The Chocolate Culturalist
Welcome to our stories and thought on chocolate culture
This blog is brought to you by Sophie, our founder, as she shares more about York's chocolate history and culture of chocolate consumption.
THE CHOCOLATE CULTURALIST
From Mary Tuke's defiance of the Merchant Adventurers in 1725 to Agnes Pilopaso's cocoa cooperative in Guadalcanal — the women who built York's chocolate industry have always been here. It's time their story was told.
Of all the cities in Britain, why did York become the chocolate capital of the world? The answer lies in geography, trade, Quaker values, and the remarkable people who shaped a city — and an industry.
COCOA AND CHOCOLATE NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD
Some of our thoughts and observations of the latest industry happenings
It's Chocolate Week — the UK's annual celebration of fine chocolate. Here's how York Cocoa Works is marking the occasion with tastings, workshops, special menus, and meet-the-maker sessions.
In February 2026, we won a lot of Kampura cacao — a light, heirloom-status cacao from a regenerative agroforestry farm in Izabal, Guatemala — at the Cacao of Excellence Ed Seguine Auction at Chocoa in Amsterdam. This is its story.
Did you see this news about the quest for “perfect” chocolate? For the thousands of...
YORK COCOA WORKS NEWS
Explore more news from the York Cocoa Works
Three days of complete immersion in the craft of bean-to-bar chocolate making. Our Crafting Chocolate Learning Program runs this October at York Cocoa Works — here's what to expect.
The York Food & Drink Festival Schools Program connects local children with food producers for hands-on learning. Here's how York Cocoa Works is bringing chocolate education into classrooms across the city.
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