Reviewing Chocolat, the hugely popular film starring Johnny Depp and Juliette Binoche, US film website Cinetropic undertook more than a little research of its own on the subject. It discovered that the Maya were the first to invent a cocoa drink; a hot, mostly bitter beverage made up of ground cocoa pods and spices. Later, the Aztec Indians improved upon the recipe, sweetening it with vanilla and honey. They called their drink "xocolatl" (pronounced similar to Chocolatl), meaning "bitter water".

In a fascinating twist, chocolate became so highly regarded by the Aztecs that it was even used as a form of currency along with gold dust. Europeans got their first real taste of chocolate when Emperor Moctezuma met the explorer Cortes and his army with a foaming hot chocolate drink, says Cinetropic. In 1528 when Cortes returned to Spain from the New World, he brought with him the Aztec's chocolate drink making equipment and the trend began to catch on. But due to the drink's powerful reputation, the beans were hidden away in monasteries and the formula for the drink kept secret, to be enjoyed only by nobility.

Europeans got their first real taste of chocolate when Emperor Moctezuma met the explorer Cortes and his army with a foaming hot chocolate drink.

In further research, Cinetropic discovered that in the early 1600s Italian traveler Antonio Carletti carried the beans to the rest of Europe when, for the first time, chocolate came to the common people: "By the 1700s, so-called ‘Chocolate Houses' were all the rage, as popular as coffee houses," the research reveals. It adds that in England, Charles 11 tried to close them down, calling them "hotbeds of sedition". When chocolate first made its way to France, in the 18th century, it was decried by authorities as a "dangerous drug", which seems almost amazing now.

When chocolate first made its way to France, in the 18th century, it was decried by authorities as a "dangerous drug".

Though there are some disputes over the terminology used to describe the drink and the method by which it was first made, it is generally believed that idea of mixing chocolate with milk did not come until the 18th century. Says Cinetropic: "Sir Hans Sloane, personal doctor to Queen Anne, invented the secret recipe and later sold it to the Cadbury brothers who made a fortune with new confections. It was a Dutch chemist, Johannes Van Houten, who developed the modem cocoa process, inventing a hydraulic press that would produce a fine cocoa powder. Thus began the era of mass-produced chocolate." The rest, as they say, is history.

Hot chocolate today

In 2007 ProWholesaler reported the hot chocolate market to be worth more than £73m a year and growing: "Cadbury has taken back responsibility for sales and marketing of its branded drinks from Premier Foods and is investing in its range while Nestlé's Aero Hot Chocolate built an 18% share of the out of home market 15 months after its launch," it said.

In 2005, US media giant Fox News entered a discussion about Starbucks and its Chantico brand of hot chocolate, highlighting consumer demand for a premium drink that mirrored the high quality solid chocolate also available on the market. At the same time said the media giant, urban bakery Au Bon Pain had begun offering a trio of high-end cocoa drinks under the title of "Choco Bon Loco: A Crazy Chocolate Experience", adding that speciality boutiques and other retailers had also been experimenting with new and wildly exotic flavours. Hot Chocolate alone was no longer enough, the race was on to develop flavours beyond the standard.

Rooted in mysticsm and linked through the ages with hedonism, films like Chocolat have only served to enhance the warm and romantic nature of this increasingly delicious drink. Joan Steuer, president of Chocolate Marketing, a chocolates consulting firm, told Fox News that the U.S. thirst for high-quality rich stuff was the result of several trends, among them a need to escape, "even if just for a while". Even in recent history then, it has largely been viewed as a treat to be enjoyed only on occasion.

Rooted in mysticsm and linked through the ages with hedonism, films like Chocolat have only served to enhance the warm and romantic nature of this increasingly delicious drink.

And by popular demand...

When it comes to chocolate, the consumer palate is more than open to new experiences and we have seen an array of product developments, both on the mass market and in niche sectors, rising to the challenge of our ever evolving tastes. In London, Time Out magazine saw it as a mini revolution: "The advantage here is that you can enjoy all the different styles of hot chocolate, ranging from molten grand cru varieties at the city's best chocolatiers, to short, thick shots of black Florentine chocolate in Italian caffès. Such are the capital's cocoa-flavoured innovations that you can sample even the authentic tastes of Mexico with little more than the swipe of an Oyster card."

