The Bittersweet Truth

Dear History Lover:

          Eighty percent of the chocolate consumed in the United States per year is purchased in the days leading up to Valentine’s Day. As we enjoy a leap day to cap off the month, we reflect on the complex history and present-day reality of cacao. In spite of fair trade certification measures, the majority of cocoa production still functions through exploitative channels proliferating human rights abuses.

          Centuries before the first chocolate bar was molded, the Olmec, Mayan, and Aztec peoples enjoyed cacao as a savory, albeit bittersweet, libation. To produce the concoction,

cacao was ground with maize (corn); mixed with water; and flavored with allspice, vanilla, salt, chili powder, and other spices. It was sometimes boiled to create cacahuatl; a version of hot chocolate as we know it today. In the late 16th century, during European conquests, Spaniards added sugar to the recipe to attract a European audience's sweet tooth. By early 17th century, cacao beans and recipes for drinking chocolate had traveled across the sea and spread through the courts of Europe. At that time, chocolate was almost exclusively consumed by the wealthy in “chocolate houses," some of which still stand today. Here in Massachusetts, one can enjoy a tasty treat at L.A. Burdick, a literal chocolate house located in Boston's Back Bay neighborhood.

          With the arrival of the second Industrial Revolution (post-Civil War and Reconstruction, with an emphasis on steel rather than on steam), and the creation of a conching machine by Swiss chocolatier Rodolphe Lindt in 1879, there allowed for a velvety

texture and smooth taste, and so the chocolate industry was transformed, making the food affordable and globally accessible. As demand exploded, so did concerns over the treatment of farmers and workers producing the world's theobromine (Latin for chocolate which translates to “food of the gods”).

         Thus, the hunger for trade and manufacturing regulations developed. To satisfy the demand, a social activist movement called "Fair Trade" was established to help producers in developing countries achieve improved working conditions and promote sustainability. Fair trade efforts may be traced back to the 1940s, with Edna Ruth Byler's work to support a women's sewing company in Puerto Rico, and the establishment of the Sales Exchange for Refugee Rehabilitation and Vocations (SERRV). SERRV was created in 1949 by the Church of the Brethren to support displaced European refugees fleeing Nazi persecution after World War II. These individuals included anti-Nazi leaders, Jewish writers, and artists. The late 1960s saw developing countries push for more equitable trade relationships, contributing to the popularization of Fair Trade practices. Over the next several decades, the range of Fair Trade products has expanded to include items as coffee, cocoa, and wine.

          In spite of the popular trend to buy "Fair Trade," the cacao industry continues to face challenges related to treatment of cocoa farmers, along with the environmental impact of cocoa production. Farmers, many of whom are small landholders in West Africa, struggle with poverty and unstable incomes. This makes it difficult to invest in yield improvements and motivates harmful practices such as child labor. It is estimated that over 2 million children work in the African cocoa industry and are exposed to hazardous conditions. Many are taken from their homes while parents are duped to believe they will be given room, board, and comfortable working conditions. Meanwhile, they are trafficked into Western African cocoa farms and coerced to work without pay, protection, and minimal sustenance. Additionally, cocoa production drives extensive deforestation, as forests are cleared for new plantations. The Republic of Côte d'Ivoire (The Ivory Coast of West Africa) has lost over 80% of its forests amidst rapid expansion of cacao farming. 

          Although cacao agriculture originally was restricted to equatorial regions, the Industrial Revolution and scientific discoveries of the 18th and 19th centuries transformed the industry, leading to increased demand and the emergence of a dominant West African cacao bean called Forastero. The bean, which is heartier and cheaper to produce than Criollo or Trinitario strains, has elevated greed and engendered gross human rights violations, while major chocolate manufacturers, such as Toblerone, Cadbury, and Nestlé are repeatedly offering empty promises and unrealized commitments. An investigation by Britain’s Channel 4 News showed the horrific conditions that farmers endure. Reporter Anthony Barnett spoke with farmers on the Cocoa Life farms in Ghana and found multiple instances of children engaged in hazardous labor. Some child workers described their injuries, ranging from machete accidents to snake bites.

          While corporate cocoa manufacturers claim to protect children and basic human rights, the proof is in the pudding. It's time for consumers to demand accountability. Tighten the purse strings by refusing fiscal support to known human rights violators. Only by dedicating oneself to purchasing fairly traded chocolate will the heretofore empty promises of a bitter empire finally be realized. 

Then, the bitter aftertaste shall be cleansed from our palates.