Chocolate: Central America

Chocolate was previously considered a “delectable symbol of luxury, wealth, and power” (Klein) in the 1500s. Using modern technology, it is now easily produced. While

During the time frame of 1450-1750, the Columbian Exchange was at its height of power and influence. Many products were introduced from foreign lands, like animals such as cattle, chickens, and horse, and agriculture such as potatoes, bananas, and avocados. Diseases also became widespread and persisted to distant lands where it wreaked devastation upon the non-immunized people. One such influential product during this time period was the cacao, or more commonly known as chocolate. First discovered and used in the Americas, cacao beans quickly traveled to and became a popular treat in European lands. It was valuable in the New World and even used as a currency by the Aztecs. Only the rich and privileged

When the cocoa beans arrive at the factory they are processed into the cocoa products that can be used in manufacturing chocolate. These include cocoa liquor, cocoa butter and cocoa powder. Most processing occurs away from the countries where cocoa is grown because it is more efficient to process and manufacture the products close to where they will be consumed.. What happens during processing has a direct effect on the flavor and qualities of the resulting chocolate.The taste and texture of a particular chocolate product depends on the each recipie , which remains a guarded secret of the company. Mars uses different types and proportions of cocoa liquor, cocoa butter and other ingredients such as milk and sugar to make their products consistent with the brand.

There is a high bargaining power of suppliers because of the need of the key ingredients required for chocolate manufacturing and limited number of suppliers for this industry. Since cocoa trees require tropical climate, it forces the main producers in the west to import them from countries in West Africa or other hot places

While Europe and the United States account for most chocolate consumption, the confection is growing in popularity in Asia and market forecasts are optimistic about the prospects in China and India (Nieburg, 2013, para 9). According to the CNN Freedom Project, the chocolate industry rakes in $83 billion a year, surpassing the Gross Domestic Product of over a hundred nations (“Who consumes the most chocolate,” 2012, para 3).

It focuses on the craft of premium chocolate making from cocoa beans sourced from manors around the globe. Cooking procedures are innovative. Production line groups use fastidious artisan abilities to make chocolates that

We all encounter chocolate in our daily life, and whether we want to admit it or not, chocolate has been a major part of history, and it is still seen today.

Cocoa was very important to the Aztecs Lives. In some places, it was currency! Also, “The Bean itself is very bitter, but if you crack it open, there is a jelly-like substance that is very sweet and good” States Mr. Montgomery. The Aztecs had a special way of drinking this. They would is a drink that is a mix of the cocoa bean, corn flour, water, and chilies. Also when the Spanish came, they introduced sugar which changed this drink for

Chocolate is made from the seeds of the tropical tree, Theobroma cacao. Theobroma is the Greek term for 'food of the gods.' In Aztec society chocolate was a food of the gods, reserved for priests, warriors and nobility. The Aztecs used cacao beans to make a hot, frothy and bitter beverage called chocolatl. Chocolatl was a sacred concoction that was associated with fertility and wisdom. It was also thought to have stimulating and restorative properties. The bitter drink was first introduced to Europe in 1528. However, it was not until 1876 that milk, cocoa powder and cocoa butter were combined to form what we now know as chocolate (1).

For over one hundred years, there has been only one company that has been on top of the candy industry in North America; Hershey. With over 14,000 employees, serving 70 countries worldwide and net sales of $6.6 billon, Hershey has come out on top. The Hershey company began in 1894 by Milton Hershey. The company has over 8 factories, but their main headquarters resides in Pennsylvania. The beloved Hershey milk chocolate bar has been a favorite by many, but would it still be if more people knew how it came to be that? One of chocolates main ingredients is cocoa. Cocoa, or cocoa beans come from tropical areas around the world, but is mostly found on the Ivory Coast in West Africa. Hershey, along with Mars and Nestle are the three major companies that buy their cocoa from West Africa, but with further investigation, it has been known that over 4,400 children work on those cocoa farms that they buy from.

The Ivory Coast is on the west coast of africa and was a French colony. When the Spanish started colonizing latin america they were introduced to the world of chocolate. (background essay) When the Spanish brought this sweet treat back, Europe fell in love with it. The French colonized the western coast of Africa and started to grow the chocolate there because it was closer to Europe. Although chocolate is good for the Ivory Coast's economy it has severe negative side effects to the land and people around the area. The production of chocolate is ruining the environment, causing illegal and dangerous child labor, and the workers are not getting paid well enough for the work they do.

What exactly is cocoa powder? Well in the chocolate marketplace it is what results when cacao goes through the cocoa pressing process. When a cacao bean is pressed the majority of the fat which is also known as cocoa butter is taken out of the bean. The cocoa nibs (known to the layman as ground up cacao beans) are ground up between thick stones and the paste that results is called chocolate liquor. The liquor is pressed to remove a large portion of the fat from the beans. After the fat is taken out of the beans a chocolate "cake" is formed. This cake

From the perspective of Utilitarianism, child slavery contributes the economics position of thecountry. As I know, the economic situation of the country is bad, they are one of the thirdworld countries. What is more, cocoa beans prices decreased in the year 1996 - 2000. So,farmers want to reduce the cost of production with cutting the wages and using slavery.According to Utilitarianism, the “right” action or policy is the one that will produce thegreatest net benefits or the lowest net costs. From that point, they reduce costs, and maximizetheir net benefits from child slavery. The major difficulty with Utilitarianism is that it isunable to deal with rights and justice. For instance, from the point of social justice, it is clear that

Chocolate became “a respected scholarly subject” only in recent decades suffering from “puritanical prohibitions” of discussing food or writing about it that were recognized standards of behavior in the Western world. The reviewed book The True History of Chocolate is a valuable addition to what the public knows or, rather, does not know about chocolate, with an interesting historical background that makes an entertaining and useful reading and extends one’s knowledge of things we use daily, sometimes without realizing their long history of evolution and multiple meanings.

Chocolate being nicknamed the “food of the gods,” has always found its way through people 's hearts. Chocolate originated in Mexico, starting first with the Mayans. Used not only as a drink, it was also used in many medicinal purposes, such as relieving fatigue, treating burns, bowel dysfunction, and cuts and skin irritations. When Herman Cortes came and took some back to Spain, it was then that chocolate started to become popular. Nowadays, Americans eat as much as nine pounds of chocolate each person, every year! Although that much chocolate is consumed every year, chocolate has always had a bad label and is one of the many foods that are often avoided. But like I pointed out previously, it is beneficial to your body not the other way around. (McShea, 2008)