The Food Programme From York to Dubai: The Rise of Chocolate
5 snips
May 23, 2025 Sophie Durrett, founder of the York Chocolate Festival, shares insights on York's rich chocolate legacy, while Samuel Mauter discusses the alarming cocoa crisis driven by deforestation and climate change. Nick Smith highlights the social reform contributions of the Rowntree family, and Steffi Smith introduces her innovative chocolate flavors. Together, they explore how corporate influence has transformed chocolate from a luxury to a commodity and reveal the challenges independent chocolatiers face in today's market.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Why York Became Chocolate Hub
- York developed as a chocolate city due to its rich trade, pilgrimage, and merchant history.
- This mercantile culture fostered early chocolate innovation as a luxury product.
Rowntree's Social Reform Legacy
- Joseph Rowntree used Quaker ethics to pioneer employee welfare and social reform alongside chocolate making.
- His factory included sports, healthcare, and cultural amenities for workers long before such practices became mainstream.
The Paradox of Rowntree's Legacy
- Joseph Rowntree's family had ties to slave plantations with probable exploitation of descendants of slaves.
- This contrasts with their anti-slavery donations, revealing a complex historical paradox.