interesting aspects of the Thai market is how consumers experience chocolate. Most Thai customers enjoy chocolate in drinks, pastries and small confections rather than in large tablet bars. Because of that, there is a very active chocolate drink scene across the country. Cafes in places like Chiang Mai and Bangkok offer single origin cold chocolate drinks sourced from local farmers, and the creativity in that space is remarkable.
The challenges are significant as well. Access to technical knowledge is still limited for many farmers. Thailand also has a narrow range of cacao genetics, with most farms growing either Chumphon1 or IM1. Fermentation and drying practices vary widely, and consistency takes time to develop. There is also the issue of scale. Nearly all Thai cacao is purchased by craft makers, who produce excellent chocolate but cannot absorb high volumes. Without an industrial buyer, long term scaling will require continued investment in education, processing and market development. Even so, I am optimistic because the passion and dedication of Thai farmers and makers has already carried the industry a long way in a short period.
Your bars often highlight distinctly Thai flavors, from durian to Thai iced tea. How do you strike the balance between creating adventurous, region driven products and maintaining the integrity of fine flavour chocolate?
Chocolate is endlessly versatile, so early on we set one guiding rule. Everything we make must be inspired by Thailand. That includes flavours rooted in Thai cuisine, fruits, teas, spices and cultural traditions. Within that theme the possibilities are still enormous, but having that framework helps us maintain our identity as a Thai inspired craft chocolate company.
Quality ingredients drive everything we do. We use only natural ingredients and never use artificial flavourings, which means we spend a great deal of time searching for the right producers. An example is our Tom Yum bar, which uses candied tomatoes. Many versions in the market contain artificial colouring, so we spent weeks trying to find something better. Eventually we found a small producer in central Thailand making award winning candied tomatoes that tasted incredible. Once we tried them, we knew they were essential.
Our biggest rule is simple. If a chocolate does not taste right, it never leaves the prototype stage. We have experimented with flavours like Pad Thai, mangosteen and pineapple fried rice, but these did not translate naturally into chocolate, so we let them go. We also rely heavily on the strength of our base chocolates. Our Signature 75%, Signature 85%, and Signature Milk Chocolate all taste excellent on their own, which makes them strong foundations for flavoured bars.
Innovation is constant, but the integrity of the chocolate always comes first.
Working directly with Thai cacao farmers requires trust, consistency and shared goals. Can you talk about a particular partnership or moment in the supply chain that exemplifies what ethical sourcing looks like in Thailand?
When I first started Siamaya, sourcing consistent quality and volume was difficult. I quickly realised that relationships with producers would be essential, especially because Thailand’s cacao industry is still in its early stages. After working with many producers in the first few years, I eventually met Khun Pathom, who leads the Cocoa Nakorn Lampang Community Social Enterprise. His organisation works with small farmers across northern Thailand and ferments beans in Lampang.
Our partnership with him is built on transparency and long term planning. Each year we sit down together to discuss pricing and volume so that both sides can plan ahead. During times of global price volatility we have revisited and adjusted our agreements rather than abandoning them. Stability helps both sides succeed. We also collaborate on quality. Because we are one of his primary buyers, we give detailed feedback on fermentation, drying and flavour, and those adjustments directly improve the beans.
Beyond our main producers, we support new farmers as they enter the industry. When someone brings us beans, we often purchase a small sample, make a test batch and return the chocolate along with feedback. This helps farmers learn how their fermentation translates into flavour and gives us a sense of future sourcing opportunities. For me, ethical sourcing is about mutual success, knowledge sharing and long term stability.
Many international consumers still know very little about Thai cacao. What misconceptions do you encounter most often, and how does Siamaya aim to reframe global perceptions of Thailand as a cacao origin?
The biggest misconception is simply a lack of awareness. Many people do not know that Thailand produces cacao at all. Thailand has a young but rapidly developing cacao industry, and most consumers outside the region have never tasted Thai grown chocolate.
Thai cacao has unique characteristics. Many farms use Chumphon1, a varietal adapted to the Thai climate that produces a friendly and approachable flavour profile. Cacao here is often intercropped with other fruit trees, which creates a sustainable farming environment that does not require clearing land. However, because the industry is still developing, most people outside Thailand have no context for what Thai cacao should taste like.
Our role at Siamaya is to help change that. Through our chocolate, our workshops and our work with farmers, we want people to understand that Thailand is producing high quality cacao with a distinctive identity. The more people taste it, the more they appreciate that Thailand is not a future origin, it is already an active and exciting one.
As a company operating in Chiang Mai, a city rich with craft culture, sustainability values and tourism, how has the local community influenced your brand identity and business philosophy?
