Today was our chocolate tasting day! We visited Sibö Chocolate, a small gourmet chocolate company, I admired how they try to mix Costa Rican history into their chocolate. We learned that chocolate, like coffee, originate before colonization, imbedded in native tradition. It was first consumed as a bitter drink believed to have medicinal benefits. Indigenous cultures used it for energy and traded it like currency: ten cacao beans for a chicken. Over time, chocolate evolved through accidental discoveries, like grinding nibs too long to create solid chocolate, and the later invention of milk chocolate, which made it more affordable and popular with children. The Industrial Revolution transformed chocolate into the treat we know today. We also learned about a lesser-known chapter in chocolate’s history during wartime, cocoa butter was diverted to make heat-resistant rations, and leftover cocoa butter was sold to the cosmetics industry. That business collapsed when petroleum products replaced it, leading to the creation of white chocolate as a way to recover losses.

Chocolate and coffee may seem different, but they share striking similarities both require careful harvesting, drying, roasting, and global supply chains that present environmental challenges. At Sibö, we saw how small scale producers can offer an alternative to mass-market brands like Britt. Instead of scaling up at the expense of quality, Sibö focuses on sustainability, transparency, and storytelling. Their cacao is ethically sourced, and their packaging is made from recycled cacao husks eliminating plastic altogether. They partner only with businesses that align with their values, like eco conscious hotels, bookstores, and select international markets.