The Aztecs are thought to have been the first people to turn the cacao beans into a more edible form. They roasted the beans, ground them into a paste and dissolved the paste in water with a few spices and chillies. It might not sound particularly yummy, but there it was, the very first drinking chocolate. They called it chocolate, which means bitter drink, and it was lapped up in sacred rituals and quaffed by elite tribesmen for the next few hundred years. Today, chocolate has become one of the most versatile and beloved foods in the world. And yet it’s become so much more – we have an emotional, sensual connection with chocolate that we have with few other foods. It comforts us, delights us, draws us in and gives us a taste experience unlike any other. Simply put, we love it. And the humble beans it comes from have had a heck of a journey over the past 4,000 years.

Tootsie Roll Industries, Inc. is America's favorite candy company, manufacturing and selling some of the world's most popular confectionary brands. Beginning in a modest New York candy store with the Tootsie Roll's introduction in 1896, the Chicago-based company has grown to become one of the country's largest candy companies, with operations throughout North America and with distribution channels in more than 75 countries. Tootsie's brands include some of the most familiar candy names: Tootsie Roll, Tootsie Pop, Charms Blow Pop, Mason Dots, Andes, Sugar Daddy, Charleston Chew, Dubble Bubble, Razzles, Caramel Apple Pop, Junior Mints, Cella's Chocolate-Covered Cherries, and Nik-L-Nip. They're sold in a wide variety of venues, including supermarkets, warehouse and membership stores, vending machines, dollar stores, drug stores, and convenience stores.

Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company is a recognized leader in confections with a wide range of product offerings including gum, mints, hard and chewy candies, lollipops, and chocolate. Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company has operations in more than 40 countries and distributes its world-famous brands in more than 180 countries. Wrigley is headquartered in Chicago, Ill., and operates as a subsidiary of Mars, Incorporated, a private, family-owned company founded in 1911. Mars, Incorporated is one of the world's largest food companies, generating global revenues of $30 billion annually and producing some of the world's leading brands in six segments that include Chocolate, Drinks, Food, Petcare, Symbioscience and Wrigley.

From the beginning of our history, to the present, World's Finest® Chocolate has continuously built on the latest innovations in chocolate manufacturing technology and has sought to develop unique blendings of our premium chocolate with the best ingredients obtainable. World's Finest Chocolate(WFC) makes chocolate bars, cocoa, and chocolate candies at its plants in Chicago and Canada. In addition to candy bars, the company makes chocolate covered nuts and fruit, individually wrapped chocolates, mixes, and a sugar-free line. Some of WFC's raw cocoa beans come from its cocoa plantation on the West Indies island of St. Lucia.

Candy corn, chocolate bunnies, bon-bons in a big, red, heart-shaped box -- these are things that make the holidays sweet, and Zachary Confections makes them. Zachary Confections, Inc. also makes boxed chocolates, chocolate-covered raisins, mints, caramels, and marshmallow candies, among others. In addition to making candy for the usual holidays, it also offers every-day, private-label and corporate-gift confections. Zachary Confections' manufacturing facility is located in Frankfort, Indiana. The Zachary family owns and runs the company, which was founded in 1950 by J. J. and Helen Zachary

Zetar decided in 2005 that chocolate sounded like a good place to start ... and the company hasn't stopped licking its fingers since. Zetar Plc was founded in 2004 and acquired UK confectionery company Kinnerton Group in 2005. Zetar went public that year, as well, and established two divisions: confectionery and snack foods. Zetar's second, third, and fourth acquisitions came in 2006 when it snapped up dried fruit and nut supplier Readifoods, dried fruit importer Humdinger, and US-based Salamanda, manufacturer of chocolate- and yogurt-coated nuts. Continuing its journey down the buy-up path, the next year it acquired bakery group, Britannia, and Lir Chocolates.

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