Winners of the Third Vegan Chocolate Awards
- 30th April 2024
- The Vegan Society
The Vegan Society Aotearoa announce their third annual Chocolate Awards which were held on 29th April at Khu Khu restaurant in Ponsonby. Six judges attended the awards, each one offering a unique perspective on the award categories and from their own areas of expertise. With over 80 entries from 15 different companies, including many new entrants keen to try their hand at winning, the judges had their work cut out for them. The judges were wowed this year including accolades for bon bons and b2b for their excellence. The B2B category celebrates the same beans from Uganda!
This year there were 2 new categories added, Bark/ Brittle chocolate and Dipped Fruit. The Society is proud to announce the launch of these new categories aimed at recognizing exceptional producers in the industry.
“Although this year’s inaugural entry garnered attention and admiration, we understand that success is a journey. Therefore, the Vegan Society extends our heartfelt appreciation to all participants and acknowledges their contributions towards shaping this burgeoning sector. While there were no winners for the Dipped Fruit this year, we believe that every effort deserves recognition, and are committed to fostering growth and excellence within the industry. As we look ahead to the future, we encourage producers to continue pushing boundaries, exploring new ideas, and striving for excellence. Together, let us elevate the standard of Chocolate Dipped Fruit and inspire future generations.” Said Vegan Society spokesperson Claire Insley.
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The winners and runners up are:
Supreme
Pico: Super Dark
Judges said: refined and elegant with a clean aftertaste. Well balanced and rounded. Moreish with a nice flavour journey.
Dark Chocolate bars
Winner: Pico Super Dark
Judges said: refined and smooth, carrying great cocoa with notes and enduring finish.
Runner Up: Solomons Gold Dark Velvet
Judges said: smoky cacao flavour carried well with a smooth body and great mouth feel.
Milk Chocolate bars (plant milk only)
Winner: Solomons Gold Dark Mylk Chocolate
Judges said: robust smoky creamy with a pleasant after taste. Good snap. Beautiful intense creamy notes that linger.
Runner up: Wellington Chocolate Factory Oat Milk Chocolate
Judges said: good melt and good flavour. Good after taste with balanced lingering notes. Complexity of the oat milk adds interest.
Chocolate Bars; flavoured/ inclusions
Winner: Solomons Gold Dark Orange
Judges said: wonderful smoky orange flavours matched perfectly by crisp smooth texture. Well done!
Runner Up: Mind Your Temper Hazelnut and Dark Chocolate
Judges said: smooth and creamy texture, carries the toasted hazelnut beautifully. Lovely lingering after taste.
Filled Chocolate Bon Bons and Truffles
Judge said this was an amazing category of a very high quality, made this a tougher competition.
Winner La Petite: Rose Cardamom Bon bon
Judges said: delicate and smooth texture – harmonious. Well tempered chocolate. Nice crunch.
Runner up 1: Mind Your Temper; Spiced Orange Hot X Bons
Judges said: a nice combination of grain and creaminess. Subtle yet intense flavour. Elegant, posh.
Runner up 2: Mind Your Temper: Calamansi and Speculoos
Judges said: nice burst of flavour, finishing with a creamy and caramel aftertaste. Good shine on the chocolate.
Caramels
Winner: Honest Chocolate Double Chocolate Caramel
Judges said: very evenly balanced, faultless. Overall sweetness not too sweet. Look and texture perfect.
Runner up: Wonderland Salted Milk Chocolate Caramel
Judges said: overall great! Great use of dairy alternative!
Bean to Bar; dark milk/ subs/ flavoured
Both winner and runner up of a very high standard
Winner: Foundry Chocolate: Semuliki Forest Uganda
Judges said: smooth texture and balance. The roasting profile really shone through and accentuated the beans. Excellent, faultless, well balanced chocolate with a great finish and lingering flavour.
Runner up: Valura Chocolate: Semuliki Forest Uganda
Judges said: texture faultless. Smooth finish. Roasting profile and aroma clear
Drinking Chocolate
Winner: She Universe Hot Chocolate Orblets
Judges said: smooth, dense and very rich. Honest and smooth on the palette.
