1. GROWTH

A cacao tree must be five years old before it begins to flower.

                           

                

After five years pink flowers grow on the trees. The flowers become pods.

The pods are cylindrical and they are the size of a small pineapple (10-30 cm)

Inside the pods there are small, white seeds (20 – 40) – they are cocoa beans.

2. HARVEST

Farmers use a machete to slice pods from the tree.

                          

                               

3. FERMENTATION

The farmers open the pods and cover the cacao seeds with banana leaves.

The seeds ferment.

In about a week the seeds turn a dark brown.

4. DRYING

Farmers dry the cocoa beans in the sun for a week. The sun dries the seeds and reduce

their size.

5. SHIPPING

The farmers put the seeds into sacks

and send them to the factory.

6. ROASTING

At the factory, the cocoa beans are roasted from 30 minutes to two hours

7.CRACKING

A special machine removes the shells of the beans

8. GRINDING

Heavy metal discs grind the beans into a thick paste called “chocolate liquor”.

Chocolate liquor is used to make chocolate.

Some chocolate liquor is squeezed to remove cocoa butter and make cocoa powder

9. BLENDINGChocolate liquor + condensed milk+

sugar + extra cocoa butter= CHOCOLATE!

10. REFINING

Giants rollers make the chocolate smooth

11. CONCHING

The conching machine stirs the chocolate to make it creamy. It can take 6 days!

12. TEMPERING

This machine heats and cools the chocolate

13. MOULDING

Now chocolate is shaped into chocolate bars and packed.

There are different types of chocolate.