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From cocoa to connections: Year 9 geographers explore global trade and sustainability at Cadbury World

From cocoa to connections: Year 9 geographers explore global trade and sustainability at Cadbury World

Our Year 9 geographers recently embarked on an exciting educational trip to Cadbury World, transforming the visit into a profound exploration of global industries, development, and sustainability. Through a variety of activities, such as an educational talk, and various museums the Year 9s were able to investigate the link between their human geography topics of Year 8 and the ecosystems topic in Year 9. 

Unpacking global connections 

The trip revealed how a seemingly simple chocolate bar represents complex global networks. Students discovered how cocoa production connects economies from West Africa, specifically Ghana to the UK, examining the intricate supply chains that underpin modern manufacturing.  

They learnt about topics they had encountered such as fairtrade and sustainable farming practices, linking back to information they encountered in Year 8. We explored Cadbury's sustainability initiatives, learning about:  

  • Responsible sourcing of cocoa 

  • Reducing carbon footprint in production 

  • Supporting farming communities in developing regions 

Industry and development 

Students analysed how a Transnational Corporation and globally recognised brand like Cadbury impacts local and international economies, understanding the interconnected nature of modern industrial production. They learnt about the global conglomerate that owns and overseas the operation at Cadbury, and were taught about regional differences within the brand, or ‘glocalisation’.  

Ecosystem insights 

The cocoa supply chain provided a practical case study of ecosystem interactions, which they have been exploring this term. The trip emphasised the way in which different plants and primary products can thrive in different biomes and highlighted the environmental challenges and opportunities in global agricultural production. 

This immersive experience transformed abstract geographical concepts into tangible, real-world understanding, demonstrating how geography connects us to global systems in unexpected ways, in a sweet journey of discovery.