Process — How chocolate is produced from cocoa beans

The diagram illustrates how cocoa beans are turned into chocolate, from harvesting to moulding.

Overall, the nine stages form two phases: an agricultural phase, in which beans are harvested, fermented and dried on the farm, and an industrial phase of roasting, grinding and refining in a factory. Notably, a by-product, cocoa powder, leaves the line at the pressing stage.

First, ripe pods are cut from cacao trees by hand, twice a year. The beans and pulp are then left to ferment in covered wooden boxes for five to seven days, after which they dry in the sun for one to two weeks. The dried beans are sent to a factory and roasted at 120 to 150 degrees Celsius for about half an hour.

Next, the shells are cracked and blown away, a stage known as winnowing, leaving only the nibs, which are ground into a paste called cocoa liquor. This is pressed to extract the cocoa butter, while the remaining cake is milled separately into cocoa powder. The butter is then mixed with more liquor, sugar and milk and heated for 24 to 72 hours (conching). Finally, the mixture is cooled, poured into moulds and wrapped.