MIA is now on offer to guests at the site that is home to one of the largest conservation projects for Madagascar’s flora and fauna: Zurich Zoo.

Zurich Zoo has a strong focus on environmental conservation and the Masoala Rainforest of Madagascar is at the heart of their mission. The Masoala Rainforest, located in northeastern Madagascar, is one of the world’s top three species-rich habitats with new discoveries constantly being uncovered.

The Zurich Zoo features a living rainforest ecosystem in a massive greenhouse called the Masoala Rainforest. The rainforest gives visitors an experience of plants and animals in their natural habitat, allowing them to learn more about the importance of the Masoala Peninsula for world heritage.

MIA Co-founder Sarah comments, “We were thrilled when the Zurich Zoo Restaurants decided to offer MIA to visitors. It’s great because the Masoala Reserve project not only educates visitors in Europe but also invests in education and conservation in Madagascar.

At MIA, we take a similar approach in that we share the story of Africa with our customers while benefitting supply partners in Madagascar with much more value than the export of cocoa. We do this in part by ethically producing finished chocolate locally and in part by committing 1% of sales to our 1 for Change social development program.”

Beyond the social benefits of MIA, every two kilos of chocolate produced sustains a cocoa tree for a year. This prevents deforestation and provides a habitat for indigenous plants and animals in northwest Madagascar.

Sarah: “It’s great to work with like-minded organisations that are making a positive difference in Madagascar. The relationship allows us to support our respect missions and give consumers a great experience in the process!”   

More about the Masoala Rainforest project at Zurich Zoo

https://www.zoo.ch/en/naturschutz-tiere/naturschutzprojekte/masoala?language=fr

Zurich Zoo’s biggest nature conservation commitment is in the Masoala region in Madagascar. Every year, the zoo contributes at least USD 125,000.00 to running costs and a sustainability fund at Masoala National Park. It also supports rainforest maintenance, reforestation, sustainable agriculture, water supply and hygiene projects, as well as children’s schooling in the surrounding communities. These projects, implemented in close cooperation with Masoala National Park, the Wildlife Conservation Society WCS and Medair, offer residents economic alternatives to ‘slash and burn’ methods in the rainforest.

The Masoala Peninsula is one of the world’s three most species-rich habitats. New plant and animal species are constantly being discovered there. Zurich Zoo champions the beauty of Masoala and raises awareness of the rainforest in Switzerland and Madagascar. It wants to help maintain Madagascar’s substantial biodiversity into the future and to secure benefits of the ecosystem such as protection against erosion, safe drinking water and the fertility of agricultural cultivation outside the park for the long run.