Chiang Mai is full of sensory richness. The colours, the flavours, the friendly atmosphere and the creativity all influenced how Siamaya developed. I wanted our chocolate to reflect the feeling of being in Thailand. That is why our packaging is so vibrant. Minimalism never felt like the right expression of this place. Thailand is full of colour, so our packaging is full of colour too. Very little white space, plenty of visual energy, and designs that capture the brightness of Thai life.
The same influence shows up in our flavours. Our curry bars are our way of honouring the central role food plays in Thai culture. Translating dishes like Tom Kha or Massaman into chocolate is not simple, but it is fun and it feels true to what inspires us in Chiang Mai.
What we try to express as a brand is the spirit of the city. Chiang Mai is inventive, welcoming and playful. We are not trying to position ourselves as premium or overly serious. We want to surprise and delight people with creativity and curiosity. That mindset came directly from living in Chiang Mai.
Innovation seems core to Siamaya, both in flavour and storytelling. Are there any upcoming product lines, collaborations or experiments with Thai ingredients that reflect where you see the future of Southeast Asian chocolate headed?
Innovation at Siamaya happens in seasons. Sometimes it is about new flavours, and sometimes it is about production systems and team development. Right now we are focused heavily on streamlining our processes, building stronger teams and preparing for long term growth.
One of our immediate projects is developing new product sizes. Our 75 gram bars are popular with tourists and international buyers, but in Thailand many people prefer smaller portions because of the heat. A large bar can melt before someone finishes it, so smaller bite sized formats make sense for the local market. Over the next six months we will be releasing new sizes that match Thai consumption habits.
Packaging plays a major role as well. I often say we are half chocolate company and half packaging company because we spend so much time on design. Creating smaller sizes that can be packaged efficiently is a challenge we are excited to work on.
We are also developing seasonal flavours tied to Thai holidays. One example is a Lucky Citrus bar for Chinese New Year that combines candied orange, candied pomelo and candied kumquat. It is bright, aromatic and celebratory.
In the broader Southeast Asian context, I believe the future of chocolate will come from strong regional storytelling combined with better farming and fermentation practices. Our goal is to contribute to that through thoughtful innovation in both flavour and operations.
Siamaya Chocolate has a strong educational angle, both in store and in your workshops. What role do you believe consumer education plays in advancing Thailand’s position in the premium chocolate world?
Education is essential for the growth of Thailand’s craft chocolate industry. Like many countries, Thai consumers are still learning the difference between industrial chocolate and bean to bar chocolate made with transparency and care. Helping people understand that difference is key to building a stable premium market.
I support this effort in several ways. I am part of the Thai Trade Association of Cacao and Chocolate, which works to raise awareness about locally grown cacao and Thai made chocolate. Siamaya also hosts popular workshops where visitors can learn how chocolate is made, taste fresh cacao and create their own bars. These experiences help people appreciate the craft behind the product.
We also host regular school groups that come to learn about farming, sustainability and business. These students are future consumers, and giving them exposure to quality chocolate at a young age helps build long term understanding.
There are now around one hundred craft chocolate makers in Thailand, and many of them focus deeply on educating their local communities. Their efforts benefit the entire industry. As more people learn to appreciate quality Thai chocolate, demand increases for all of us.
We also have an open door policy for farmers and chocolate makers. Anyone can visit our factory to learn about our processes and equipment. I learned to make chocolate through trial, research and practice, and I believe in sharing knowledge. The more exceptional chocolate Thailand produces, the stronger our reputation becomes as an origin.
Operating in Thailand comes with regional challenges, from climate considerations to distribution in a hot, humid environment. What operational strategies have been most crucial in scaling Siamaya while preserving quality?
Thailand is warm enough to melt chocolate almost year round, and that shapes how we sell and distribute our products. We learned early on that chocolate sells best in places where customers can plan their next steps. Grocery stores are ideal because people are already heading home with refrigerated items. Duty free shops are perfect because tourists buy gifts and then head directly to their destinations. Our own retail shops allow customers to taste chocolate, ask questions and return later when they know they can store it safely.
For B2B and national distribution we rely entirely on cold chain logistics. Everything moves through refrigerated trucks and a cold storage distribution centre in Bangkok. This keeps the chocolate stable even during the hottest months.
Climate also impacts the cacao supply. Recent seasons have shown how climate change can disrupt harvests. In the past we could buy cacao one ton at a time, which helped cash flow. With more unpredictable conditions we are shifting toward building long term inventory. We are investing in more storage capacity so we can buy beans during peak season when quality and availability are highest, and then draw from that buffer during slower months.
This approach protects us from sudden price swings, although it ties up more capital in inventory. Balancing inventory needs with investment in equipment and factory upgrades is one of the biggest operational challenges we face as we scale. However, maintaining a stable supply of beans is essential for consistency and long term resilience.
