First 100% British Chocolate Bar Created in Nearly a Century
Master's student develops the Reading 100 Chocolate Bar using locally grown cocoa, highlighting food security challenges.
A master's student at the University of Reading has created the first 100% British chocolate bar in almost a century, using cocoa beans harvested and processed in Berkshire. The bar, named the Reading 100 Chocolate Bar, commemorates the university's centenary.
This development marks a significant milestone, as the United Kingdom's substantial chocolate market, valued at £10.4 billion, is entirely dependent on imported cocoa. The last known instance of UK-grown chocolate was in 1932, when a bar was gifted to Princess Elizabeth.
Maha Khan, a master's student in Food Security, undertook the project to harvest, ferment, and process cocoa grown in Reading. Khan stated that the initiative was intended to draw attention to the vulnerabilities within the global cocoa industry.
"It is incredible that we can make 100% British chocolate – but in the context of climate change, pests and diseases, there are estimates that 30 to 40% is lost," Khan told the Today programme. She further noted that challenges like heatwaves, exacerbated by climate change, are likely to worsen these issues for cocoa cultivation worldwide. Maha Khan created the chocolate bar by harvesting, fermenting and processing the Reading-grown cocoa.