The Chocolate Empire
| The Chocolate Empire | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Crime drama |
| Written by |
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| Directed by |
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| Starring |
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| Country of origin | Kenya |
| Original languages | English Swahili |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 10 |
| Production | |
| Producers |
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| Running time | 37-50 minutes |
| Production company | Insignia Productions |
| Original release | |
| Network | Showmax |
| Release | 20 March – 22 May 2025 |
| Related | |
| Rockville (TV series) | |
The Chocolate Empire is a 2025 Kenyan crime drama set in Nairobi's elite circles featuring an ensemble cast including Jimmy Gathu, Sanaipei Tande, Kalasha winner Mumbi Maina, among others. The series is produced by Insignia Productions, the creators of the hit shows Single Kiasi and Netflix original Kash Money.
Plot
The Chocolate Empire follows the life of JB Mauzo (Jimmy Gathu), a once-powerful businessman freshly released from prison. As JB works to rebuild his life and mend his fractured family, he secretly operates a high-end escort service from his exclusive cigar club in Nairobi. His clandestine empire and personal life collide when he meets Lily (Ann Muli), a young woman from a struggling family, who takes a job at JB’s club to help her mother make ends meet, unaware of the illegal operations taking place.[1]
Cast
- Jimmy Gathu as JB Mauzo, a former criminal and businessman[2]
- Ann Muli as Lily, JB's love interest and Margaret's daughter
- Mumbi Maina as Vera, JB's diamond and high-end escort.
- Sanaipei Tande as Margaret, Lily's mother and a widow struggling to maintain her catering business. She is also a mother to Grace Nuru.[3]
- Jackie Kaboi as Marie, JB's unfaithful wife and mother to his two kids.
- Kael Njihia as Kevin, JB's and Marie's rebellious son.
- Escay Gitonga as Sheila, JB's and Marie's caring daughter.
- Derek Bbanga as Mike, JB's longtime friend who gets romantically involved with Marie during JB's imprisonment.
- Amalie Chopetta as Mona, JB's longtime business partner and a former escort.
- Aleks Kamau as Clemo, an ex-con and JB's closest confidant.
- Linda Tyagi as Grace Nuru, Margaret's rebellious daughter and Lily's sister.
- Michael Saruni as Peter, Lily's religious boyfriend.
- Angie Magio as Subira, wife to Mr. Wambua. She is a city council official.
- Makena Kahuha as Ebony, an escort at JB's club.
- Xtatic as Jade, an escort at JB's club.
- Ivy Wanjiku as Caramel, an escort at JB's club.
- Mwaniki Mageria as Pastor Maurice, a respected church leader in his community who also harbors feelings for Margaret.
- Kennedy Musumba as Mr.Wambua, a wealthy elderly man and husband to Subira. He is having an affair with Grace Nuru.
Episode
| Season | Episodes | Originally released | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First released | Last released | |||
| 1 | 10 | March 20, 2025 | May 22, 2025 | |
Season 1 (2025)
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Episode 1" | Unknown | Unknown | 20 March 2025 | |
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JB’s seemingly perfect world is shattered by an unexpected threat, as Margaret and her daughters fight to survive after losing everything. | |||||
| 2 | "Episode 2" | Unknown | Unknown | 27 March 2025 | |
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Lily uncovers a secret that threatens to destroy her family while JB works to keep his family in the dark about his business | |||||
| 3 | "Episode 3" | Unknown | Unknown | 3 April 2025 | |
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An unexpected event threatens to destroy JB’s world, as Lily struggles with her growing feelings for JB. Margaret runs into obstacles while trying to solve her money problem. | |||||
| 4 | "Episode 4" | Unknown | Unknown | 10 April 2025 | |
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JB reels Margaret in, as Lily discovers the true nature of JB’s business. Lily’s relationship crumbles as Vera fights her raging guilt. | |||||
| 5 | "Episode 5" | Unknown | Unknown | 17 April 2025 | |
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JB and Mike face off as he digs into the minister’s death. A close ally betrays JB. Lily and Peter’s relationship comes to a head with an unexpected surprise. | |||||
| 6 | "Episode 6" | Unknown | Unknown | 24 April 2025 | |
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Sheila’s disappearance throws the family into a storm, while Margaret and Subira launch a secret operation. Lily faces Peter’s wrath. | |||||
| 7 | "Episode 7" | Unknown | Unknown | 1 May 2025 | |
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Cracks begin to appear in JB’s marriage as Marie grows increasingly suspicious. Pastor Maurice is ready to declare his love for Margaret. Lily makes a bold choice. | |||||
| 8 | "Episode 8" | Unknown | Unknown | 8 May 2025 | |
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JB‘s sacrifice unravels a secret that threatens to destroy his marriage. Margaret and Pastor’s relationship grows stronger, while Lily grapples with the consequences of her choices. | |||||
| 9 | "Episode 9" | Unknown | Unknown | 15 May 2025 | |
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As secrets unravel in the Mauzo house, JB and Marie are faced with a difficult choice. Meanwhile, Mike closes in on JB, revealing his biggest weakness. Margaret makes a startling discovery. | |||||
| 10 | "Episode 10" | Unknown | Unknown | 22 May 2025 | |
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JB and Mike have a showdown that threatens the lives of those around them. Margaret’s world is turned upside down as her family is torn apart. | |||||
Production
Development
Show producer Grace Kahaki said the show is a local adaptation of the South African hit series Rockville (TV series) with an authentic Nairobi vibe. [4]
Casting
The cast was announced when the first episode for season 1 began, with a stellar line-up of Jimmy Gathu, Sanaipei Tande, Mumbi Maina, and more. [5]
Release
Showmax released the first episode of The Chocolate Empire on March 20th with subsequent episodes dropping every Thursday.[4]
Critical Reception
Business Daily Africa's Stanlaus Manthi in his positive review describes the show as 'a dramatically raunchy look at the dark side of Nairobi' saying: "Chocolate Empire strikes a nice balance between glamour and realism. It's raunchy and provocative, but it doesn't forget its themes."[6]
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Zanzibar International Film Festival | Best TV Drama Series in East Africa | Philippe Bresson & Grace Kahaki | Nominated | [7] |
| Best Actor in a Drama Series in East Africa | Jimmy Gathu | Won |
References
- ^ Odera, Kevin (26 February 2025). "Plot, Cast, Trailer – Showmax Crime Drama 'The Chocolate Empire'". UNCUT MEDIA. Retrieved 1 April 2025.
- ^ Adhis, Paula (28 March 2025). "Kenya's Jimmy Gathu Is Still Working, Still Evolving, And Still That Guy". OkayAfrica. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
- ^ Milimo, Dennis (28 March 2025). "Exclusive: Sanaipei Tande Reveals Secret to Massive Success in Her Acting Career". Mpasho. Retrieved 2 April 2025.
- ^ a b Edwards, Michelle. "Producer Grace Kahaki on developing The Chocolate Empire". Retrieved 30 March 2025.
- ^ Milimo, Dennis. "Jimmy Gathu, Sanaipei Tande, Mumbi Maina feature in crime drama 'The Chocolate Empire'". Retrieved 1 March 2025.
- ^ Manthi, Stanlaus (26 May 2025). "The Chocolate Empire: A dramatically raunchy look at the dark side of Nairobi". Business Daily Africa. Retrieved 18 June 2025.
- ^ Everest, Covenant (2 July 2025). "Showmax Originals dominate at the 2025 Zanzibar International Film Festival". Radio 47. Retrieved 3 July 2025.