First 100% British chocolate bar since 1932 made in Reading

A chocolate bar made entirely from British-grown cocoa has been created for the first time in nearly a century. Named the Reading 100 Chocolate Bar, it was produced at the University of Reading to mark the institution's 100th anniversary. The last such bar was made in 1932, when Rowntree's gifted a six-year-old Princess Elizabeth a chocolate bar made from cocoa grown in York Source: BBC, The Guardian.

The creation

Maha Khan, a master's student in food security, harvested, fermented, and processed cocoa beans grown in the university's glasshouses and collection. The university holds more than 300 varieties of cocoa at its international quarantine centre, which handles 97% of the world's international movement of cocoa plants Source: The Guardian. Khan described the raw cacao as having a white flesh that tastes like lychee, and the finished bar as "delicious" with a rich flavour Source: The Guardian.

Why it matters

The UK's chocolate market is worth £10.4bn but relies entirely on imported cocoa Source: BBC, The Guardian. Khan highlighted the fragility of the industry: "It is incredible that we can make 100% British chocolate – but in the context of climate change, pests and diseases, there are estimates that 30 to 40% is lost" Source: BBC. The university hopes the bar draws attention to preserving cocoa varieties that may be more resilient to climate change and disease Source: The Guardian.

What's next

Only six bars have been made so far, and production is limited by bean availability—a single pod can take six months to grow. Khan hopes to give one to the Princess of Wales, though no decision has been made Source: The Guardian.