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The chocolate industry includes everyone involved in the commercial chocolate production cycle, from cocoa farmers to marketers. It can be divided into three stages: harvest, manufacturing, and sales. Fair treatment of cocoa plantation workers is a major issue, and some companies are certified as “fair trade”. Chocolate products are made from cocoa beans, which are limited to certain areas. The products must be packaged, branded, and prepared for shipment, and sales campaigns are targeted to specific communities.
The term “chocolate industry” is a broad way of describing all players in the commercial chocolate production cycle. Everyone from local cocoa farmers and harvesters to executive marketers, sales agents and advertising associates is included. The industry is truly international, encompassing people and businesses in nearly every country.
While a great many people and processes are involved, the chocolate industry can usually be divided into three broad categories or stages. First comes the harvest, involving farmers, workers and buyers of raw cocoa beans. Next is manufacturing, where the beans are shipped, processed, and made into chocolate. Finally it’s sales, distribution and marketing, when chocolate products hit the market and fight for consumers’ attention. Anyone involved in any part of these processes can properly be described as part of the chocolate industry.
All chocolate and chocolate products are derived from cocoa beans. However, cocoa beans do not grow much. They are usually limited to certain areas of Central America and West Africa. Those who cultivate and control the cocoa bean plantations are therefore an essential part of the chocolate industry.
One of the biggest sources of controversy in the chocolate industry is the fair treatment and wages of cocoa plantation workers. Many big chocolate brands have been accused of human rights violations in the name of profit or increased production. In response to this criticism, many chocolate manufacturers around the world have their products certified as “fair trade”. This designation indicates that the company’s hiring and payment practices are ethical and humane according to internationally recognized standards.
Chocolate production occurs when the beans are shipped to processing plants, then cleaned, roasted and transformed into the cocoa powder that is the basis of most chocolates. Cocoa powder is used in several ways. Sometimes it is simply sweetened, flavored and enriched for sale as a hot chocolate mix or base. It can also be combined with milk or wax solids to make candy bars to bake or eat, or turn into chocolate confections of various types. There are many different chocolate products in production at any given time.
Once manufactured, the products must be packaged, branded and prepared for shipment. In the gourmet chocolate industry, sales are often localised. Larger companies and international brands often distribute more widely. The export of chocolate is an important activity in many parts of the world, but this opens up a completely different sector of the chocolate industry: that relating to commercial and marketing strategies.
Chocolate industry executives must understand and follow international export laws, which often include things such as labeling restrictions and pricing parameters. Even at home, there is a lot of thought about how chocolate products are sold, distributed and advertised. More often than not, manufacturers invest resources in understanding the discrete dynamics of the chocolate market so that sales campaigns can be targeted specifically to certain communities.
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