Throughline – The Bitter History of Chocolate

NPR Podcast | December 4, 2025
Hosts: Rund Abdelfattah & Ramtin Arablouei
Featured Guests: Dr. Carla Martin (Harvard University), Professor Katherine Higgs (University of British Columbia), Shadrach Frimpong (Medical student from Ghana, nonprofit founder)

Episode Overview

This Throughline episode takes listeners on a journey through the complex, often dark history of chocolate—from its sacred and economic role in indigenous Mesoamerican cultures, through brutal colonial forced labor on plantations, to its present day production, still fraught with labor concerns. The hosts trace chocolate’s global expansion, investigate the scandal around “slave chocolate,” and spotlight modern realities for cocoa farmers, especially in West Africa, raising the ethical dilemmas tangled in every cup of cocoa and chocolate bar today.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Cozy Nostalgia vs. The Bitter Truth

• Personal Beginnings (01:40–05:30):
  • Ramtin and his family prepare hot chocolate, reflecting on how chocolate is woven into happy moments and cultural ritual—“The only thing better than the way it tastes is the way it makes you feel.” (Ramtin, 02:51)
  • Carla Martin discusses chocolate’s unique allure and early introduction into childhood.
  • “We treat it as silly… the Willy Wonka-fication of chocolate. And it is actually very serious business.” (Carla Martin, 05:10)

Chocolate’s Ancient and Prestigious Roots

• Cacao’s Origins and Uses (09:41–13:29):

  • Cacao was first cultivated in the Amazon, spreading to Ecuador, Central America, and Mexico by indigenous civilizations.
  • Used for food flavoring, beverages, spiritual rituals, and even currency—“quite literally the money that grew on trees.” (Carla Martin, 11:50)
  • European colonizers became interested because of its economic function as currency and its potential as luxury and medicinal goods.

• Colonial Conquests & Forced Labor (13:29–18:35):

  • Spanish encomienda system enslaved Indigenous populations to work cacao orchards.
  • Parallel rise of sugar plantations demanded forced labor; cacao was deemed less labor-intensive, thus “suitable” for children and the elderly.
  • “If you’re doing it for 16, 18 hours a day, six or seven days a week, it is still an absolutely brutal system of labor…” (Carla Martin, 16:03)

From Colonial Exploitation to Industrial Chocolate

• European Demand & Technological Shifts (17:05–19:31):
  • The hydraulic press and industrial machinery democratized access to cocoa in Europe, making it both cheaper and more prevalent.
  • Cocoa was promoted as a nourishing, energy-boosting alternative during the Industrial Revolution, especially for children.
  • As Europe lost grip on American colonies, cacao production shifted to new colonial settings.

The Sao Tome Scandal & William Cadbury’s Dilemma

• Slave Labor Unveiled (23:01–33:33):

  • In 1901, William Cadbury discovers evidence of forced labor in Sao Tome cocoa farms.
  • He demands answers from the Portuguese, who claim workers are “freely recruited.”
  • Enter Henry Wood Nevinson, investigative journalist, who documents “slavery by another name” in Angola and Sao Tome (skulls, shackles, high death rates, and conditions indistinguishable from slavery).
    • Notable Quote: “That path is strewn with dead men’s bones. You see the white thigh bones lying in front of your feet…These are the skeletons of slaves…” (Nevinson, quoting his dispatch, 27:37)
  • Nevinson’s reporting exposes the hypocrisy of “progressive” chocolate producers like Cadbury, leading to a public scandal and consumer boycotts.
  • Cadbury, contrary to Quaker values, is slow to act publicly, fearing economic backlash, but eventually is forced to respond due to public and journalistic scrutiny.

• Corporate Responsibility and Consumer Power (33:33–40:17):

  • Cadbury commissions his own investigation and, once evidence is irrefutable, shifts sourcing to Ghana (then the British Gold Coast), establishing a new smallholder/family-farming model.

Modern Cocoa: Progress and Peril

• Smallholder Model & Child Labor (42:35–45:52):

  • 90–95% of cocoa today is grown by smallholder farmers, often in Ghana and Ivory Coast (Carla Martin, 42:52).
  • While this model avoided plantation slavery, it left families vulnerable to market pressures, low prices, and the need for children’s labor.
  • “If you buy hot cocoa, a chocolate bar, a chocolate bunny, and it does not explicitly say on the package what country it came from, the chances are that… the majority… will be sourced from West Africa.” (Carla Martin, 43:08)
  • Child labor persists, sometimes as trafficking (less common); more often as hazardous work alongside families because of poverty.

