Dark, milk and white chocolate have beenthe most popular chocolates all over the world. All these distinctions in thetypes of chocolate come down to one thing: the amount or lack of cocoa solids (cocoaliquor). Dark chocolate (often seen as the healthier choice) contains morecocoa content; mostly over 50% of cocoa. The cocoa content in milk chocolateranges from a minimum of 10% in America to a minimum of 25% in Europe. Whitechocolate contains no cocoa solids, just cocoa butter, sugar, and milk. Mostchocolate brands such as fairafric, display the cocoa percentage on theirlabels to help consumers make an easier choice. But why does anyone enjoy any type of chocolate?- Taste. If you are a sweet tooth, you will be more drawn towards milk thandark chocolate; if you have health in mind, you may go dark or vegan.

Germans are top chocolate consumers

According to reports, about 47% of Germans prefer milk chocolate over dark and white chocolates. This islikely because of milk chocolate's sweet taste and smoother texture compared tothe other types of chocolate. Additionally, milk chocolate is widely availableand comes in a variety of brands and flavours, making it a convenient andversatile choice for consumers. Although research is in favour of milkchocolate as the favourite type of chocolate, it does not tell the whole story.There is a push towards dark and vegan chocolate recipes now more than ever. Dark chocolate is said to “deliver antioxidants and minerals that may help protect you from heart disease.” There aremore articles now on the importance of dark chocolate online. Vegan recipes arealso on the rise, with less sugar, no dairy and more cocoa. Dark chocolate,which was once a specialty, is becoming very mainstream, particularly in Germany,the world's second-largest chocolate producer.

Chocolatein the land of cocoa

In Ghana, data is scarce on the consumptionof chocolate, as the African chocolate industry is still in its Infancy. Although about 70% of the world’s cocoa comes from West Africa, only 1% of chocolate is madehere. Ghanaians are still warming up to chocolate as an everyday product ratherthan a luxury or gift item. At our factory in Suhum-Amanase, out of the twelveteam members that we asked, nine (9) of them enjoyed milk chocolate and threeenjoyed dark chocolate. The reason milk chocolate is common with our Ghana teamis because of the special inclusions it comes with (hazelnuts and sea salts). Evenfor the very few who moved towards dark chocolate, cocoa nibs (anotherinclusion) came out tops. It is no secret that recipes make chocolate and milkchocolate offers a wild variety than any other type.

What are the drivers of consumption in bothGhana and Germany? Personal taste will always take precedence. But unlikeGermany, where more people are going vegan, Ghanaians are now opening tochocolate consumption as an everyday product and developing their unique tastesand preferences. Now, more local consumers are also asking questions about thequality of products as they strike a balance between taste and health. Milk?Dark? White? Vegan? .…One thing is for sure; the possibilities are endless withchocolate!