Approximately 3500 years ago, the Olmecs began cultivating the cacao tree deep within the rainforests of Mesoamerica. After discovering that the bitter bean inside the cacao pods could be fermented, roasted, and ground into a paste, the domesticated cacao started to be included in drinks, mainly used in rituals.
After passing on their cultural knowledge to later civilizations, the Mayans elevated chocolate into a luxury beverage called xocolātl (“bitter water”). Mixing it with spices, honey, and chili, it was used in ceremonies, offerings, marriages, and social gatherings. The rise to the significance of cacao started there, as it was even begun to be used as a currency and even as a tribute by having it imported. Chocolate was primarily reserved for those in a high standing in the social hierarchy, such as priests, nobles, and warriors.
It was found that in the late 1500s, chocolate made its Spanish encounter. When the Spanish explorers arrived in Europe, they introduced cocoa as a luxury beverage. Europeans decided to make this a fast-track trend by adding sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla, and for the first time, the bitter drink transformed into a sweet delight.
While the Industrial Revolution brought forth machinery that elevated the richness and smoothness of chocolate, it also marked the beginning of mass production and wider affordability. This era produced several milestone innovations. Daniel Peter, in collaboration with Nestlé, created cocoa powder in 1828, the world’s first solid chocolate bar in 1847, and the groundbreaking development of milk chocolate in 1857.
Henceforth, the chocolate mania started to go viral, as by the 20th century, many brands, such as Lindt, Cadbury, Hershey, and even a founder such as Nestlé, began to chart the importance of chocolate worldwide by being primary manufacturers.
From bitter drinks to bountiful bars, chocolate did not stop its own rising fame there.
Made simply from cocoa solids, cocoa butter, and sugar, dark chocolate, the original “father” of all chocolate, reigned for centuries as the sole form in the industry. Known for its deep, intense, and slightly bitter flavor, it gradually branched into new variations to suit different taste buds of different individuals. By 1875, the addition of milk powder gave rise to milk chocolate, offering a creamier, sweeter experience. White chocolate, which excludes cocoa solids entirely, was introduced in the 1930s, while ruby chocolate, a naturally pink variety made from ruby cocoa beans, emerged in 2017. Different sugar levels also led to bittersweet and semisweet chocolate, and in early 1800s Italy, Gianduja, a blend of chocolate and finely ground hazelnuts, became a celebrated specialty. And high-quality chocolate with extra cocoa butter was defined as couverture chocolate, ideal for tempering and coating. Compound chocolate, being quite the opposite, is cheaper and easier to melt, as it excludes all cocoa butter and only uses vegetable fats.
Major cocoa producers and manufacturers, including Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, and Papua New Guinea, are distinguished members of the Commonwealth. As such, they benefit from support in expanding export markets for chocolate, which in return promotes intra-Commonwealth trade, allowing producers to reach new buyers and consumers across other member countries.
And so, one individual can seem to identify that, from its beginnings as a bitter, ceremonial drink, chocolate has risen to captivate the entire planet. Innovations like milk, white, and ruby chocolate, along with global trade and Commonwealth support for cocoa-producing nations, have transformed it into a truly planetary phenomenon. Today, chocolate satisfies the taste buds and cravings of millions worldwide, while empowering the communities behind every precious cocoa bean.
