NZ Chocolate Awards winners announced

New Zealand’s best chocolates have been announced at the NZ Chocolate Awards following the tasting and judging of 125 chocolates.

The Supreme Winners are: Marvellous Marketing Best Chocolate Bar, Honest Chocolat Salted Caramel & Buckwheat Milk Chocolate Tablet and for Chocolate & Coffee Show Best Filled Chocolate, Jo’s Sublime Chocolate Salted Sesame and Caramel Bonbon.

The two Supreme Winners are among 70 chocolates to have received accolades in the inaugural awards. Of the 125 chocolate products judged, seven received Best in Class, 22 received Gold medals, 28 were awarded Silver medals, a further 19 received Bronze medals and three Special Awards were made.

According to the judges, innovation in the artisan chocolate scene is blossoming. “New Zealand’s chocolate industry has shown rapid development and we think it will go from strength to strength over the next few years,” says Luke Owen Smith, head judge and owner of The Chocolate Bar in Wellington.

Organisers of the NZ Chocolate Awards, Intermedia NZ and Marvellous Marketing were delighted with the support from the industry.

Marvellous marketing director Kathie Bartley said it was amazing to see so many entries, especially for the first year.

“It shows the growth in artisan chocolate making in New Zealand,” she says. “Kiwi chocolate lovers have lots of choice with a selection innovative flavours showcasing local ingredients and plenty of amazing chocolate products.”

A panel of 17 chocolate and food experts tasted and assessed the 125 different chocolates and chocolate products from 36 producers at the Fresh Factory in Auckland. To prevent bias from makers judging their own chocolates a double-blind system was used. It meant if in the unforeseen event someone judged their own chocolate, the mark would not count.