1. Marion, Olesja and Märten 2015

2.   Cocoa is the seed of the cacao tree.  Cocoa growing area is in the central and south America and Africa.  Most people will know Cocoa as a ground powder they use to produce chocolate. Cocoa

3.   Cocoa flavor and health benefits were discovered 2000 years ago.  Cocoa arrived in Europe in the 16th century.  In Europe cocoa began to be used in 19th century. History of cocoa

4.   A pod has a rough leathery rind about 3 cm thick, it is filled with slimy pinkish pulp, sweet but inedible.  As soon as they ripen, the pods are removed with a curved knife on a long pole, opened with a machete, and left to dry until taken to fermentation.  About 3,000,000 tonnes of cocoa are grown each year.  The Netherlands is the leading cocoa processing country, followed by the U.S. Harvesting

5.   Cocoa is used in cakes, creams, drinks, toppings.  Cocoa is beneficial for health. Use of cocoa

6.   Many cocoa farmers get a low price for their products.  This has led to cocoa and chocolate being available as fair trade items in some countries.  Slavery is not been used in its production. Problems with growth and sale

7.   The International Cocoa Organization (ICCO) is a global organization, composed of both cocoa producing and cocoa consuming member countries.  Located in London and members with Estonia, Finland, Latvia and Lithuania. International cocoa organization

8.   Cacao trees are found only in hot, rainy, tropical climates, 20 degrees north and south of equator, just like vanilla.  The first time cocoa, or chocolate was used as a romantic gesture was in the Mayan culture.  The Aztecs used cocoa to create a form of “hot chocolate” or as they called it “xocolatl” which means bitter water. Fun facts

9.   Cocoa pods are the fruit of the cacao tree.  It takes a cocoa tree five years to produce its first cocoa beans.  Cocoa/chocolate is thought be an aphrodisiac. Fun facts

10.   There was a man who went to Africa, Ghana.  He went to see if there was any child workers in cocoa farms.  What he saw there was exactly how he thought. There were illegal child workers who were bought by the cocoa farm owners for 300 euro.  The man tried to talk to chocolate factory owners but many of them denied. Dark side of chocolate (film)

11.  Pictures

12.  Thanks for listening