By Charlotte L. Hanna CCO CMBS Global

Chocolate. For many, chocolate rules and this one little word can cause the salivary glands to go into full drive and conjure up strong feelings of desire. It can produce “oohs and ahhs”, succeed in making fruit-eaters out of children and persnickety adults, calm anxiety, and even force (women, in particular) to make an emergency run to the nearest convenience store – unconcerned for their attire or lack of makeup.

In other words, there are those who are willing fools for chocolate! They’ve just got to have it.

You may, or may not, be passionate about this nearly universal obsession – but there is no denying the power of this confection when you look at the business of chocolate around the world. Chocolate has been around since the ancient Maya and Aztec cultures started mixing ground cacao seeds with various seasonings to make a spicy drink. The world of chocolate has its highs and lows, to be sure, and the solid milk-chocolate bunnies we all enjoyed as kids are fine for 7-year-olds, but many adults who have been indulging for years have a more evolved palate. Paying premium prices for premium chocolate has become an acceptable form of ‘investment’ for those seeking the pleasure of its company, and thousands of dollars per ounce is not unheard of in today’s gourmet chocolate industry. [Read more...]