NZ’S FINEST CHOCOLATE’S BEING JUDGED THIS WEEKEND

Tuesday 27 September 2022: In what could be the world’s best job for a chocolate lover this Saturday a panel of judges will taste and assess nearly 150 NZ-made chocolates in a bid to find winners for NZ Chocolate Awards 2022.

Specialist food judges lead by international chocolate expert Elle Coco will taste 148 entries from 31 chocolate makers and chocolatiers across Aotearoa. Elle is looking forward to leading the team. She is delighted with the high number of bean to bar entries, the true artisan category where chocolate makers import cacao, grind it and make chocolate from scratch. “Truffles and Bonbons are also a large category and I can’t wait to taste some of the more unusual chocolate bar flavours such as; cinnamon donut and rum dark chocolate, hibiscus and blackberry dark chocolate and tea and biscuit milk chocolate.

NZ Chocolate Awards Director Kathie Bartley is delighted with the support for the biennial competition noting entries are up 30% on the 2020 Awards. “This is a wonderful reflection of the local artisan chocolate industry showing its growth. She added, growth isn’t surprising given Kiwis’ love for well-made craft chocolate.”

NZ Chocolate Awards Supreme Winner and Category Winners will be announced on Tuesday 25 October 2022, just in time for chocolate lovers to know which award-winning chocolates to buy for Christmas!