How Chocolate Grows (Cocoa Beans)

What am I?

​​I am a small, evergreen tree that can grow up to 20 feet tall. I have large, shiny leaves and beautiful flowers that bloom in clusters. You probably love the delicious treats that are made from me! On Valentine's Day, Americans buy 58 million pounds of my treats!

Where I grow

I grow in tropical areas around the world, near the equator where the weather is warm and moist. I thrive in these environments and grow fruit the size of a football. My juicy pods are surrounded by a sweet, white flesh that are filled with the seeds. You could eat my flesh raw and it would taste like mango, but it goes through another process to get a flavor you love.

After I'm picked

After I am carefully harvested (picked) by hand, my pods are fermented for several days to bring out my delicious flavor and aroma. I am then dried in the sun for several days, cleaned, sorted, and packaged to be shipped all over the world. Then I am ground up and made into the chocolate you know and love! I may be small, but I have a big impact on the world of sweets!

Did you guess... Cocoa

Español: cacao

Do you like chocolate? Watch the video to learn more about cocoa beans!

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