The short version
- Scientists at the University of Reading have produced a chocolate bar using cocoa beans cultivated in Berkshire, ending an era where no such domestically sourced product existed since 1932.
- The project aims to demonstrate the vulnerability of global cocoa supplies to climate change and highlights the importance of preserving diverse plant varieties for future resilience.
- Only six bars have been produced so far due to the slow growth cycle of cocoa pods, though researchers hope to increase output if bean availability permits.
For nearly a century, the United Kingdom has relied entirely on imported cocoa to fuel its multi-billion-pound chocolate industry. That dynamic shifted recently when researchers at the University of Reading successfully produced a chocolate bar using ingredients sourced exclusively from within Britain. The creation marks the first instance since 1932 that a chocolate bar made with 100% British ingredients has been crafted, breaking a long-standing precedent in which only one other such bar is recorded to have existed.
The historical benchmark for this achievement dates back to 1932, when confectioner Rowntree’s presented a similar bar to the then-princess Elizabeth. That earlier product was made from cocoa grown in a glasshouse at the company’s headquarters in York. The new iteration, however, represents a modern scientific effort rather than a commercial novelty. It was developed as part of the university’s centenary celebrations and serves as a tangible demonstration of agricultural research capabilities within the UK.
Maha Khan, a master’s student at the University of Reading, led the project from start to finish. She harvested the cocoa pods, fermented the beans, and processed them into the final product without leaving the university’s food department in Berkshire. The cocoa plants used were drawn from the institute’s extensive collection, which includes more than 300 varieties maintained at its international cocoa quarantine centre. This facility plays a critical role in global agriculture, handling the vast majority of international cocoa plant movements.
The primary motivation behind the project extends beyond culinary curiosity or historical replication. The team aims to underscore the fragility of global food systems, particularly regarding crops sensitive to environmental shifts. Cocoa plants are highly vulnerable to changes in temperature and rainfall patterns. As climate change intensifies, regions that traditionally produce the majority of the world’s cocoa are facing increasing difficulties. High temperatures have stunted plant growth in recent years, while extreme rainfall events have drowned crops across parts of Africa.
By preserving a wide range of cocoa varieties, researchers hope to identify strains that possess greater resilience to these changing conditions. The diversity maintained at the University of Reading offers a genetic reservoir that could be vital for farmers needing hardier plants capable of withstanding pests and diseases exacerbated by a warming planet. The project serves as a practical illustration of why protecting agricultural biodiversity is essential for long-term food security.
The resulting chocolate bar is described by its creator as having a rich and complex flavor profile, attributed to the diverse origins of the plants used in its production. Khan noted that tasting the raw cacao before processing revealed unexpected qualities, such as the lychee-like taste of the white flesh coating the beans. This sensory experience highlights the intricate labor involved in transforming raw agricultural products into consumer goods, a process often invisible to the end user.
Production remains extremely limited at this stage. Only six bars have been created so far, a constraint driven by the biological realities of cocoa cultivation. A single cocoa pod requires approximately six months to mature, making rapid scaling difficult without significant expansion of growing facilities. While there is interest in increasing production, any future output will depend heavily on the availability of beans and the capacity to maintain the necessary growing conditions within the UK.
The team has not yet determined who will receive the limited supply of bars. There is speculation that one might be presented to the Princess of Wales, drawing a parallel between her birthplace in Reading and the origin of the cocoa. This potential gift would echo the historical connection established nearly a century ago when the future Queen Elizabeth II received the previous all-British bar. Regardless of distribution, the project stands as a sobering reminder of the challenges facing global agriculture and the importance of scientific intervention in securing food supplies.
Sources behind this briefing
Go to the original reporting
- The Guardian World↗All-British chocolate bar made by scientists using Reading-grown cocoa
