First 100% British chocolate bar made since 1932
Master's student Maha Khan created the chocolate bar by harvesting and processing Reading-grown cocoa.
For the first time in nearly a century, a chocolate bar has been produced using solely British ingredients at the University of Reading. This new creation, named the Reading 100 Chocolate Bar, commemorates the university's 100th anniversary. The bar is the sole example of its kind since 1932, when Rowntrees gifted a six-year-old Princess Elizabeth with the last UK-grown chocolate bar.
Created by Maha Khan, a food security master's student, the process involved harvesting, fermenting, and processing cocoa grown at the University of Reading's International Cocoa Quarantine Centre. Despite the UK chocolate market being valued at £10.4 billion, it relies entirely on imported cocoa. Maha highlighted the challenges faced by the cocoa growing industry due to climate change, pests, and diseases, with estimates suggesting a 30-40% loss.
The cocoa used for the bar was grown at the University's climate-controlled centre, which serves as a crucial hub for studying and quarantining cocoa plants to prevent the spread of diseases. Maha emphasized the importance of the research being conducted at the centre, noting that it plays a vital role in providing stability to the global cocoa market, especially for farmers in regions vulnerable to climate change risks.
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