The History of Chocolate

The History of Chocolate: The Beginnings

Ever wonder how Chocolate was discovered? Or where Chocolate came from? Well, ChocolateTopia has the answers for you. Since most people know very little about Chocolate's origins or how it's made or it's many uses, we've assembled this wonderful timetable of the History of Chocolate. The timeable starts from 600 A.D. until the late 1900s. We're positive there will be something you didn't know about Chocolate!

600

The Maya Indians moved from their home in Guatemala to the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico. They brought with them cacao from the rain forest. In Guatemala the Maya established large plantations to grow cacao.

1000

The people in Central America began using the cacao beans as money. Drawings have been found showing pictures where 10 beans could buy a rabbit or 100 beans could buy a slave. In one Mexican drawing a basket of 8000 beans was used to show the number 8000. The beans were also used to make a bitter drink. This drink was used to treat coughs and fever.

1200

The Aztec's began to rule Mexico. The Aztecs demanded payment in the form of taxes from the Aztecs with cacao beans. The Aztecs used the cocao bean for a drink. They added flowers, vanilla, and honey to their drink.

The 1500s

1502

Christopher Columbus was given his first drink of xocoatl (chocolate) on his fourth voyage to America. Although he did not like the drink he took some of the cacao beans back to his homeland as an unusual item to show the people at home.

1519

Hernán Cortéz was a young Spaniard who went to Cuba to find his fortune. He heard stories of gold in Mexico and South America. In 1519 Cortéz left Cuba to find this gold. With 300 Aztecs to every one of Cortéz's men the Spanish fought. After 3 battles the Indians gave up. They could not compete against the guns and horses. The Spaniards also wore metal armor. More than this the Indians were afraid of the "god-like" warriors. On November 8, 1519 Cortéz reached Mexico City and was received by Montezuma, the Aztec emperor. Cortéz captured Montezuma and began to rule the empire through him. The Spaniards made the Aztecs work in the mines looking for gold and silver. This gold and silver was shipped back to Spain. Cortéz also recognized the value of the cacao bean to the Aztecs. He established a cacao plantation in the name of Spain.

1528

Hernán Cortéz returned to Spain with some cacao beans. They were hidden in Spanish monasteries. The formula for making the chocolate drink was kept a secret. Only the very rich could afford to buy the drink.

1585

The first commercially grown shipment of cacao beans grown in South and Central America was taken to Spain.

The 1600s

1615

Anne of Austria, a Spanish princess, marries Louis XIII of France and takes the Spanish custom of chocolate drinking to France.

1657

The first chocolate house is opened in England by a Frenchman. At this time chocolate cost 6 to 8 shillings per pound. Only the rich could afford to buy chocolate at the chocolate house.

1660

Maria Theresa of Austria marries Louis XIV of France. She shares her love of chocolate with the people of France. For the first time people outside the royal court enjoy chocolate drinking.

1663

Pralines are created by a cook in Genensburg, Germany.

1674

A London coffeehouse sells the first solid chocolate in a stick form.

The 1700s

1711

Charles VI moves from Madrid, Spain to Vienna. He takes chocolate with him.

1720

The Italians begin serving chocolate in Florence and Venice.

1732

Monsieur Dubuisson, a French inventor, creates a table for grinding chocolate. This lets the workers stand up while grinding the cacao bean. The table is heated from underneath by charcoal. This makes the production much easier.

1764

The Baker Chocolate Company is established in Dorchester, Massachusetts by James Baker and John Hannon. This was the first time chocolate was made in the United States.

1780

The first chocolate made by machine is produced in Barcelona, Spain.

1780

Dr. James Baker calls his products "Baker's Chocolate".

1795

J. S. Fry & Sons uses steam power to grind the cacao beans for the first time in England.

The 1800s

1819

Francois-Louis Cailler returns from Italy where he studied chocolate-making. He established the first Swiss chocolate factory in Corsier.

