How many cocoa beans are required to make 1 kg of chocolate?

To produce 1 kg of chocolate, approximately 900 cocoa beans are needed. This number provides a more accurate representation of the conversion from cocoa beans to finished chocolate product. The process involves harvesting, fermenting, drying, roasting, and then grinding the beans to extract cocoa mass and cocoa butter, which together create chocolate.

Each cocoa pod contains a relatively small number of beans, and the yield from these beans goes through several transformations during production, resulting in the need for a larger initial quantity to achieve just 1 kg of chocolate. This substantial figure reflects the fact that a significant portion of the cocoa beans is lost or transformed throughout these processes, contributing to the final weight.

Cocoa yield variations can exist due to factors like bean quality, pod size, and processing techniques, but the commonly accepted average remains around 900 beans per kilogram of chocolate. Understanding this ratio emphasizes the importance of cocoa cultivation and processing in the chocolate production industry.