Cocoa

by Kristy Leissle

Chocolate has long been a favorite indulgence. But behind every chocolate bar we unwrap, there is a world of power struggles and political maneuvering over its most important cocoa.

In this incisive book, Kristy Leissle reveals how cocoa, which brings pleasure and wealth to relatively few, depends upon an extensive global trade system that exploits the labor of five million growers, as well as countless other workers and vulnerable groups. The reality of this dramatic inequity, she explains, is often masked by the social, cultural, emotional, and economic values humans have placed upon cocoa from its earliest cultivation in Mesoamerica to the present day. Tracing the cocoa value chain from farms in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean, through to chocolate factories in Europe and North America, Leissle shows how cocoa has been used as a political tool to wield power over others. Cocoa's politicization is not, however, it happens within botanical parameters set by the crop itself, and the material reality of its transport, storage, and manufacture into chocolate. As calls for justice in the industry have grown louder, Leissle reveals the possibilities for and constraints upon realizing a truly sustainable and fulfilling livelihood for cocoa growers, and for keeping the world full of chocolate.

Genres: Food, Nonfiction, Economics, Politics, History

215 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 1, 2018

Reviews

[Daniel Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very thoughtful analysis of the state of the cacao industry, especially as it affects the majority of growers living in the Global South. A lot of authors can champion workers' rights without much thought - but this author is different. She thoroughly analyzes the situation in various cacao-growing countries to show that there is no panacea. Many factors that impact the farmers including manufacturers, consumers, processors, local governments, law enforcement, climate, gender roles, language barriers, and economic calculations. The author convincingly argues that power and politics affect every level of the cacao industry, and demystifies motivations, agenda, and non-intuitive dynamics.

[Britta Kürzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredibly insightful. I highly recommend everyone in the industry read this book, as well as those interested in the complicated history of chocolate and the power struggles and political issues in cacao producing countries and chocolate consuming markets. I wish there was an easy answer for solving these problems by bringing money to women in cacao, bringing money to farmers and producing countries, holding growers accountable for using good farming practices, and making the chocolate makers and the consumers happy. Thank you to the author for writing such an incredibly insightful look into the various power dynamics at play and issues in the industry.

[Tufty McTavish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Of all the chapters in this informative book, Chapter Six - Trade Justice - struck the biggest chord for me. But throughout I was left pondering the hidden complexities in the Chocolate industry, from producers to processors. Crossover into more familiar territory, spread across my other readings as well as my own chocolate tasting, was particularly engaging - the more your learn, the more you get out of something.

[Jake Losh · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting, concise book featuring a multi-disciplinary analysis of cocoa. Covers historical, sociological, political, biological, agricultural, economic and financial aspects of cocoa and has a good section disentangling "free trade", "fair trade" and other designations.

I heard about this book from the Bloomberg "Odd Lots" podcast and I come from a finance/econ background, so I was most interested in the sections on the economics of cocoa production, the discussion of industry structure and the futures markets, which were all pretty good, giving good, general (i.e., non-technical) overviews. I was less enthused with the social justice analyses because of the focus on labor theory of value, but there is a lot of discussion of justice and politics so folks interested in those topics will likely find a lot to like.

[Karla · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a certified chocolate taster and educator and I found this book to be invaluable. There is a lot of misinformation about west African cacao and the economics behind it and I soaked up Leissle's local and informed perspective. I wish I could take her university course.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

informtive and interesting read on the current status of the world cocoa economy, as well as socio-economic impact, history, and outlook for the future. An excellent primer for those wishing to understand the world of cocoa.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Concise little book on the economics and some decent reasoning on the likely socioeconomics of chocolate. Some references may be aging as of 2022 but the substance appears accurate based on my knowledge. A good resource for people thinking about the ethics of the product as a consumer or seller.

[Rahul Nag · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book really helped me to understand just how cocoa which affects life in the West so much is actually grown, traded and marketed. From the difference by country and the history to just how hard it can be to actually make a living growing this.

[Miss Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish there were more specific suggestions at the end.