JW Marriott Khao Lak Resort & Spa has opened Duc de Praslin Chocolaterie Boutique & Atelier, Southern Thailand’s first on-site bean-to-bar chocolate factory and boutique, dedicated to the journey of locally grown Phang Nga cacao, from pod to praline, right at the resort.
Cacao is indigenous to the inland hills of Phang Nga, one of Thailand’s most promising cacao-growing regions, and the new on-site factory and boutique were developed in partnership with Duc de Praslin, a Thai chocolatier founded and helmed by Belgian chocolate-makers. The concept debuted at last week’s JW Marriott Summer Garden Party, themed “Rooted in Chocolate”, a JW Marriott tradition celebrating the JW Garden philosophy through seasonal cuisine and mindful dining.
“This resort has always been built on a simple idea, that luxury means very little if it isn’t rooted in something real, in this land, in this community, in the people who make this place what it is,” said Abhimanyu Singh, Area General Manager, Southern Thailand and General Manager, JW Marriott Khao Lak Resort & Spa. “Rooted in Chocolate is exactly that idea, brought to life.”
The new on-site factory, boutique and atelier invites guests to explore the craftsmanship behind every bar through year-round workshops, tastings and chocolate-themed menus designed for families and chocolate lovers alike, spotlighting the Phang Nga farmers who make it possible.
Developed with Duc de Praslin, a Thai chocolatier founded and helmed by Belgian chocolate-makers, the concept pairs generations of Belgian chocolate-making expertise with cacao grown in the inland hills of Phang Nga, one of Thailand’s most promising cacao-growing regions. At least 85% of the cacao used at the resort’s on-site Duc de Praslin bean-to-bar factory is sourced from Phang Nga through standing monthly orders with local farmer cooperatives at fixed prices, with 1.6 tons of locally sourced cacao purchased to date. Plans are underway to grow that volume and extend sourcing to other Thai regions.
The resort’s whole-ingredient approach extends into the kitchen, with cacao husks, nibs and pulp put to use rather than discarded, while garden trimmings are composted.
“It’s a core shared objective to source our cacao as close as possible to our place of production, and to sell it to consumers in that same area,” said Jean-Louis Graindorge, owner of Duc de Praslin Chocolaterie. “This way, we generate business within the local community and minimise transportation, making the process as sustainable as possible. Working directly with Phang Nga’s farming cooperatives on standing monthly orders at fixed prices gives farmers a stable, predictable income they can plan around. This project was designed to help their livelihoods grow, so that as demand for our chocolate grows, so does the benefit to the community that grows the cacao.”
At the atelier, signature experiences include interactive Pod to Bar workshops, where guests trace the origins of Thai cacao through taste, touch and aroma before crafting and personalising their own chocolate bars to take home. Looking ahead, the boutique will expand its calendar with family-friendly chocolate-making classes, tastings and seasonal chocolate-themed menus across the resort’s restaurants, alongside cacao tree plantings and harvest activities in the resort’s 27-acre JW Garden, where herbs, edible flowers and fruits are cultivated alongside newly planted cacao trees to inspire the culinary offerings across the resort. Beyond the boutique, the JW Garden anchors a wider calendar of guest experiences, from guided garden walks and herb-picking sessions to farm-to-table dining and seasonal harvest activities, reflecting the resort’s belief that memorable dining begins with a meaningful connection to nature.
The boutique’s debut was marked at the resort’s Summer Garden Party on 6 August, which brought cacao-infused welcome cocktails, personalised Cacao Passports guiding guests through tasting stations, a Pod to Bar workshop and the official ribbon-cutting for the new boutique, followed by a JW Garden tour where guests planted cacao trees. The evening closed with a shared-table chocolate-inspired dinner – bread and butter, a family-style three-dish entrée, a three-dish main with a shared side, and dessert – set with lit butter candles and menus printed on plantable seed paper inspired by Alice Marriott’s love of flowers, paired with Thai rum and handcrafted chocolates.
“I had no idea cacao was grown in Phang Nga. I discovered it almost by accident, riding around the province on a rented motorbike. Being Belgian, the connection with chocolate came naturally,” said Mathieu Sneyers, Director of Marketing Communications, JW Marriott Khao Lak Resort & Spa. “And now we are opening a Chocolate Boutique & Atelier here at the resort, in collaboration with Duc de Praslin and with Phang Nga cacao at the heart of it all.”
