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13 December: what is celebrated today
On 13 December in the United States, tribute is paid to one of the great pleasures of the palate and soul: cocoa, that tropical fruit which for centuries has sweetened and energised the world. Its history is also a story of journeys, discoveries and transformations: from sacred seed of Mesoamerican peoples to engine of a global industry worth billions of dollars.
National Cocoa Day
Every 13 December, Americans celebrate National Cocoa Day, recognising the importance of this ingredient as the basis of chocolate, a drink and a universal food. Cocoa is not only a symbol of pleasure, but also of culture and tradition, with deep roots in pre-Columbian civilisations, which considered it “the food of the gods”.
In the United States, the love of chocolate is almost a devotion: it is estimated that each person consumes an average of 6 kilos a year, with peaks during Valentine's Day, Halloween, Easter and Christmas. The US chocolate market reached 21 billion dollars in 2021, and it continues to grow.
Cocoa also holds fascinating curiosities:
— Dark chocolate contains more caffeine than milk chocolate (12 mg compared with 9 mg per ounce).
— The first mechanical cocoa grinder was invented in 1729 in Bristol, United Kingdom.
— White chocolate contains no cocoa solids, only cocoa butter.
— Around the world, about 4.6 million tonnes of cocoa beans are produced each year.
National Cocoa Day invites people to rediscover its natural essence: an energising food, rich in antioxidants, which lifts the mood and stimulates creativity. A hot cup of cocoa not only comforts the body — it also awakens the memory of an ancient and universal pleasure.