5th Avenue Chocolatiere, LTD.

History of Chocolate

In contemporary times we think of chocolate as a sweet treat. Dating back to the Ancient Mesoamerica period we know that chocolate was consumed as a bitter beverage in conjunction with religious and social activities. In fact, the Mayan and Aztec peoples viewed it as an honor to partake of their cocoa brew.

In the early 1500s, during the conquest of Mexico, Europeans became familiar with chocolate. The Spaniards picked up on the elite quality of cocoa and began shipping the seeds back home. Having somewhat of a sweet tooth, the Spaniards added cinnamon and other spices to sweeten up the brew. Before long this sweet concoction became the favorite of the European elite.

It was quite expensive to farm, harvest, and produce. So it was not until the 1800s when mass production made chocolate affordable to a regular folks. Once a wider public began to enjoy the pleasures of chocolate it did not take long before creativity stepped in to concoct all sorts of varieties. It started with solid candies, then smooth, then creamy, and then people began creating new flavors of chocolate. You could say that the enthusiasm and creativity for chocolate still lives as new and wonderful uses come to life all the time.

CHOCOLATE TIMELINE

2000 B.C. Chocolate is first discovered more than 2,000 years ago in ancient Mesoamerica. Nearly two-thirds of the world’s cacao (kah-kow) is grown on trees in Western Africa in the tropical rainforests near the equator.

250 A.D. The Mayans learn to harvest, ferment, roast and ground cacao seeds. They combine this paste with water, chili peppers and other ingredients to create their own hot drinking chocolate.

1400 A.D. The Aztecs embrace the cacao tree in their culture, trading the Mayans and other cultures for cacao and using cacao seeds as a form of money in the Aztec culture. At the same time, drinking chocolate was ceremonial as practiced in Mesoamerican cultures, primarily enjoyed by the upper class, royalty and other honored citizens. Aztecs added honey and vanilla to make the drink even more special.

1521 A.D. Europe invades Mexico and soon discovers the cultural value of cacao. Spaniards begin shipping the valuable seeds home, and “drinking chocolate” becomes a luxury relegated to the elite.

1765 A.D. The first chocolate factory opens in the United States.

1800 A.D. The Industrial Revolution in Barcelona, Spain allows cacao and sugar (which was only recently introduced to the Spanish population) to be produced quickly and cheaply. Growers still use ancient Mesoamerica techniques of growing, harvesting, fermenting and roasting the cacao by hand.

1847 A.D. The term “eating chocolate” is coined by J.S. Fry and Sons, a British chocolate manufacturer whose bar of chocolate is smoother than the previous drinking chocolate.

1876 A.D. Daniel Peter of Vevey, Switzerland devises a way to add milk to chocolate resulting in the beverage we now enjoy as milk chocolate.

1913 A.D. The process of filling chocolate with soft nougat and ganache is refined in Switzerland.

1925 A.D. The New York Cocoa exchange is established in the World Trade Center so that buyers and sellers could congregate for transactions.

1974 A.D. John Whaley founds 5th Avenue Chocolatiere with his signature truffle and opens his first store at 506 Madison Avenue.

1986 A.D. Grand opening of Flag Ship store at 575 Fifth Avenue. Everything made on premise in the factory upstairs.

1990 A.D. John Whaley loses lease of flagship store to Anne Taylor and goes back to his roots on Madison Avenue.

1992 A.D. 5th Avenue Chocolatiere opens a chocolate factory in Long Island City.

1994 A.D. 5th Avenue Chocolatiere offers chocolates in hotels and airlines.

1999 A.D. Changing of the guards. Son Joe Whaley takes over at helm of company.

2000 A.D. Joe Whaley ventures into the Japanese market and tasks Yoshiko Fujita to oversee operations in Japan.

2002 A.D. 5th Avenue Chocolatiere spreads wings in Japan and begins to open several stores.

2002 A.D. 5th Avenue Chocolatiere opens first franchise in Denver, Colorado.

2007 A.D. 5th Avenue Chocolatiere opens additional 3 stores in New York City.