While cocoa can now be enjoyed in an endless array of products around the world, this delicacy has history that’s equally rich and compelling.

Origins in the New World

The Latin name for cocoa—Theobroma—literally means, “food of the gods.” This valuable crop played an important role in many ancient South American cultures.

In its earliest forms, the Mayans used cocoa to create a ritual beverage that was shared during betrothal and marriage ceremonies, providing one of the first known links between chocolate and romance.

For nearly 100 years after the Spaniards were introduced to chocolate, the coveted drink of New World inhabitants, they kept the secret of its production to themselves. In the same years as Shakespeare wrote his final plays, the missionary and theologian José de Acosta wrote about cocoa from Lima, Peru, saying, “It is so much esteemed among the Indians that it is one of the richest and the greatest traffics of New Spain.”

Chocolate Goes Mainstream

After a century, Spain lost its monopoly on the European chocolate market. By the mid-1600s, the drink made from the little brown beans had gained widespread popularity in France. It was praised as a delicious, health-giving food enjoyed by the wealthy. One enterprising Frenchman opened the first hot chocolate shop in London and by the 1700s, these “chocolate houses” were a common sight in England.

By the 18th century, every country, from England to Austria, was producing confections from the fruit of the cocoa tree. During this period, the introduction of the steam engine mechanized cocoa bean grinding, reducing production costs and making chocolate affordable to all.

Chocolate Today

From German chocolate cake to Swiss cocoa, today, people around the world enjoy chocolate in thousands of different forms, consuming more than 3 million tons of cocoa beans annually. Throughout its evolution, one thing has remained constant—chocolate has never lacked an avid following of people who love the “food of the gods.”

CHOCOLATE FACTS

The cocoa value chain faces a number of challenges in growing and selling this delicate crop.

Low Productivity

Farmers often have limited knowledge of modern farming techniques and farm management skills as well as limited access to finance that would allow the purchase of input supplies and quality planting material. Other challenges that impede productivity include aging trees that are past their peak cocoa pod production, decline in soil fertility and pests and disease that attack cocoa trees.

Marketing Challenges

The percentage of the world price that farmers receive varies significantly across regions. This is due to a number of factors, including, regulatory environment, access to market information, the use of individual sales versus leveraging the power of group buying, understanding of cocoa quality requirements; and transportation costs.

Pests & Disease

In all three major growing regions, an estimated 30-40% of the crop is lost to pests and disease.

Environmental Concerns

Soil fertility levels degrade over time. Improving productivity through composting and application of fertilizer rejuvenates cocoa lands. Promoting agroforestry techniques, to sustain a diversity of shade trees, food crops, cocoa and other cash crops, encourages productive, healthy, and sustainable farms for cocoa-growing communities.

Access to Education

In some areas, a lack of quality basic education is a critical issue, affecting everything from farmer labor practices and business decisions to youth migrating to urban areas and hindering the future growth of cocoa farming. Functional literacy, agricultural livelihoods training, youth leadership, and teacher training programs that improve access to a quality and relevant education are essential to sustain cocoa-growing communities in the long-term.

DID YOU KNOW?

• The shelf life for most chocolate is one year.
• 65% of all Americans choose milk prefer milk chocolate over the other types of chocolate.
• Chocolate contains high quality antioxidants that can protect you from developing cancer and heart disease.
• Aztecs Indians believed chocolate to be an aphrodisiac.
• Europe was introduced to chocolate when Christopher Columbus brought back cocoa beans from the Caribbean Islands from his 1502 voyage.
• There is an average of 230 calories in a 1.5 to 1.6 chocolate bar – more than half of the calories come from fat.
• 63% of Americans can’t resist buying themselves a chocolate treat when they are buying chocolate for someone else.
• Eating chocolate began in 1674 when the first chocolate cake was baked.
• An average of 60% of Americans give boxed chocolates as a winter holiday gift.
• Over 13 billion dollars was spend on chocolate last year.
• The melting point of chocolate is just below 98.6 degrees F, which is why chocolate melts so nicely in your mouth.
• It takes about 400 cacao beans to create 1 pound of chocolate.
• Several studies conducted over the past three decades have failed to find a link between chocolate and acne.
• British people are second only to Swiss when it comes to eating chocolate.
• 40% of the women regularly crave chocolate while 15% of the men crave chocolate.
• The Hershey Chocolate Factory was founded in Pennsylvania in 1871.
• There is 7 milligrams of caffeine in 1 ounce of milk chocolate – about the same as in a cup of decaffinated coffee.
• America produces more chocolate than any other country.
• 3.3 billion pounds of chocolate is eaten in the US each year.
• In the US, 25% of all peanuts, and 40% of all almonds are used in chocolate making.
• Chocolate is a natural antidepressant. It contains tryptophan which helps you create serotonin, your body’s own antidepressant. Also phenylethylamine, found in chocolate has been shown to release serotonin and endorphins two chemicals known to make us feel happy.
• The largest chocolate bar ever made, according to Guinness World Book of Records was made in March of 2000 by Elah-Dufour United Food Companies in Turin, Italy.
• According to research conducted in 2010 eating chocolate is more stimulating to the heart and to the head than kissing.