I'm currently writing a paper on sugar and wanted to tie in other commodities that helped develop capitalism along the same scale as sugar. So far I have written on the history of sugar from its origin to how the English and French developed plantations throughout the Caribbeans for a cheap investment. Are there any other commodities that are similar to sugar and its relationship with capitalism?
You can't mention the development of Capitalism without the Dutch East India Company. And you can't mention the Dutch East India Company without Spices and Tea. For that matter how are you mentioning sugar without nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves and tea. I absolutely demand that you spice up your paper a bit.
The big ones are spices (including salt), tea, coffee, tobacco.
Tulips.
Look up the tulip mania of 1636–37, and boom and bust.
Two books came to mind when I read your question. "Salt, A World History" and "Cod, A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World". Both are by Mark Kurlansky, and are absolutely fascinating.