We Need to Talk About Chocolate

About We Need to Talk About Chocolate

Welcome to The Chocolate Podcast, the podcast where we unwrap the rich, sticky, and sometimes bittersweet history of the world’s most beloved treat. From the sacred rituals of the Mayans and Aztecs, to the shelves of modern supermarkets, chocolate has always been more than just mere confection. It’s a symbol, a currency, a craving, and a billion-dollar industry with a not-so-sweet side. I’m Ed Easton - writer, journalist, and lifelong chocoholic - and I’m joined by a man who truly lives chocolate: Andrew Nason is the visionary behind Melt Chocolates. He’s a master chocolatier, a flavour obsessive, and someone who can tell his Forastero from his Criollo with just one sniff. Together, we’ll be digging deep. Tracing the rise of cacao from sacred bean to global obsession. discovering how chocolate has shaped and been shaped by the world around us. Brought to you by MELT Chocolates! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

Publisher

Ed Easton and Andrew Nason

Category

arts · comedy · history

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

21 Apr 2025

Latest episode

20 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

54 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   20 Oct 2026

   Why Hershey Chocolate Almost Never Existed

   Why does American chocolate taste so different? And how did a failed candy maker become the founder of one of the biggest chocolate companies in the world? In this episode of The Chocolate Podcast, Ed Easton and Andrew Nason uncover the extraordinary story of Milton Hershey, the man who transformed American chocolate forever. Born in 1857, Hershey grew up caught between two very different parents. His father, Henry, was an ambitious dreamer whose endless business ventures often ended in failure. His mother, Fanny, was a strict Mennonite who believed in hard work, discipline and religion. Together, their opposing personalities would shape one of America's most influential entrepreneurs. We follow Hershey through his early failures, disastrous business decisions and the unlikely discovery of a new caramel-making technique that would change his fortunes. From selling sweets on the streets of Lancaster to building a hugely successful caramel company, Hershey's journey is a story of perseverance, innovation and extraordinary ambition. But just as he finally achieves success, Hershey makes an astonishing decision. He sells his entire caramel empire after discovering something he believes will change the future of confectionery: milk chocolate. Why would a successful businessman abandon everything he'd built? And how would his next invention help explain the unusual taste of American chocolate, including the distinctive flavour associated with Hershey's? This is Part One of the Milton Hershey story, exploring the origins of Hershey's chocolate, the history of American confectionery and the family relationships that shaped the chocolate industry. Follow The Chocolate Podcast as we continue tracing the history of milk chocolate, from its earliest innovations to the global chocolate brands we know today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

2. 

   9 Oct 2026

   Did M&M's Change American Chocolate Forever?

   How did Forrest Mars fight his way back into the family business and turn Mars into one of the most powerful companies in the world? In Part Two of the Mars story, Ed Easton and Andrew Nason are joined again by Melt’s chocolate researcher, Kitty Nason to uncover the extraordinary battle for control of the Mars chocolate empire. After the death of Frank Mars, the company didn’t simply pass to his son. Instead, Forrest found himself fighting family members, executives and competing interests for control of the business that carried his name. We follow the family power struggle that eventually pushed Forrest towards one of his most important creations: M&M’s. After approaching Hershey executive William Murrie, Forrest formed a new company, secured access to rationed chocolate during the Second World War and supplied M&M’s to the US military. The success would ultimately give him the financial power he needed to pursue control of Mars. But taking over was only the beginning. We explore Forrest’s obsessive approach to quality, his ruthless management style, the transformation of Mars into a global operation, and the extraordinary family dynamics that continued into the next generation. Even retirement couldn’t stop him: after handing Mars over to his son, he went on to establish another successful chocolate company named after his mother, Ethel M. From Mars Bars and M&M’s to pet food and Uncle Ben’s, this is the story of the ambition, rivalry and family conflict behind one of the most recognisable food companies on Earth. Follow The Chocolate Podcast for more episodes uncovering the history, science and people behind chocolate. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

3. 

   15 Sept 2026

   The Weird Link Between Dog Food and Mars Bars

   How did Mars go from a failed family candy business to the beginnings of one of the biggest chocolate companies in the world? In this episode of The Chocolate Podcast, Ed Easton and Andrew Nason are joined by Melt’s Kitty to uncover the extraordinary story of Frank Mars and Forrest Mars, the father and son behind the Mars chocolate empire. From making candy at home and failed early businesses to a family feud that would transform the chocolate industry, the story of Mars is far stranger than you might expect. We trace the creation of the Milky Way and Mars Bar, discover why the American Milky Way is completely different from the British one, and follow Forrest Mars from a Chicago prison to Yale, Swiss chocolate factories, Cadbury and, eventually, Slough, where he began building his own chocolate empire. Along the way, we explore the birth of the modern candy bar, the industrialisation of chocolate, Mars's surprising move into pet food, and the bitter relationship between Frank and Forrest that ultimately left Forrest frozen out of the family company after his father's death. And that's only the first half of the story. Next episode: What happens when Forrest Mars returns to America determined to take control of the company that bears his name? Follow The Chocolate Podcast for more stories exploring the history, science and people behind chocolate. Topics: Mars chocolate history, Mars Bar history, Milky Way chocolate, Forrest Mars, Frank Mars, history of chocolate, chocolate industry, candy bar history, Mars Incorporated, British chocolate history. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

315,309

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Podcast Authority Score: 30 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

28

Social presence

0

YouTube

82

Engagement

0