The journey of this sweet crystal began thousands of years before European ships crossed the Atlantic. Its domestication in Asia over six millennia ago and subsequent strategic significance in medieval Europe were merely the prelude to its global saga. The true transformation into an international commodity was orchestrated by the vast Spanish Empire, which transported the plant to the fertile soils of the New World, launching its worldwide conquest from there.
Although the Moors introduced this crop to the Iberian Peninsula as early as the 8th century, particularly in Al-Andalus where it thrived in areas such as Motril, its destiny was to cross the ocean. This turning point came during Christopher Columbus’s second voyage in 1493. The first cuttings, brought from the Canary Islands, were planted on Hispaniola, the island now shared by the Dominican Republic and Haiti.
This marked the starting point of the colonial enterprise. The Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America quickly became epicenters of cultivation beginning in the 16th century. The climate was ideal, with abundant water and rich soil. Combined with irrigation technologies brought from Europe, large-scale production seemed straightforward. The only missing ingredient was labor.
The plantations not only generated immense wealth; they also spurred the creation of a complex colonial infrastructure. This included practical innovations such as water mills and advanced refining methods. However, the plantation model established by the Spanish also laid the groundwork for a brutal system of slavery—a pattern later adopted by the Portuguese, British, and French.
Millions of Africans were forcibly transported to work under inhumane conditions on plantations across the Caribbean and Latin America. This mass exploitation enabled Spain to become the leading European power in the industry—a crucial factor in the crop’s transatlantic spread. Enormous profits were built on human suffering.
Along established maritime routes, Spanish ships not only transported the refined product to nearby territories—they also brought it to their Asian colonies, most notably the Philippines. Cultivation took root on islands such as Luzon and Negros, creating a powerful political and economic system centered around this commodity—a true ‘sugarocracy.’
In New Spain, Cuba, and the Philippines, this sweet substance was among the most valuable commodities for the Spanish crown. Its trade was meticulously regulated and taxed by such influential institutions as the Chamber of Commerce and the Royal Treasury. From these centers, it traveled with silver, gold, and spices along the Manila Galleon route to China and Japan, becoming part of their cuisines and winning over tastes around the world.
Recognizing this historical connection, UNESCO over ten years ago designated October 8 as Galleon Day. It commemorates the return voyage of the Manila-Acapulco galleon in 1565, which marked the beginning of the trade route that linked Asia, the Americas, and Europe for more than 250 years, paying tribute to the cultural heritage of this early form of globalization.
Today, more than 70% of the world’s production comes from cane, while the rest comes from beet—a later innovation by the Germans and French. Yet few remember that this ubiquitous ingredient in our kitchens has a history steeped in forced assimilation, imperial voyages, and the brutal trade in human lives. The sweetness we enjoy carries a bitter past.
