Second edition of NICO’s Chocolate Street begins

The second edition of ‘NICO’s Chocolate Street’, a chocolate festival, began at Forum Fiza Mall here, on Saturday. The festival will conclude on Sunday.

‘NICO’s Chocolate Street’ is an initiative to bring together home bakers and other entrepreneurs who specialise in making chocolates in and around Mangaluru, and to provide them with a platform to showcase their chocolate-based products.

NICO’s Chocolate Street is organised by the final year students of Nitte Institute of Communication (NICO), a constituent college of Nitte (Deemed to be University). It is a one-of-its-kind festival that bonds all the chocolate lovers of Mangaluru. This is the second year that this event is being organised by the studentss of NICO.

Mangaluru has long possessed a sweet tooth, including the presence of home-grown ice cream brands such as Ideal, and Hangyo and the cocoa cooperative Campco.

A chocolate festival in Mangaluru is therefore an ideal platform to bring together upcoming entrepreneurs who can dazzle the denizens of the city with a wide assortment of chocolate items, said Festival Coordinator Prof Kiran Thingalaya.

The products that are on display as well as for sale range from a wide variety of home-made chocolates, pastries, cupcakes, cookies, shakes, and even chocolate-based lip-balms and moisturisers.

There are 24 stalls, mainly in the Atrium area of Forum Fiza Mall.

The festival was inaugurated by Chef Sinu Vijayan, executive chef at The Taj Gateway, Mangaluru, by symbolically cutting a cake.

Manish B, a junior chef at the Lalit Bekal, will conduct a masterclass on baking chocolate delicacies on Sunday at 4 pm at the Atrium in the Mall.

Entry to this session is free. The chef is also available for interaction sessions with the audience on Sunday afternoon.