1822

John Cadbury, a Quaker who tried to convince people that drinking chocolate was much healthier than alcohol, opens a tea and coffee shop in Birmingham, England.

1828

Coenraad Van Houten, a Dutch chocolate maker, invents a hydraulic press that is used to make cacao powder.

1832

Francois-Louis Cailler opens a large plant in Corsier, Switzerland.

1840

Cailler opens a second chocolate factory in Vevey, Switzerland. Twenty years later this factory is sold to Julien and Daniel Peter who invent milk chocolate.

1847

The first manufacturer of chocolate in England creates the first chocolate bars. Their shop is called J. S. Fry & Sons. Not many people liked this because of its bitter taste.

1860

John Cadbury joins with his brother Benjamin to form the Cadbury Brothers of Birmingham. A year later the business goes to John's sons, Richard and George.

1861

Richard Cadbury creates the heart-shaped candy box for Valentine's Day.

1862

The Baker's Chocolate Company obtains the rights to use the painting La Belle Chocolatiere, by the Swiss artist Jean-étienne Liotard. The painting shows the wife of Prince Dietrichstein as a maid serving chocolate. This was how she was dressed when the prince first mets her. Baker's Chocolate Company will use this same painting as their company trademark. This is one of the oldest product trademarks in the United States.

1864

Jean Tobler begins production of handmade confections in Bern, Switzerland.

1872

Baker's Chocolate Company begins to use the chocolate girl painting as the company trademark.

1875

Daniel Peter figures out how to combine milk and cocoa power to create milk chocolate.

1879

Rodolphe Lindt invents the conch. This is a machine that stirs liquid chocolate to break down any remaining clumps. This machines makes the chocolate smooth for the first time. Lindt calls this chocolate fondant and labels his candy bars Lindt Surfin.

1890

Henri Nestlé dies in Montreux, Switzerland. He was the founder of the Nestlé Company.

1893

Milton Hershey goes to the World's Colombian Exposition in Chicago. He watches a demonstration of German-made chocolate equipment. He likes the this so much that he buys it immediately. He ships the equipment to his Carmel factory in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

1894

Milton Hershey creates his first candy bar. He also makes baking chocolate, cocoa, and chocolate coatings for caramels.

1894

Otto J. Scholenleber starts the Ambrosia Chocolate Company in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Later he switches to making bulk chocolate for large companies such as Hostess, Pillsbury, and Nabisco.

1896

Leo Hirschfield makes the first Tootsie Roll. He names it after his daughter.

1897

People in England ate a record 36 million pounds of chocolate. Europeans ate 100 millions pounds and the people from the United States ate 26 million pounds of chocolate.

1899

Rodolphe Lindt sold his secret formula for making fondant chocolate to David Sprüngli for 1.5 million Swiss francs. He forms a new partnership and the company becomes Lindt & Sprüngli.

1899

Jean Tobler begins a chocolate company in Bern.

The 1900s

1900

Milton S. Hershey introduces the Milk Chocolate Bar. He also begins the production of Sweethearts. These are vanilla sweet chocolate candy with a heart imprinted on the base. They will be discontinued in 1931.

1903

Milton Hershey builds a chocolate factory and a town for his workers near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

1904

The Cadbury Company develops a dairy milk chocolate.

1906

The town of Derry Church, Pennsylvania changes its name to Hershey to honor Milton S. Hershey.

1907

On July 1, 1907 the first Hershey Kisses are made.

1908

Theodore Tobler develops the unique triangular nougat filled chocolate candy bar called Toblerone.

1908

`The Hershey Chocolate Company makes the first milk chocolate bar with almonds.

1909

The Hershey Chocolate Company states making Silvertops. This is a version of the Hershey's Kisses that are sold individually. They are discontinued in 1931.

1911

Frank and Ethel Mars build a candy company in Tacoma, Washington. Later it become the Mars, Inc.

1912

Jean Neuhaus, Jr. invents the first chocolate covered praline. He fills the empty chocolate shell with pralines invented by his father.

