The Amazon basin is the historical home of the cocoa tree, although much of the world's supply of cocoa comes from West Africa, as well as from Asia.
Cocoa trees thrive near the equator, flourishing in high temperatures and humidity.
The egg-shaped fruit contains from 30 to 40 beans, and is usually 15 to 30 centimeters in length. The fruits ripen on the tree for four months and are then cut from the tree, and left to ripen fully. One week later, the fruit is fully ripe, and only then are they opened. The pod and the skin between the rows of beans are discarded, and the beans are prepared for fermentation.