Pleasure meets purpose: Is ‘Functional Indulgence’ the future of chocolate?

As we saw a few weeks ago, chocolate has officially entered the wellness conversation. It’s slowly being reimagined as part of the broader movement toward food as medicine, as functional benefits lead the charge in terms of claims. Consumers are increasingly turning to food products to support their health needs, and functional indulgence is emerging as a sweet spot: where pleasure meets purpose.

Maison Marianne Chocolates is a brand that embodies this shift. Founded in Tokyo by Jennifer Court-Cervara, it blends high-quality Peruvian cacao with adaptogens and functional ingredients aimed at supporting sleep, skin health, and stress relief. Jennifer spoke to me how she’s building a chocolate brand with wellness at its core – and why indulgence and functionality are no longer mutually exclusive.

Here is part of my chat with her. But you can also watch the full interview - scroll to the end. 

GourmetPro: Let's start at the beginning. What led you to launch Maison Marianne?

Jennifer: It actually started because I tried to buy two different chocolate factories in France. The first one was called Maison Marianne. I loved the name, started working on the packaging and branding... and then the deal didn’t go through. The second one, same story. So I just thought, you know what? Forget it. I’m setting up my own chocolate business. And I chose Japan. I love the business culture here, and people still appreciate premium products.

GP: And you source your cacao from Peru. Why there?

Jennifer: Through a friend who worked at the World Bank in Lima, I found this incredible sustainable plantation in Tarapoto, in northern Peru. There’s a river running through it, and they also grow coconut trees nearby. I really think all of it mixes at the roots and gives the cacao this unique flavor – fruity, velvety, super smooth. Everyone thinks my 70% chocolate is actually 60% because it’s not bitter at all.

GP: What makes your cacao so different from others?

Jennifer: First, the fermentation. Good fermentation takes 6-7 days, and in some African countries, they skip a few days of fermentation. That makes a difference. 

And then there's the sugar. I use a brown, unrefined organic sugar called panela. It doesn’t overpower the cacao; it amplifies it. And I love that the farm invests in the local community and rainforest conservation. It’s not just amazing cacao; it's responsible cacao.

GP: But Peru isn’t the easiest place to source from, right?

Jennifer: Definitely not. Getting the cacao from the north of Peru to Lima is the hardest part. There just isn’t enough infrastructure. But once it reaches Lima, I can get it to Japan by DHL or through a contact here who imports it. It's more expensive through the importer, but for now, since I'm producing in small batches, it works.

GP: So where did the functional aspect come from?

Jennifer: It all started during an event in Cannes. Someone mentioned mushroom chocolate, but like, magic mushrooms. And I thought, well what about functional ones? I started reading about ingredients like lion’s mane, tremella, maitake. That stuff is fascinating. I didn’t want to just make good chocolate. I wanted it to do something. So I started experimenting with functional ingredients: ginseng, ginger, cinnamon. 

I launched the brand officially on February 14 with a little Valentine’s collection – chocolate infused with ginger and ginseng. I always joke, “Japanese people don’t make babies anymore, so I figured I’d help out.”

GP: You offer personalized chocolate too. How does that work?

Jennifer: Every order is delivered with a little card and a QR code. Customers scan it, go to a short survey, and they can build their own bar. 

They can choose the base chocolate – dark, milk, or white. They can pick a functional ingredient from a pre-set list of ingredients as well as flavor ingredients like fruits and nuts, also from a list. 

I had one woman who was really stressed and couldn’t sleep, so I made her a bar with banana and shatavari. She loved it. It's not medicine, it’s not pharma, but it makes people feel good. That’s what counts.

GP: How do you choose which ingredients to work with?

Jennifer: I talk to people. Most of the time, they want something for stress, sleep, or skin and beauty. I work with a naturopath here in Tokyo, and we figure out what to use. Tremella for skin. Shatavari for stress. I test everything in my kitchen in Ichigaya. I have base recipes I don’t change, for example, the marshmallow, caramel, ganache, and base chocolate. 

If an ingredient doesn’t work with the recipe, it’s out. For example, I brought back three types of tremella from China. Only one made the cut. Same with maitake. If it doesn’t taste good, doesn’t hold shape, doesn’t blend? Bye.

GP: What are some of the more unusual things you’ve made?

Jennifer: Oh, the pink teddy bears. That’s a nostalgic French treat, usually made as marshmallow coated in chocolate. I recreated the marshmallow with tremella and freeze-dried strawberries. I made a powder out of the tremella and incorporated it into the marshmallow. It’s cute, functional, and fun. 

I also made vegan caramel using snow swallow, which is a tree sap. You soak it for hours, and it acts like gelatin but it’s completely plant-based. I use it with cinnamon and tremella. 

Another time, a customer wanted something for immunity, so I used dried orange and maitake. I infused a slice of orange with cloves, dusted it with cinnamon. It’s super warming.

GP: Are you planning any new products? 

Jennifer: Yes! A femcare line is in the works. It'll be a little collection with tremella for skin health, shatavari for hormonal balance, and I’m looking for something natural to help with cramps. Maybe cinnamon or something else that works synergistically. I want it to be functional, like a tiny care package for women.

I’ve also made a white chocolate with avocado, using freeze-dried and powdered avocado. It’s really good but is not available for sale just yet.

GP: Who are your customers right now? And how do you reach them?

Jennifer: They are very wellness-oriented people who are willing to spend on high-end products. For example, one customer is a surgeon and another teaches yoga and Pilates. They are people who care about what they put in their bodies. 

People find me through word-of-mouth. I’m still mostly direct-to-consumer, online and pop-ups, but I’ll be at Aoyama market soon, and I’m exploring more retail options. But slowly. I want it to be right.

GP: What’s your vision for the brand?

Jennifer: I want a flagship shop. Think Starbucks, but for (drinking) chocolate. You can choose your chocolate base, your functional add-ins, your flavor and whether you want it hot or cold. A fully personalized chocolate drink. Plus, you can buy bars and bites there too. I want people to come in for a chocolate that actually supports their wellbeing. Not just a sweet treat, but something meaningful.

GP: It sounds like you’re building a lifestyle around chocolate.

Jennifer: Exactly. It’s indulgent, but it’s thoughtful. It’s functional, but still fun. And it’s rooted in really, really good ingredients. Honestly, it’s chocolate with a purpose.

Watch the full interview with Jennifer:

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