Chocolate

Today I drove past some cocoa plantations. It was really great to see the growing bean. I had not seen it before. It made me think of the process of it getting from the plantations in Ecuador, all the way to England and the many hands that would have been involved in the process. I have been to the Cadburys factory in Birmingham and seen what happens to the beans and how they turn into the World famous Cadburys Dairy Milk, which is well loved! It was really cool. I don’t know why it excited me so much and made me keep thinking about it. I wonder how much the farmers get paid? I wonder if the people who handle the beans are treated well? Do they have good/reliable jobs? How long does it take for the beans to go from trees in Ecuador to become a bar of chocolate? How can I make a positive influence in this process? Will buying Fairtrade help to ensure that the farmers and workers get a fair wage?  So many questions but one thing I know for sure, chocolate just isn’t as nice here as it is in the UK!