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The History of Chocolate - The Beginning
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 1500's
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 1600's
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.
1700's
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.
1800's
1819
Francois-Louis Cailler returns from Italy where he studied chocolatemaking. 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.
1900's
1900
1903
1904
1906
1907
1908
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.
Milton Hershey builds a chocolate factory and a town for his workers
near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
The Cadbury Company develops a dairy milk
chocolate.
The town of Derry Church, Pennsylvania changes its name to Hershey to
honor Milton S. Hershey.
On July 1, 1907 the first Hershey Kisses are made.
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
1914
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.
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
1925
Hershey Foods Corporation registers the name Hershey's Kisses as a
trademark.
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
1947
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.
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.