The 4 Countries That Produce the Most Chocolate
The four main countries responsible for chocolate production are the United States, Germany, Switzerland and Belgium. According to Statista, Western Europe accounts for about 35% of total world chocolate production and…
The four main countries responsible for chocolate production are the United States, Germany, Switzerland and Belgium. According to Statista, Western Europe accounts for about 35% of total world chocolate production and the United States 28%. Interestingly, none of the leading chocolate producers is a major source of cocoa, and none of the leading cocoa-producing countries is a major chocolate-manufacturing hub.
There is no reason for European countries to be among the world's leading chocolate makers other than chocolate's popularity in Europe when it was introduced. The United States inherited its love of chocolate from its European immigrants, and companies such as Mars, Inc. and the Hershey Foods Corporation were created to profit from the demand.
1) The United States
The United States is one of the leading producers of high-quality chocolates, with American chocolate makers earning more than $20 billion a year in retail sales. The largest chocolate company in North America and one of the world's most recognised chocolate brands is the Hershey Foods Corporation, better known as Hershey. The company is headquartered in Hershey, Pennsylvania, and was founded in 1894 by Milton S. Hershey.
Most companies that make chocolate in the United States and elsewhere buy their cocoa beans from Côte d'Ivoire in West Africa. New York City is the go-to place for specialty chocolatiers in the United States. The city's famous shops include the Chocolate Bar, MarieBelle, Li-Lac and Richart Design et Chocolat. San Francisco is also home to a significant number of renowned chocolatiers and is an important centre of chocolate production in the United States.
2) Germany
German chocolate makers represent an industry worth nearly $10 billion a year. Cologne is often regarded as the chocolate capital of Germany. In the United States, chocolatiers often import chocolates from the city and sell them alongside American chocolate brands. The Stollwerck Chocolates Company is one of the country's most famous chocolate makers; it also has production plants in Belgium and Switzerland. Other famous chocolate brands in Germany include La Maison du Chocolat, Tortchen and Leonidas Chocolates.
3) Switzerland
Switzerland is renowned for its chocolates and its major manufacturers. Chocolate production is an essential source of wealth for the country. Zurich is often regarded as the foundation of the country's chocolate production. World-renowned chocolate brands originating in Switzerland include Nestlé, Toblerone, Lindt and Sprüngli.
Chocolate production began in Switzerland as early as the 17th century. From the 19th century until the end of the Second World War, the Swiss chocolate industry was strongly export-oriented. Today, the Swiss are the biggest consumers of chocolate produced in their own country. In 2000, about 54% of the country's chocolate was consumed by the Swiss. Switzerland also has the highest per capita chocolate consumption rate in the world, with nearly 30 pounds per person per year. In 2005, the Swiss chocolate industry generated gross revenues of about $14 billion.
4) Belgium
Belgium is also known worldwide for its chocolates and is a major chocolate-manufacturing centre. There are about 15 chocolate factories and more than 2,000 chocolate shops in Belgium. One of the largest chocolate companies in the world, Godiva, is based in Brussels. Belgian chocolate makers have an annual turnover of about $12 billion.
Since 1884, the composition of Belgian chocolate has been regulated by law. To guarantee the purity of the chocolate and avoid depending on poor-quality fats from outside sources, Belgian law stipulates that a minimum of 35% pure cocoa must be used in production. Chocolate making and the country's pride in the production process and resulting product lead the industry to adhere to traditional manufacturing techniques. This includes a ban on artificial, vegetable or palm-oil-based fats in all products bearing the "Belgian chocolate" label. Many chocolate companies in Belgium produce chocolates largely by hand, without the help of modern production equipment.
Cocoa beans
Cocoa beans are the main ingredient in chocolate production. West Africa produces about two-thirds of the world's cocoa beans. Nearly 45% of this cocoa bean production comes from Côte d'Ivoire. The World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) reports that about 50 million people depend on cocoa production and the cocoa industry for their livelihood.
Nestlé, together with several other chocolate companies, created the WCF in 2000, mainly to address the problems affecting cocoa producers and to stabilise cocoa production. Among the foundation's stated goals are increasing cocoa producers' incomes, setting up environmental programmes and encouraging the use of sustainable farming techniques.
