The following is a brief overview of the history of chocolate,
according to the Ghirardelli Chocolate Company. For more information you
can visit their website at ghirardelli.com.
| Origin |
Amazon or Orinoco basin of South America approximately 4000 years ago
|
| A.D. 600 |
The Mayas undertook
a massive migration which led this highly civilized people from
Central America deep into the northern regions of South America. In
Yucatan they established the earliest known cocoa plantations. There
is no doubt, however, that the Mayas must have been familiar with
cocoa several centuries earlier.
|
| 1000 |
From the very early
days of cocoa the peoples of Central America used beans as a form of
payment. The use of cocoa beans as units of calculation must also have
become established before A.D. 1000. One Zontli equalled 400 cocoa
beans, while 8000 beans equalled one Xiquipilli. In Mexican picture
scripts a basket with 8000 beans represents the figure 8000.
|
| 1200 |
By subjugating the
Chimimeken and the Mayas, the Aztecs strengthened their supremacy in
Mexico. Records dating from this period include details of deliveries
of cocoa which were imposed as tributes on conquered tribes.
|
| 1502 |
First European
contact with Cocoa Beans (4th voyage of Christopher Columbus)
|
| 1528 |
Hernando Cortez
returns to Spain with Cocoa Beans, impressed by the fact that the
Aztecs used them as currency. H seeded plantations on Trinidad, Haiti
and the West African island of Bioko to grow "money" to trade with
Aztecs for gold. Spain then had a virtual monopoly of the cocoa market
for almost a century.
|
| Early 1700s |
The industrial
revolution mechanizes chocolate making and brings the price within the
public's reach. Chocolate houses start to spring up in England to
compete with coffeehouses. (Chocolate at this point was consumed as a
liquid beverage, not as a confection.)
|
| 1765 |
The first chocolate
factory was established in Massachusetts Bay Colony.
|
| 1828 |
Conrad Van Houten, a
Dutch chemist, learns to press cocoa butter out of chocolate liquor.
This then allows the production of cocoa powder.
|
| 1848 |
Conrad Van Houten
adds cocoa butter and sugar to chocolate liquor and "eating chocolate"
was created.
|
| 1852 |
Domingo Ghirardelli
establishes his first chocolate factory in San Francisco.
|
| 1875 |
Daniel Peter and
Henri Nestle combine chocolate and milk powder and create the first
Milk Chocolate Bar.
|
| 1879 |
Rodolphe Lindt
produces chocolate that melts on the tongue. He develops the "conching"
process that gives chocolate a smoother texture.
|
| 1900 |
Ghirardelli
Chocolate Company sells its coffee and spice business, limiting its
products to chocolate and mustard. A two-story warehouse (now called
the Cocoa Building) is built on North Point Street.
|
| 1965 |
San Francisco
declares Ghirardelli Square an official city landmark.
|
| 1967 |
Production of
Ghirardelli Chocolate moves to San Leandro, CA.
|
| 1998 |
Lindt and Sprungli
Chocolate out of Switzerland acquires Ghirardelli chocolate as a
wholly owned subsidiary of their holding company.
|
| Today |
Chocolate is a
multi-billion dollar industry and is one of the most popular
confection products in the world. |
