An equatorial plant, cacao can be cultivated only in hot humid countries, where abundant rainfall guarantees the plantations the necessary quantity of water.

It was Christopher Columbus who first introduced cacao into Europe: in 1502 the natives of the island of Guanaja presented him with a fruit unknown to him which they called Xocoàtl, the ‘Food of the Gods'. However, it would be some years before Spanish noblemen discovered the pleasures of hot chocolate. Then the delicacy would spread from Spain to France, and from there to Piedmont, thanks to Duke Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy.

As a result, Turin became the first centre for the production and consumption of chocolate in Italy. And as Piedmont chocolate-making acquired ever more admirers, the skill would be enthusiastically developed by growing numbers of master confectioners.