Chocolate Manufacture

Chocolate Manufacture has been an important industry in W. Europe since the late 18th century. Some great names in chocolate manufacture—Dröste, van Houten (Holland); Lindt, Suchard (Switzerland); Menier (France); and Fry, Cadbury, Rowntree (England)—can trace their history back to the mid-19th century and often earlier. Chocolate is manufactured in the USA by Walter Baker and Co. (founded 1779) and by Hershey. A curious aspect of chocolate manufacture, at least in England, is the link with nonconformist religions, the three principal companies all being founded by Quaker families.