University of Reading creates first 100% British chocolate bar since 1932

Researchers at the University of Reading have produced the first chocolate bar made entirely from British ingredients since 1932. The project, named the Reading 100 Chocolate Bar, was created by food security master's student Maha Khan to mark the university's 100th anniversary.

The cocoa was grown at the university's International Cocoa Quarantine Centre in Berkshire, a climate-controlled facility that houses over 300 types of cocoa plants. The process involved harvesting, fermenting, and processing the cocoa locally, then combining it with British-grown sugar and milk.

Khan stated that the initiative highlights the precarious nature of global food supplies. While the UK chocolate market is valued at £10.4 billion, it remains entirely dependent on imported cocoa. The project aims to draw attention to how climate change, pests, and diseases threaten cocoa production and the importance of protecting plant varieties to ensure future food security.