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Awards Categories

Award Categories

These are the main categories for the awards

Bean-To-Bar   Couverture Bars

Filled and Enrobed Chocolates      Drinks

Spreads     Brand Experience

Chocolate Bar and Cacao Beans

Bean to Bar Chocolate Bars

DEADLINE FOR RECEIVING BAR SAMPLES : 29 SEPT 2023

For only bars, we will be doing remote judging and for that reason, only solid bars will be eligible for this category. Filled bars, where the filling is a different consistency to the rest of the bar – for example, where the middle of a bar is caramel or ganache or alcohol – should be entered into the filled chocolates section. We accept flavoured bars where it is a single consistency. This is because we will be breaking up and shipping the bar. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the awards coordinator on [email protected]

For all entries in the Bean to Bar category, which is different from the couverture category,  the manufacturing process from raw or fermented bean to bar i.e. roasting, grinding, refining and conching, should be: owned and controlled by a single business; or the product may be produced in partnership between a grower and a manufacturer; or the product may be made from beans purchased from a grower or an intermediary, but the entire manufacturing process from roast to bar must be owned and controlled by a single business.  For white chocolate, cocoa butter can come from an alternate supplier but must be in butter format and not couverture, to your specifications. Please outline which best describes your product, naming any partners in production, in the ‘Product Description’ box provided.

If your business is not involved in the process at all, please enter your bar in the coUverture category.

 

  • Sample quantity: Please submit a minimum of 4 chocolate bars, to a minimum total weight of 400g
  • Multiple entries are permitted
  • Please submit bars as sold for retail, there is no need to re-melt to delete logos or markings
  • Where a bar is deliberately ‘coarse ground’ or the cacao ‘raw’ please indicate this; it will be relayed to the judges.
  • Entries which contain palm oil are not permitted.
  • All ingredients must be listed.

DARK BEAN TO BAR

  • A minimum of 60% of cocoa solids is required.
  • The bar must not contain any artificial additives.  Lecithin is permitted.
  • No vegetable fat, other than cocoa butter, is permitted.
  • No milk or plant sourced milk products are permitted.
  • The category is for plain (no added flavour) bars only.  No vanilla, salt, nibs or specialist sugars are permitted in this category; please enter all bars containing any of these in the Bean to Bar Flavoured category.

DARK BEAN TO BAR FLAVOURED

  • This category is for dark bars with added flavours as well as containing vanilla, salt, nibs or specialist sugars (whether cane molasses or sugars from sources such as coconut or maple).
  • A minimum of 50% cocoa solids is required.
  • The bar must not contain any artificial additives or flavours.  Lecithin is permitted.
  • No milk or plant sourced milk products are permitted.
  • Natural oils and butters are permitted.

MILK BEAN TO BAR

  • A minimum of 30% cocoa solids is required.
  • The bar must not contain any artificial additives.  Lecithin is permitted.
  • Natural oils and butters are permitted as are animal and plant-sourced milks.
  • The category is for plain (no added flavour) bars only.  No vanilla, salt, nibs or specialist sugars are permitted in this category; please enter all bars containing any of these in the Milk Bean to Bar Flavoured category.

MILK BEAN TO BAR FLAVOURED

  • This category is for dark bars with added flavours as well as containing vanilla, salt, nibs or specialist sugars (whether cane molasses or sugars from sources such as coconut or maple).
  • A minimum of 30% cocoa solids is required.
  • The bar must not contain any artificial additives or flavours.  Lecithin is permitted.
  • Natural oils and butters are permitted as are animal and plant-sourced milks.

WHITE BEAN TO BAR

  • A minimum of 25% cocoa butter is required.
  • Cocoa butter maybe either deodorised or not.
  • The bar must not contain any artificial additives.  Lecithin is permitted.
  • Natural oils and butters are permitted as are animal and plant-sourced milks.
  • The category is for plain (no added flavour) bars only.  No vanilla, salt, nibs or specialist sugars are permitted in this category; please enter all bars containing any of these in the White Bean to Bar Flavoured category.

WHITE BEAN TO BAR FLAVOURED

  • This category is for dark bars with added flavours as well as containing vanilla, salt, nibs or specialist sugars (whether cane molasses or sugars from sources such as coconut or maple).
  • A minimum of 25% cocoa butter is required.
  • Cocoa butter maybe either deodorised or not.
  • The bar must not contain any artificial additives or flavours.  Lecithin is permitted.
  • Natural oils and butters are permitted as are animal and plant-sourced milks.
Chocolate Bars with Hazelnuts

Couverture Chocolate Bars

DEADLINE FOR RECEIVING BAR SAMPLES: 29 SEPT 2023

Any chocolate can be used to create the bars as long as it meets the requirements.

