World Chocolate Day: The Why, Who and What of 7th July

Every year on this day, July 7th, the internet fills up with people posting pictures of chocolate in celebration of World Chocolate Day, of course we join in, but have you ever wondered why July 7th specifically, and who decided this was the day to celebrate all things chocolate? Is it the only chocolate day, or are there others we should know about?

We did some digging and here’s what we’ve discovered

It all started in 1550

World Chocolate Day has been observed since 2009, and July 7th was chosen because it’s thought to be the anniversary of chocolate’s introduction to Europe in 1550. Before that, chocolate had been drunk, worshipped and used as currency in Mesoamerica for thousands of years – you are welcome to read more about that here.

The Olmec, one of the earliest known civilisations in Mesoamerica, are thought to have been the first to turn the cocoa plant into a drink, using it in rituals and as medicine. The Mayans took this further, naming cacao the food of the gods. The Aztecs used cacao beans as currency. This was a world in which chocolate was sacred, medicinal and valuable – not a sweet treat you unwrap on the sofa on a Monday evening, though here at Choc Affair, we think that’s equally valid.

Eventually, Spanish explorers encountered cacao after which they, quite reasonably, came to the conclusion that the folks back home in Europe needed to know about this amazing food of the gods, so they set off immediately to take some home.

Nobody knows who invented the day

Unlike many international observances, World Chocolate Day doesn’t appear to have a single official founder or governing body, it seems to have emerged organically, gaining popularity over time. If you thought one day a year was enough, you underestimated the world’s commitment to this topic! The US National Confectioners Association lists four primary chocolate holidays meaning there’s more than one chocolate day!

• World Chocolate Day on the 7th July
• International Chocolate Day on the 13th September (coinciding with the birthday of Milton S. Hershey, founder of the Hershey Chocolate Company) 
• National Chocolate Day on the 28th October
• National Chocolate Day (again) on the 28th December

We’ve found another one! Ghana celebrates National Chocolate Day on 14th February, which we think is very sensible indeed. 

We haven’t yet confirmed whether you’re allowed to celebrate all of them, but of course, we’re going to assume a resounding yes!

What it’s actually about

Beyond the social media posts and the very legitimate excuse to eat chocolate at breakfast, World Chocolate Day does something genuinely worthwhile – it puts a spotlight on sustainability. With over 40 million people depending on cocoa farming globally, the celebratory day (days in the case of chocolate) encourages awareness of ethical sourcing and the labour that goes behind producing every bar.

At Choc Affair, that’s something we think about every day, not just on July 7th. Our single origin Colombian cocoa comes from farming families we’ve visited, whose stories we know and whose livelihoods our buying decisions directly support. The Chocokids programme, our rePurpose partnership, both along with the extra percentage per kilo we pay to help reforest cocoa-growing regions in Colombia, aren’t simply marketing gimmicks, they are a reflection and outward demonstration of our ethical approach to everything we do here at Choc-Affair.

So yes, eat chocolate today. Celebrate it. Post the picture. Use the hashtag. But maybe also take a moment to think about where it came from and the people who made it and continue to make it possible.

Shop our range here

Linda x