• A First-hand Account from Ghana

  • Shadrach Frimpong’s Story (46:26–54:20):

    • Grew up on a cocoa farm; family often financially vulnerable—“All we knew was just at the time is, you know, you work hard if you want to make more and… get some good sales.” (Shadrach, 46:38)
    • Recounts a childhood medical crisis: family risks their land to pay for care; siblings face labor pressures as a result (48:12–48:58).
    • On visiting Hershey with his father: “He sees a chocolate bar for the first time. He goes like, man, I had no idea. And then he tastes chocolate and gives me that look. Oh, that tastes different than the seed that we plant today.” (Shadrach, 51:10)
    • Shares the story of his cousin Grace, a brilliant student forced out of school to work on farms—contrasting his educational privilege with her lost potential: “I bet my last dollar that the cure for cancer is in the mind of a…cocoa farmer’s kid sitting somewhere. But because they never get opportunity…it kicks them into child labor.” (Shadrach, 53:00)

  • A Call for Ethical Reflection:

    • Shadrach urges listeners to remember cocoa farmers: “These cocoa farmers, they have the same vision and dreams like the CEO of Hershey and Nestle. We should never forget that.” (Shadrach, 54:20)

• Industry Reform Efforts and Continuing Challenges (54:20–55:09):

  • Companies like Cadbury, Nestle, and Hershey fund initiatives to reduce child labor; some success but hazardous conditions persist.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Culture and Concealment:

  • “We treat it as silly… the Willy Wonka-fication of chocolate. And it is actually very serious business.” — Carla Martin (05:10)
  • “Cacao was quite literally the money that grew on trees.” — Carla Martin (11:50)
  • “If this is not slavery, I know of no word in the English language that correctly characterized it.” — Cadbury’s private investigator (36:27)

• On Colonial Atrocities:

  • “That path is strewn with dead men’s bones… These are the skeletons of slaves who’ve been unable to keep up with the march and so were murdered or left to die.” — Henry Wood Nevinson (27:37)
  • “The death rate on this rocher… is 12 or 14% a year… Anaemia… What brings on anemia? Unhappiness.” — Plantation doctor, quoted by Nevinson (32:05)
  • “England and America can get their chocolate and cocoa cheap.” — Henry Wood Nevinson (32:58)

• On Unseen Labor:

  • “So as they’re determining what to do to leave Sao Tome, they are also investing heavily in the Gold Coast… to make sure that they will have a backup plan for their cocoa.” — Carla Martin (38:56)

• On Modern Realities:

  • “By creating more supply… prices either couldn’t keep up with inflation or went down, which meant doing more work for less money.” — Rund Abdelfattah (43:30)
  • “We were told as young people that you have to continue the legacy. It’s a spiritual thing.” — Shadrach Frimpong (47:40)
  • “Chances are that the cure for cancer is in the mind of a cocoa farmer’s kid sitting somewhere. But because they never get opportunity… all of us, we miss out.” — Shadrach Frimpong (53:00)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• 01:40–05:30: Family cocoa ritual, why chocolate feels special; intro to Carla Martin
• 09:41–13:29: Ancient cacao uses; currency and European encounter
• 13:29–18:35: Colonization, sugar/cacao plantations, forced labor systems
• 23:01–33:33: Cadbury, Nevinson, and the Sao Tome slavery investigation
• 40:00–42:35: West Africa’s centrality; shift to smallholder farming, system’s legacy
• 42:35–45:52: Child labor, economic pressures on West African cocoa families
• 46:26–54:20: Shadrach Frimpong’s story; personal stakes, dreams dashed by poverty; impact on families and society
• 54:20–55:09: Corporate and nonprofit efforts on reform; persistent challenges

Tone & Style

Throughline’s tone is warm, investigative, and candid—balancing nostalgia for chocolate’s place in childhood with forthright accounts of its historical and ethical costs. The hosts allow guests’ voices to drive the narrative and do not shy away from the tension between enjoyment and responsibility.

Summary Takeaways

• Chocolate is both a source of joy and a product with a fraught, turbulent history, which continues to shape the lives of millions of cocoa farmers.
• The transition from outright slavery to smallholder farming did not eradicate exploitation; today’s chocolate still comes with steep social and human costs.
• Systemic poverty and persistent hazardous child labor are woven throughout the cocoa supply chain, particularly in Ghana and Ivory Coast.
• The episode invites listeners to critically consider what’s behind a simple pleasure and to advocate for fairness in global trade and consumption.

For further reading, Throughline recommends exploring Carla Martin’s and Katherine Higgs’ work, as well as supporting initiatives that promote ethical sourcing and labor rights in the chocolate industry.

Ad-free, intro/outro-free summary prepared per request; select sponsorship/promotional and repetitious content omitted for clarity and focus on key insights.