A master’s student at the University of Reading, Maha Khan, has produced a chocolate bar using ingredients sourced solely within the UK. Named the Reading 100 Chocolate Bar in honor of the university’s centenary, this represents the first instance of such a creation since Rowntrees presented a UK-grown bar to Princess Elizabeth in 1932.
The cocoa was cultivated at the University of Reading’s International Cocoa Quarantine Centre in Berkshire. This specialized, climate-controlled facility serves as a vital global hub, managing over 300 cocoa varieties and preventing the spread of agricultural diseases between regions. Khan performed the entire production process herself, from harvesting and fermentation to roasting and blending the final product.
Khan noted that the project aims to shed light on the precarious state of the global cocoa industry, which faces severe threats from climate change, pests, and disease. Although the UK chocolate industry is valued at approximately £10.4 billion, it currently relies entirely on imports. Professor Carol Wagstaff, director of AgriFood Futures, highlighted that while the project celebrates British ingenuity, global trade remains essential for supporting smallholder farmers in tropical regions who are also struggling against environmental instability.