Chocolate has a long and fascinating history, with evidence suggesting it was enjoyed as early as 1900 BC. But who were the first people to eat chocolate and how did it become the beloved treat we know today? Let’s take a look at the origins of chocolate consumption throughout history.
Where does chocolate come from?
Chocolate originates from the seeds of the cacao tree, which is native to Central and South America. The Olmec, Maya, and Aztec civilizations all cultivated cacao and used its seeds to make a bitter, spicy drink. The word “chocolate” comes from the Aztec word “xocolātl,” meaning “bitter water.”
The cacao tree grows in tropical regions within 20 degrees north and south of the equator. Some of the top cacao producing countries today include Ivory Coast, Ghana, Indonesia, Nigeria, Brazil, and Ecuador.
Who first ate chocolate?
The earliest evidence of chocolate consumption points to the Mokaya people of the Pacific coast of Chiapas, Mexico. Archaeologists have found traces of cocoa in Mokaya vessels dating back to 1900 BC. However, at this time, chocolate was consumed as a bitter beverage, not the sweet treat we know today.
The Olmecs (1500 BC – 400 BC) further cultivated use of cacao beans and developed chocolate as a ritual drink. Cacao beans were also used as currency by the Mayans and Aztecs.
Chocolate remained largely a drink of the upper class until the Spanish conquistadors learned of it in the 16th century. When they brought cacao beans back to Europe, they added sugar to improve the taste, creating a precursor to modern chocolate.
The evolution of chocolate in Europe
Once introduced in Europe, chocolate was initially met with suspicion as a bizarre foreign curiosity. But it soon became popular with the aristocracy and spread throughout the continent. Here are some key developments in chocolate’s rise in Europe:
- 1585 – First shipment of cacao beans arrives in Spain from the New World
- 1615 – Italy gets its first taste of chocolate
- 1657 – The first chocolate house opens in London
- 1674 – Solid chocolate is developed in Italy
- 1697 – Hans Sloane develops milk chocolate in Jamaica
- 1828 – Conrad van Houten develops the cocoa press, making powdered cocoa available
- 1847 – Joseph Fry makes the first modern chocolate bar
- 1876 – Milk chocolate is invented by Daniel Peter and Henri Nestlé
Chocolate became increasingly accessible to the middle class during the Industrial Revolution as manufacturing advanced. And in the late 19th century, the creation of milk chocolate by Nestlé and Lindt made it appealing to even more consumers.
The chocolate industry grows
Chocolate went from a rare luxury to an affordable treat from the late 1800s onward. Key developments expanding the chocolate industry include:
- 1879 – Milton Hershey opens a caramel factory that later shifts to chocolate
- 1900 – Hershey perfects milk chocolate and begins mass production of chocolate bars
- 1913 – The first chocolate chip cookies are invented in Massachusetts
- 1923 – The Crunch bar is introduced by Nestlé
- 1930s – Chocolate becomes increasingly affordable to the masses
- 1940s onward – Experimental new flavors and formulations expand chocolate’s popularity
Today, billions of people around the world enjoy chocolate. While patterns of consumption vary globally, Western countries like Switzerland, Germany, Norway, and the UK lead in per capita chocolate consumption.
Timeline of key events in chocolate history
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 1900 BC | Earliest evidence of chocolate consumption by the Mokaya |
| 1500 BC – 400 BC | The Olmecs cultivate cacao and develop chocolate as a ritual drink |
| 450 AD | The Mayans refine chocolate recipes and use cacao beans as currency |
| 1492 | Christopher Columbus encounters cacao beans traded in the New World |
| 1585 | First cacao beans shipped from Mexico to Spain |
| 1615 | Chocolate spreads to Italy |
| 1657 | First chocolate house opens in London |
| 1674 | Solid chocolate is developed in Italy |
| 1828 | Cocoa press invented, making cocoa powder available |
| 1847 | Joseph Fry makes the first modern chocolate bar |
| 1876 | Milk chocolate invented by Daniel Peter |
| 1879 | Milton Hershey begins mass production of chocolate |
| 1900 | Hershey perfects milk chocolate and modern chocolate bar |
Conclusion
While cultures like the Olmecs and Mayans discovered chocolate over 3,000 years ago, it was not until the Europeans brought cocoa beans back from the New World that chocolate began to take the sweet, accessible form we know today. Chocolate went from an elite drink to a worldwide phenomenon over just a few centuries thanks to advances in manufacturing and distribution.
From its bitter beginnings as the drink of Mesoamerican rulers to a global multibillion dollar industry today, the history of chocolate reflects humanity’s abiding sweet tooth and appetite for novelty. Next time you take a bite of chocolate, consider the long journey it took to arrive in your candy bar, cookie or cup of hot cocoa.