Mars develops technique to produce historical chocolate
resembles the taste and texture of when it was first imported to
America.
The chocolate was developed with the Colonial Chocolate Society and the company believes it accurately resembles the chocolate eaten during revolutionary America.
The chocolate has an irregular appearance and slightly gritty texture, which is said by Mars to reflect the way cocoa beans were ground at the time.
The company was attempting to mimic the handmade techniques originally used.
Mars tested selected recipes and developed a method to make the chocolate in large quantities.
The company claims the chocolate was formulated to acknowledge the role played by chocolate in the lives of Americans during the revolutionary era.
"An important part of the unique commitment Mars is making to cocoa science is understanding the true history of this unique food in human history," said Mars' Janis Smith-Gomez.
The product will be available only at the museums and historic sites of Fort Ticonderoga, Colonial Williamsburg, Mount Vernon, Monticello and The Smithsonian.
The company created the Historic Division of Mars and initiated the formation of the Colonial Chocolate Society with the University of California to gather research and historical information on cocoa and chocolate.
Mars, a privately held company, is one of the world's biggest confectionery producers with over 100 manufacturing plants worldwide.
The company's global sales are over $18bn a year.