Filled bars, where the filling is a different consistency to the rest of the bar – for example, where the middle of a bar is caramel or ganache or alcohol – should be entered into the filled chocolates section.

We accept flavoured bars where it is a single consistency.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the awards coordinator on [email protected]

  • Sample quantity: Please submit a minimum of 4 chocolate bars, to a minimum total weight of 400g
  • Multiple entries are permitted
  • Please submit bars as sold for retail, there is no need to re-melt to delete logos or markings
  • Where a bar is deliberately ‘coarse ground’ or the cacao ‘raw’ please indicate this; it will be relayed to the judges.
  • Entries which contain palm oil are not permitted.
  • All ingredients must be listed.
  • Plain bars without any modifications which are simple remoulded are not eligible.

FLAVOURED DARK CHOCOLATE BAR

  • This category is for dark bars using couverture and containing added flavours.
  • Please outline the source of the couverture in the ‘Product Description’ box provided.
  • A minimum of 60% cocoa solids is required.
  • The bar must not contain any artificial additives or flavours.  Lecithin is permitted.
  • Natural oils and butters are permitted. No animal or plant-based milks are permitted.

FLAVOURED MILK CHOCOLATE BAR

  • This category is for milk chocolate bars using couverture and containing added flavours.
  • Please outline the source of the couverture in the ‘ Product Description’ box provided.
  • A minimum of 30% cocoa solids is required.
  • The bar must not contain any artificial additives or flavours.  Lecithin is permitted.
  • Natural oils and butters are permitted as also plant-sourced and animal milks.

FLAVOURED WHITE CHOCOLATE BAR

  • This category is for white chocolate bars using couverture and containing added flavours.
  • Please outline the source of the couverture in the ‘ Product Description’ box provided.
  • A minimum of 25% cocoa butter is required.
  • The bar must not contain any artificial additives or flavours.  Lecithin is permitted.
  • Natural oils and butters are permitted as also plant-sourced and animal milks.
Filled Chocolates

Filled/Enrobed Chocolates

DEADLINE FOR RECEIVING SAMPLES: 20 OCT 2023

  • Sample quantity: 30 of each individual chocolate to be submitted
  • Multiple entries are permitted
  • Chocolates submitted must be flavoured with natural ingredients only, and must not contain any artificial additives.
  • All ingredients must be listed.
  • Natural oils, butters and animal and plant-based milks are permitted (except for palm oil).

There are 5 different categories for filled & enrobed chocolates:

Plain Ganache Bonbons & Truffles

  • This category is for plain unflavoured ganache moulded chocolates / enrobed chocolates / truffles using dark, milk or white chocolate.
  • Water ganache is permitted
  • The ganache must be unflavoured and have no inclusions or infusions of flavours.
  • These may be piped and/or hand formed, cut, and enrobed or moulded.
  • Both regular and irregular shapes are permitted.

Ganache Flavoured With Alcohol, Fruit, Spices and/or Other Inclusions

  • This category is for single or multiple layered bonbons using dark, milk or white chocolate with any added flavours and/or inclusions.
  • These may be cut and enrobed or moulded.

Caramel-Based Bonbons

  •  This category is for bonbons using dark, milk or white chocolate containing caramel including salted, fruit and other flavours and with/without inclusions.
  • These may be cut and enrobed or moulded.

Individual Nut-Based Chocolates

  • This category is for either single or layered bonbons using dark, milk or white chocolates and which features nut content such as almond, hazelnut, pecan, pine-nut, or macadamia etc. and includes gianduja, praline, nougat, and marzipan.
  • These may be cut and enrobed or moulded.

Panned and Enrobed Products

  • This category is open for a wide variety of panned products such as roasted and caramelised cacao beans, malt balls, coffee beans, nuts such as almond, hazelnut and pistachio etc. and dried fruit such as apricot, cranberries and raisins etc.
  • Either dark, milk, or white chocolate can be used in the coating/enrobing process.
  • This category also encompasses entries for enrobed candied/crystalised fruit such as chestnut, ginger, pineapple, orange, and grapefruit etc.
Hot Chocolate Drink

Chocolate Drinks

DEADLINE FOR RECEIVING SAMPLES: 20 OCT 2023
  • Sample quantity: 2 x 125g (minimum) for each entry (powdered or pieces requiring preparation as a hot drink); 4 x 125ml (minimum) for each ready-to-drink entry 
  • Multiple entries are permitted
  • Only natural ingredients to be used, and must not contain any artificial additives.
  • All ingredients must be listed.

