José Luis Pérez
Cocoa and chocolate: Over 500 years uniting the world
Embedded Files
José Luis Pérez
Cocoa and chocolate: Over 500 years uniting the world
Since 1519, when Hernán Cortés arrived in Mexico, cocoa and chocolate have served as powerful unifiers across cultures. Cortés himself once remarked that a single cup of the native cacao drink could sustain a soldier for an entire day. He was also astonished to see cacao used as currency, leading some Spaniards to believe that in this new land, money “grew on trees.”
However, the real moment of cultural fusion came in 1528, when Cortés introduced the cacao drink at the court of Charles V in Spain. Initially met with little enthusiasm due to its bitter flavor, it soon gained popularity for its nutritional value. The recipe was modified—sugar was added, reportedly for the first time by Cistercian monks at the Monasterio de Piedra in Zaragoza. Later, spices like cinnamon, vanilla, clove, and cardamom were incorporated, giving rise to the version of chocolate that would charm Europe’s elite.
It took four generations—Charles V, Philip II, Philip III, and finally Ana of Austria, daughter of Philip III and wife of Louis XIII of France—for chocolate to reach the French court. There, chefs refined the drink, making it lighter and blending it with milk, sparking its spread through the royal courts of Europe. This popularity soon led to both legal trade and smuggling of cacao from Spain’s colonies.
By the early 17th century, despite being the world's largest consumer, Mexico had to import cacao due to crop diseases. Records show that in 1622, Bogotá authorized the shipment of 60 fanegas (approximately three tons) of cacao from La Guaira, near Caracas, to Veracruz. This is considered by many to be New Granada's first major export beyond gold.
Cacao's rising fame attracted Dutch interest. At the time, New Granada had become the world's largest producer of cacao. The Dutch seized control of three nearby Caribbean islands—Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao—largely ignored by Spain. From there, they built a highly successful contraband trade with the Spanish colonies, laying the groundwork for their dominance in the global cocoa trade, which continues to this day.
Despite its growing popularity, chocolate remained a luxury item, consumed exclusively by aristocrats in Europe and the Americas. Manual processing of cacao was labor-intensive, making the product costly. The Industrial Revolution transformed this reality.
The first attempt at industrial chocolate production took place in Dorchester, Massachusetts, in 1765. Irish chocolatier John Hanon partnered with Harvard physician James Baker to produce chocolate in a mill powered by the Neponset River. They offered three grades: premium for the elite, mid-tier for the free general public, and low-grade chocolate distributed to enslaved people.
By 1777, the world’s first mechanical chocolate production machine was operational in Barcelona, Spain, ending artisanal dominance and ushering in industrial-scale manufacturing. Subsequent innovations in the Netherlands, England, Switzerland, and Belgium revolutionized the product. Pioneers like Gaspar and Conrad Van Houten (cocoa butter extraction), Joseph Fry (first chocolate bar), Daniel Peter (milk chocolate), Rudolph Lindt (modern bar texture), Jean Neuhaus (pralines and truffles), and Octaaf Callebaut (liquid transport and storage) collectively transformed chocolate into a global commodity.
By the early 20th century, the chocolate supply chain had splintered into three segments: the cacao growers (cultivators and fermenters), the industrial processors (focused on volume, often at the expense of quality), and the consumers (largely unaware of the first two). This disconnect inspired Roald Dahl’s 1964 novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
In response to industrial uniformity, the late 1990s and early 2000s saw the rise of the Bean to Bar movement. Small-scale chocolate producers began prioritizing quality and craft. This required top-grade raw materials, fostering new alliances between select cacao farmers and artisan chocolate makers.
Among those leading this revolution was Thierry Mulhaupt, a renowned French chocolatier. He envisioned controlling every step—from tree to bar. This dream materialized in Casa Rivera del Cacao, located in Quindío, Colombia. The estate cultivates eight Colombian cacao varieties, five of which are Cocoa of Excellence, including three rare criollo types. The plantation is fully organic and operates under a sustainable agroforestry model.
Originally envisioned as a high-end cacao farm, Casa Rivera del Cacao perfected every stage of the process—from harvesting and fermentation to drying and grain selection. These practices form the foundation of top-quality chocolate, as recognized by Bean to Bar artisans.
Mulhaupt's acclaim attracted attention from French media and gastronomic circles, prompting visits from chefs and chocolatiers. The estate's main house was converted into a boutique hotel, and thus began the tourism side of the project. The first gastronomic visitors arrived in February 2020. Though the pandemic temporarily halted operations, the hiatus allowed the development of a chocolate workshop powered by renewable energy.
Today, visitors to Casa Rivera del Cacao can participate in immersive Tree to Bar workshops. Professionals and enthusiasts alike come to learn and appreciate the entire transformation process—from pod to final bar. Renowned European schools now include the estate in their curriculum, reinforcing its reputation. ProColombia has named it one of Colombia’s 25 most innovative tourism experiences and one of the six best culinary hotels in the country.
More than just a farm or factory, Casa Rivera del Cacao is a living bridge connecting consumers, producers, and growers. Five centuries later, cacao continues to unite the world—now with recognition for those who have long been overlooked: the cacao farmers, the true custodians of chocolate’s soul, as Jordi Roca and Sergio Medina aptly wrote in their book Casa Cacao: “the forgotten side of chocolate,” yet the one that contributes the most to its excellence.
Author: José Luis Pérez
The authors are responsible for the choice and presentation of the facts contained in this document and for the opinions expressed therein, which are not necessarily those of Tourism and Society Think Tank and do not commit the Organization, and should not be attributed to TSTT or its members.
This site uses cookies from Google to deliver its services and to analyze traffic. Information about your use of this site is shared with Google. By using this site, you agree to its use of cookies.
Report abuse