The botanical name for the cocoa tree is "Theobroma Cacao" which means "the food of the Gods".

Although the cocoa tree was first cultivated some three thousand years ago it was known only in South America until the arrival of the Spanish five hundred years ago.

The cocoa tree is now grown in Latin America, Africa and Asia at altitudes of between 400 and 700 metres between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn.

In 1502 Christopher Columbus was given some cocoa beans. Not knowing that these beans were valuable, and were used both as money and to make a drink for the royals, he dumped them overboard in order to lighten his ship!

The first shipment of beans to Spain was not until 1585. The Aztecs had shown the Spanish how to make the drink "chocolatl" by roasting and then grinding the beans before mixing with maize and water to make a thick and foamy drink.

In 1657 chocolate was advertised in an English newspaper.

Until one hundred and fifty years ago chocolate was only consumed as a drink.

In 1847 J. S. Fry and Sons of Bristol found a way to mix a blend of cocoa powder and sugar with melted cocoa butter, which could then be cast into a mould. The resulting bars were the world's first true eating chocolate!

Cocoa beans have intrigued, amazed and tempted people for centuries. They have always been and still are a respected and loved natural resource. We hope that you too will experience some of this pleasure by visiting us and seeing chocolate at its best before trying the natural 'food of the Gods'.