Let’s grab a fake cocoa pod to demonstrate how it should be done. For example, when cracking open a pod, you’d hold it like this, and when you break it apart, it would look something like this. The beans inside will be sticky and white at first—if they’re white and sticky, they’re ripe. If they’re still red, they’re not ready for harvesting yet.Now, take a look at this pod. Obviously, this one is a fake, so the beans are white. But in reality, these are fruits, and yes, you can use them to convince yourself that chocolate is good for you!
While the fruit itself isn’t used in the chocolate-making process, it does play a part in the initial stages. We’ll talk more about that later.If you’ve had chocolate before, you might not realize that the beans go through quite an extensive process before they reach our shops. Typically, there are about 40 beans in each pod.Once the beans are taken off the tree and are ready, they move on to the next part of the process: fermentation. The beans are removed from the pods and placed in fermentation boxes, where they’re covered with banana leaves and left to ferment for a few days.
During fermentation, a liquid is produced. Does anyone know what that liquid is? It’s alcohol! While we don’t drink it, some species do—like spider monkeys. These monkeys have figured out that these boxes create alcohol, and they treat it like their personal bar. It’s quite funny to watch, so much so that if you see someone acting a bit wild, you might start calling them a “cacao monkey.”
After fermentation, the beans are placed in drying boxes and left in the sun for about 5 to 10 days. This dries out the beans, making them less sticky and preparing them for the next stage of the journey to our shops.
Once the beans are dried, they move along a chain of distribution. First, they go to a local cooperative, then to a local trader, followed by a distributor who ships them overseas to places like the UK or the USA. From there, they’re sold to wholesalers, then manufacturers, and eventually chocolatiers, before finally ending up in our shops.To give you some perspective, a farmer like Maria might harvest around 10,000 cocoa pods a year, which would produce about 18,000 chocolate bars.
But despite all this hard work, how much do you think Maria earns per year? The sad reality is that she makes very little—about £320 a year. That’s barely enough to live on.Thankfully, there are trade systems in place to help farmers like Maria.
You’ve probably heard of Fair Trade, which is great because it gives farmers about 20% more profit.
But there are other systems too, like Direct Trade.Direct Trade is especially beneficial because it cuts out many of the middlemen, allowing chocolatiers to work directly with farmers like Maria. This reduces the chances of farmers getting involved in illegal activities like coca farming and ensures better quality beans. It also creates more job opportunities and helps farmers earn a better income.
Then there’s Rainforest Alliance certification, another great trade system that raises trade by about 150% and helps reduce child labor in the chocolate industry, which is still a significant problem. Rainforest Alliance is good at ensuring that the farmers see more of the profits from their hard work.
Now, let’s talk about big chocolate distributors like Dairy Milk. They produce a vast number of chocolate bars and have to source their beans from all over the world—from Brazil, Africa, and even Hawaii. When you eat a chocolate bar from a big company, the beans have likely been mixed from different regions to create a consistent flavor profile, like 70% cocoa, for example.However, if you’ve ever tried single-origin chocolate, you’ll notice it has a much more distinct flavor. This is because the beans come from one place, such as Ecuador, Fiji, or Peru. The flavor of the chocolate is influenced by the soil and climate of that region. For instance, beans from a region that grows a lot of fruit might taste naturally sweeter, while those from a coffee-growing area might have a smokier flavor.Single-origin chocolate is fascinating to try because it really lets you taste the unique characteristics of the region where the beans were grown.
Every Brilliant Little thing 