Fast forward to 2009 however, and as we noted only last month, the recession has forced the consumer to look for cafe quality alternatives, at a fraction of the price, in vending machines. From In-Cup ingredients to pillow packs, sachets to capsules, the methods by which our favourite drinks are made have improved greatly over the years, to meet the rising expectations of the British public.

The recession has forced the consumer to look for cafe quality alternatives, at a fraction of the price, in vending machines.

The beauty of chocolate

No matter how high the quality of the drink, our celebrity obsessed society has made us increasingly weight conscious and the perception of hot chocolate had to change if the market was to continue to grow.

The link between chocolate and health has long been established, but in application it has become even more fascinating by the day. Step into any good beauty salon these days and you can treat yourself to a chocolate face mask, so strong are its antioxidant, and thus complexion boosting qualities believed to be. The point at which we struggle however, is believing that it does us any good when we put it into our mouths.

In a 2007 article from Cosmetics Design Europe by Guy Montague-Jones and Alex Mcnally, a new hot chocolate sold in a vending machine was said to be a novel addition to the growing market for drinkable and eatable beauty products.

The Denmark-based firms, Eurogran and Chr. Hansen, joined forces to make the "beauty concoction" called Le Royal ChocoDark, which is high in antioxidants, the molecules associated with skin health and anti-ageing. Ingredients specialists Chr. Hansen achieved this by adding palm oil carotenoids to the brew, which is already high in antioxidants thanks to the high cocoa content of the dark chocolate.

The hot chocolate drink was to be sold from vending machines across Europe, after the launch of the product at the 2007 Eu'Vend exhibition in Cologne, Germany, on September, 20th. Le Royal ChocoDark aimed to tap into the "large potential market of women who buy both chocolate and beauty products".

Nestlé was also quick to make the drink appeal to a more diet led society and its Aero Hot Chocolate did just that. A great tasting hot chocolate with a unique bubbly texture. It is available in a choice of flavours: Chocolate, Mint and now Orange. At 99 calories a serve it delivers against the growing consumer trends of indulgence and permissibility.

Its Skinny Cow Hot Chocolate meanwhile, is now flying from shelves, at 40 calories and 3% fat per serving, this HVO-free drink provides a great option for consumers looking for a light option without compromising on taste. Available in two delicious flavours - ‘Indulgent Chocolate' and ‘Chocolate Mint' in 200g jars or stick packs.

Health is a central question for today's food industries and it is now widely accepted that a healthy and varied diet must be a balanced one - without of course excluding the concept of pleasure. Responding to the demand for low sugar drinking chocolate Van Houten® and Barry Callebaut insist: "We need to ask what the declining consumption of cocoa and sugar means for our sector, particularly in the light of the removal of drinks vending machines from schools."

This beverage specialist has developed a chocolate drink containing 50% less sugar than in traditional recipes. At the same time this chocolate-flavoured drink contains around 24% in cocoa powder, as compared to the UK market average of 9%-15%. "It is," Ania Faureau emphasises, "an excellent drink which keeps its chocolate flavour label while offering a more intense taste." The latest trends in chocolate consumption and particularly for chocolate bars reveal a growing demand for dark chocolate products with a strong flavour. This new product is offered under the Van Houten® label which has become one of the references for chocolate drinks, and superior beverages in general.

"It sends a clear brand message to a group of quality-demanding consumers, ready to maximise their pleasure thanks to the intensity of the cocoa, while also enjoying the slimming message of less sugar. In addition, although women and senior citizens make up the growing population sector which favours ‘light products', such products could also be offered to children and in due course this could help re-position vending machines in schools..." insists Anna.

Although vegetable soups and teas are today seen as responses to the challenge of a healthier and more balanced diets, their chocolate-flavoured counterparts risk being confined to the indulgence corner. Van Houten®, through this new generation of chocolate-flavoured drinks, gently mixes pleasure and the indulgence image. The launch is supported by a visual clearly showing the cocoa content on the label together with the reduction in sugar content. Professionals will be offered the choice of announcing the presence of this new vending machine beverage with stickers and labels for the machine menus.

From gourmet hot chocolate to its low fat but equally delicious alternatives, the market is rich and diverse in its product provision and the Vending Industry in particular is meeting the demand for totally indulgent, affordable and less fattening drinks, with improved ingredients and advanced machine technology.

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