Brief History and Introduction To Cocoa...
Theobroma – the Latin name for cocoa,
literally means “food of the gods.” The Mayans used cocoa in its earliest forms
to create a beverage used during ritual ceremonies such as weddings. This
provided one of the first links between chocolate and romance.
After being introduced to this chocolate drink, the Spaniards
kept the secret of its production to themselves for nearly 100 years. It wasn’t
until the mid-1600s that the drink began to become popular in France. Every
country from England to Austria began producing their own chocolate confections
by the 18thcentury.
Nowadays people all around the world are able to enjoy chocolate with more
than 3 million tonnes of cocoa beans being consumed annually.
literally means “food of the gods.” The Mayans used cocoa in its earliest forms
to create a beverage used during ritual ceremonies such as weddings. This
provided one of the first links between chocolate and romance.
After being introduced to this chocolate drink, the Spaniards
kept the secret of its production to themselves for nearly 100 years. It wasn’t
until the mid-1600s that the drink began to become popular in France. Every
country from England to Austria began producing their own chocolate confections
by the 18thcentury.
Nowadays people all around the world are able to enjoy chocolate with more
than 3 million tonnes of cocoa beans being consumed annually.
While many of you are able to sit down and munch on a delicious chocolate bar, or relax on your couch at home with a steaming mug of hot
chocolate, you may not be aware that the creation of these delicious food items begins thousands of miles away, growing on trees in small family farms.
The love of chocolate is not shared around the world on its own, it is shared all around the world through global interconnections made through the trading of cocoa. The cocoa is exported from a range of cocoa producing countries in South America, West Africa and Asia, and imported to countries all around the world including North America, Europe and Australia. Without the trade of cocoa, not only would we not be able to spread and enjoy it across the globe, but the small cocoa farming communities would be stuck living in a cycle of poverty. It is these important geographical cocoa interconnections thatare able to provide a better livelihood for the cocoa farmers, as well as providing cocoa lovers around the world with chococlate.
chocolate, you may not be aware that the creation of these delicious food items begins thousands of miles away, growing on trees in small family farms.
The love of chocolate is not shared around the world on its own, it is shared all around the world through global interconnections made through the trading of cocoa. The cocoa is exported from a range of cocoa producing countries in South America, West Africa and Asia, and imported to countries all around the world including North America, Europe and Australia. Without the trade of cocoa, not only would we not be able to spread and enjoy it across the globe, but the small cocoa farming communities would be stuck living in a cycle of poverty. It is these important geographical cocoa interconnections thatare able to provide a better livelihood for the cocoa farmers, as well as providing cocoa lovers around the world with chococlate.
Turning cocoa into chocolate is a long process, half of which occurs in the producing countries whilst the second half of the process occurs in the places that import the cocoa. The growing, harvesting, fermenting, drying, and marketing all occur within the cocoa farming communities. Once the chocolate has be bought by an importer, the suppliers export the cocoa around the globe where the packing, transporting, roasting, grinding, pressing and chocolate making take place.
Throughout the website, is a variety of information explaining the detailed processes of cocoa trade, production, challenges, and its relationship with the environment.
Throughout the website, is a variety of information explaining the detailed processes of cocoa trade, production, challenges, and its relationship with the environment.