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Cocoa beans (opposite) are found within the pods of the cacao tree (above), which grows in tropical rainforest areas such as West Africa, Indonesia, and South America. The process of harvesting and preparing the beans is very labor-intensive.

From Cocoa Bean to Candy Bar Cocoa beans come from the pods of the cacao tree, a labor- intensive crop that grows only within 15–20 degrees north and south of the equator. A single cacao tree produces about a thousand cocoa beans every year—roughly enough to make two pounds (1 kg) of chocolate. But before these cocoa beans can end up in a chocolate bar on your local supermarket shelf, they must travel through a long supply chain that runs from farmer to buyer to wholesaler and from exporter to manufacturer to retail- er. At each step along the way from pod to bean to candy bar, the product accrues more value—or profit—on the

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Global Inequalities and the Fair Trade Movement