1912

The Whitman Company produces the boxed assortments called Whitman's Samplers. This is the first company to have a drawing of where the different chocolates are located in the box.

1914

L. S. Heath & Sons, Inc. makes the first Heath Bar in Robinson, Illinois.

1919

The Fry family merges with the Cadbury Brothers.

1921

The Hershey Food Corporation begins to wrap the Kisses by machine and add the flag to the wrapping.

1921

The Mounds candy bar is invented by Peter Paul Halijian. He sells it under the name Peter Paul Mounds.

1922

H. B. Reese makes the first Reese's peanut butter cup using Hershey's milk chocolate.

1923

Frank Mars creates the first Milky Way candy bar. This candy has a nougat center.

1923

Hershey Foods Corporation registers the name Hershey's Kisses as a trademark.

1925

The Hershey Chocolate Company makes the first Mr. Goodbar.

1927

Baker's Chocolate Company is bought by General Foods Corporation. They move the company to Delaware.

1927

The Hershey Chocolate Company is renamed Hershey Chocolate Corporation.

1928

L. S. Heath & Sons, Inc. develops the toffee candy bar called the Heath Bar. This candy bar can be bought on the home-delivered dairy order form.

1929

Frank Mars opens the Chicago candy plant.

1929

Peter, Cailler, and Kohler merge with Nestlé ending 30 years of rivalry between the two companies.

1930

Frank Mars makes the first Snickers candy bar.

1938

The Hershey Chocolate Corporation makes the Krackel bar.

1939

Blommer Chocolate Company begins manufacturing in Chicago, Illinois. It will become the largest commercial chocolate manufacturer in the United States.

1939

Hershey makes the Hershey's Miniatures chocolate bars.

1941

Forrest Mars returns to the United States from England. He goes into business with Bruce Murrie, who is the one of the president of the Hershey Chocolate Company. They call their new company M & M Ltd. Together they make the first M & M's.

1947

Peter Paul makes the first Almond Joy.

1950

Sam Altshuler starts the Annabelle Candy Company, Inc. He names his company for his daughter and makes the first Rocky Road candy bar.

1962

Hershey's Kisses are wrapped in colors other than silver for the first time.

1963

Hershey Chocolate Company buy H. B. Reese Candy Company, Inc. for $23.5 million.

1966

The Campbell Soup Company buys the Godiva Chocolatier, Inc. of Belgium.

1969

The Cadbury chocolate business merges with the Schweppes soft drinks to form Cadbury Schweppes.

1970

The Tobler company merges with the Suchard to become the largest chocolate company.

1970

Because the Reese's Peanut Butter Cups are so popular the company has to double its size.

1973

The Cadbury Company opens Chocolate World theme park in Bournville, England.

1973

The Hershey Foods Corporation opens its theme park, Hershey's Chocolate World.

1973

Hershey Foods begins putting nutritional information on their labels.

1976

Hershey Chocolate Company adds chopped peanuts to the Reese's Peanut Butter Cups to make Reese's Crunchy.

1977

Hershey Foods makes the first Golden Almond chocolate bar.

1980

An employee of the Schare-Tobler tries to sell secret chocolate recipes to Saudi Arabia, China, and Russia. Luckily he was unsuccessful.

1988

Nestlé buys the British chocolate and candy manufactures Rowntree. This makes Nestlé the world's largest chocolate manufacturer.

1988

Hershey Chocolate Company is renamed Hershey Chocolate U.S.A. The company buys Peter Paul.

1989

Hershey Chocolate U.S.A. makes the Symphony milk chocolate bar with almonds and toffee chips.

1990

Hershey sends 144,000 of their heat-resistant candy bars to soldiers in the Gulf War, Desert Storm.

1991

The recipe for Reese's Peanut Butter Cup is changed to add three times the amount of peanuts.

1993

The first Hershey's Hugs and mini Hershey's Kisses wrapped in white chocolate are sold.