Easter is not until mid-April but the shops are already full of chocolate eggs and bunnies . It ’ s big business . In the UK alone the Easter chocolate market is worth around £ 220mn .

The supply chain cycle for chocolate Easter eggs begins roughly eight months before Easter Sunday .

Cocoa pods are transported from farms and plantations in South America and West Africa to be dried and fermented , ground and roasted . By far the biggest cocoa producing countries are Ghana and Ivory coast , who between them harvest almost half the world ’ s cocoa .

Once graded , cocoa beans are transported around the world by airfreight . The chocolate is then manufactured , palletised and transported in refrigerated lorries , which protects it from humidity , moisture and odour .

After moulding , finishing , decorating and packaging , eggs are stored in refrigerated warehouses , ready to be distributed to shops and supermarkets .

10 March 2022