Chocolate wasn’t always just a sweet treat.
It used to be money, medicine, and even a symbol of power.
From the bustling markets of the Aztecs to today’s billion-dollar chocolate industry, cacao has shaped history in ways you might never have imagined.
In this article, we trace chocolate’s journey from Aztec currency and colonial luxury to the global billion-dollar industry it is today.
From Aztec Currency to the Modern Chocolate Industry
1. Cacao beans as a standard form of currency.
During the Maya civilization (600 to 900 CE), cacao beans were used as a form of currency, a practice continued by the Aztecs until the arrival of the Spanish.
For instance, in a 1545 price list from Tlaxcala, 1 good turkey hen was worth 100 cacao beans.
Also in that list, 1 turkey egg costs 3 cacao beans; 1 large tomato costs 1 cacao bean
Cacao beans were also used to pay daily wages, with records showing that typical amounts were equivalent to 100 beans.
The use of cacao as small-change currency continued even during the colonial era into the mid-19th century.
2. Chocolate was considered more valuable than gold.
In the 1570s, a Spanish official named García de Palacio equated 200 cacao beans to be equivalent to 1 Spanish real.
Because cacao was consumable and regionally scarce, its utility raised its effective “value” beyond many metals in local trade.
For instance, essential food items (such as turkeys, eggs, and tomatoes) were priced in cacao beans rather than metal coins.
As European powers expanded across Latin America, cacao continued to hold significant economic value.
In colonial Latin America, cacao was listed legally as a commodity that could circulate as money in other regions (e.g., Brazil, 1712 decree) alongside sugar and tobacco.
3. Aztec warriors risked their lives to acquire chocolate.
Because they knew the power and value of cacao beans, the Aztec tribute system demanded cacao from cacao-growing regions, such as Soconusco and the Chiapas Highlands and Coast
They required people from these regions to give a specific amount or “loads” of cacao.
These precious beans didn’t simply appear in the capital.
These were carried by the pochteca (known as the special merchant class), who transported cacao long distances across territory, sometimes under hostile conditions.
Controlling cacao-rich zones was strategically important in Aztec military campaigns.
However, this strategic plan was not made solely for tribute, as Aztecs believed that cacao drinks could boost warriors’ performance, making their acquisition part of military logistics.
4. Spanish colonizers imposed heavy taxes on chocolate imports.
When cacao beans became a highly valuable commodity, Spanish authorities began to impose taxes on cacao shipments bound for Europe.
Aside from taxes, officials also restricted the chocolate trade monopoly.
This kept cacao and chocolate consumption within royal courts for decades.
Cacao products spread to other parts of Europe when Anne of Austria, a Spanish princess who loved drinking chocolate, married Louis XIII of France in 1615.
By the mid-19th century, the expansion of sugar and cacao plantations spread across regions, such as the Caribbean and West Africa.
5. Modern chocolate bars carry centuries of trade and political influence.
In 1828, Coenraad van Houten invented the cocoa press, a machine used to separate cocoa solids and butter.
This invention paved the way for J.S. Fry & Sons in England, who in 1847 produced what is widely recognized as the first solid, molded chocolate bar.
Over time, as chocolate production expanded globally, cacao cultivation became centered in West Africa.
According to recent data, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire supply over 60% of global cacao, a lasting legacy of the colonial cacao trade routes.
The global chocolate market was valued at approximately USD 46.4 billion in 2021, and by 2023, three major cocoa processors handled around 40% of international trade flows.
Wrap-up
Chocolate has come a long way.
From beans that people traded like money to the chocolate bars we enjoy today.
This reminds us that even sweet shapes our history, culture, and the world around us.