Plain Chocolate Drinks

  • Please supply any specific instructions for preparing the drink on the online form, and also include with the samples that you send in if possible.
    • Products without packet or separately supplied instructions will be prepared in a thermal mixer in the proportion of 1:3 with full fat milk at 65°C.
  • If your product is designed for use with water or dairy milk alternatives (e.g., almond milk), please specify and we will prepare the samples accordingly.

Flavoured Chocolate Drinks

  • Only natural ingredients to be used.
  • Please supply any specific instructions for preparing the drink on the online form, and also include with the samples that you send in if possible.
    • Products without packet or separately supplied instructions will be prepared in a thermal mixer in the proportion of 1:3 with full fat milk at 65°C.
  • If your product is designed for use with water or with dairy milk alternatives (e.g. almond milk), please specify and we will prepare the samples accordingly.
Chocolate Spread

Spreads

DEADLINE FOR RECEIVING SAMPLES: 20 OCT 2023
  • Sample Quantity: 2 jars (minimum 100g for each jar) for each entry
  • Multiple entries are permitted
  • Only natural ingredients to be used, and must not contain any artificial additives.
  • All ingredients must be listed.

Dark Chocolate Spreads

  • This category is designed for spreads with a dark chocolate/cacao content, with or without other flavour or ingredients

Milk Chocolate Spreads

  • This category is designed for spreads with a milk chocolate/cacao content, with or without other flavour or ingredients
Brand Experience

Brand Experience

DEADLINE FOR RECEIVING SAMPLES: 20 OCT 2023
  • Sample Quantity: 2 samples for each entry
  • Multiple entries (1 brand = 1 entry) are permitted

The way a consumer experiences a brand encompasses many touch points – from the internet to the packaging to the pleasures contained within. An important part of any interaction a consumer has with a brand is how the whole experience comes together. The experience for a single brand may encompass an Easter line, a Christmas or Holiday line, a core line, and more.
A brand would be a single expression of an identifiable product line, not an entire company. A company may have several brands, and each brand may enter. A brand may only enter once for one brand experience award, but that entry may be comprised of multiple products, and other elements.

The Brand Experience Award judges the whole experience a consumer gets – from the packaging through the enjoyment to the ability to recycle or reuse the components. This category celebrates the pleasure of enjoying chocolate as a complete moment by moment experience, from attractive functional packaging through enjoyable mouthfeel to the life the packaging has beyond the enjoyment of the delights contained within.

Entries to this category should represent the brand as a whole, including inspiration, design, packaging development, any seasonal designs and their stories, and the important elements you feel best help bring the brand to life.

Any web or marketing pieces need to focus on the consumer and not B2B sales material. We would expect a selection or combination of the following types of products for your entry (we do *not* expect all products in an entry):

  • Bars
  • Filled/enrobed/moulded chocolates
  • Chocolate drinks such as chocolate to be made into hot or cold chocolate or pre-made chocolate drinks.
  • Spreads which include chocolate but are palm oil free.
  • Seasonal products such as palm-oil free chocolate Easter eggs or advent calendars
  • Gift boxes separate from the core product line
  • Marketing materials intended for the consumer

Every entry will require *two* of each product included – one to open and expose everything within, one to remain closed.

They must consist of *ONLY* products from the single brand. Each Brand a company wishes to enter must have separate, unique and identifiable branding. For example, a company with a uniquely identifiable, and differently named sub-brand may enter that sub-brand as a separate Brand Experience entry, however a single brand may not enter a Christmas line (for example) as a separate Brand Experience entry.

Attention in judging is paid to initial impact; to information conveyed about the sourcing of the cacao and the production process; to the sustainability as well as functionality of the packaging, and to the overall quality of the contents.
Any specific claims such as organic status must be supported by certification documents and credentials.

As part of your entry, please explain steps taken to ensure the packaging keeps the product in optimum condition.

If you are including a video or online presentation, bear in mind that the Brand Experience jury is interested in information available to consumers on your website & social media channels, rather than marketing materials targeted specifically to importers or trade buyers.