In this fourth and final installment we will overview the global trade of coffee and cacao, look at the future and specialty industries, and review all we have covered regarding the incredible parallels in the world of coffee and chocolate. If you missed them check out part 1, part 2, and part 3.

Global Trade

As we saw in Part 3, the history of the coffee and cacao industries is marred with slavery and inequality, yet hopefully the future will be brighter as more people in the coffee and chocolate consuming world establish equitable relationships with farmers in the tropics. The simple fact is that the European and North American markets comprise the vast majority of worldwide coffee and cacao consumption, while the developing world of Central and South America, Africa, and South East Asia produce the overwhelming majority of coffee and cacao. Given the dark history of coffee and cacao, does that mean we should shun them, or turn to alternatives such as chicory root and carob? No, this...