Runner up: Heavenly- Hot Chocolate judges said- marshmallows are a nice touch. Judges said: good after taste. Sweet after. Could be a little more dense. Improve texture.
Bark/Brittle Chocolate
Winner: She Universe Sassy Sesame (Tumari & Toasted Seeds) Bark
Judges said: crispy, crunchy seeds embedded in smooth, very well flavoured dark chocolate. Very moreish.
Dipped Fruit
Award of Recognition goes to She Universe Decadent Date
For more information visit https://vegansociety.org.nz/vegan-chocolate-awards/
Meet the judges 2024
Floris Niu is a fourth generation Samoan Cacao farmer, processor and Chocolate-maker. She’s the founder of Ms Sunshine Organic Farms which operates Cacao Agritourism experiences on Upolu island. She is co-creator of the “Koko Beans” brand of vegan chocolate snacks and the recent “Pacific Cacao and Chocolate 2022” show.
Floris is also an international cacao consultant working on various projects to support cacao communities in Samoa and the Solomon Islands. Floris loves to create new and exciting ways to consume pure cacao in savoury and sweet recipes, and shares her knowledge with women growers in the Pacific. Her passion is working to increase consumer awareness and education specifically on Pacific Island Cacao beans, promoting ethical and traditional (organic) farming practices.
Multi-award-winning executive chef & trainer, TV personality, creative head and chef of the new series “Ignite the Chef in You” and President of the NZ Chef Association Auckland, Chef Jazz is an external verifier for City and Guilds, UK. She has been judging in New Zealand’s Regional and National culinary salon competitions for the past nine years and is deputy chief judge for the Hospitality Championships. She has worked in top hotels and restaurants in five countries – USA, UK, India, New Zealand and Spain.
Tracy Berno is a Professor in Food Studies at AUT. She has worked in food for over 30 years in roles ranging from academic to presenting cooking classes and demonstrations to catering. Tracy has a particular interest in the foods of the South Pacific and sustainably produced food products (including chocolate). She is an experienced panel judge and has judged for many competitions and food awards starting in the early 2000s. Tracy was recently named as one of the 50 most influential and inspiring women in food and drink in New Zealand.
With a rich background in Europe and the UK’s finest patisseries and chocolatiers, Thomas is on a mission to redefine the essence of chocolate. His journey from prestigious Michelin-starred kitchens to launching Ao Cacao reflects his passion for ethically and sustainably grown cacao, combined with unique Pacific and Aotearoa flavours for an unparalleled bean-to-bar experience.
Rooted in his Whakapapa – Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Whātua, Te Whakatōhea, Jewish, and English – Thomas is pioneering a new era for indigenous chocolatiers, emphasising people-first values and indigenous excellence. Through Ao Cacao, he champions equity in the chocolate industry, working closely with Pacific cacao farmers to ensure luxury meets sustainability. Last year, he was the only indigenous chocolatier at Salon du Chocolat in Paris, a prestigious exhibition for chocolate makers in France.
VEGAN CHOCOLATE AWARDS JUDGES 2024
Tracy Berno, a Professor in Food Studies at AUT, has worked in food for over 30 years in roles ranging from academic to presenting cooking classes and demonstrations to catering.
Thomas Netana Wright has a rich background in Europe’s and the UK’s finest patisseries and chocolatiers, Thomas is on a mission to redefine the essence of chocolate. His journey from prestigious Michelin-starred kitchens to launching Ao Cacao reflects his passion for ethically and sustainably grown cacao, combined with unique Pacific and Aotearoa flavours for an unparalleled bean-to-bar experience.
The final new judge is Giapo Grazioli, the founder and chef at Giapo Ice Cream. Giapo saw that ice cream had the potential to be more expressive than what it had been so far. In his mind ice cream had to carry a different narrative and anyone who has visited the store in Downtown Auckland, knows this is a most delicious narrative!
Stalwart judge, Aaron Pucci, has clocked up 25 years in the food and beverage manufacturing industry. His trusted palate has earned him numerous seats on judging panels for awards in New Zealand and Australia over 15 years.
Judge Jasbir ‘Jazz” Kaur is a multi-award-winning executive chef & trainer, TV personality, creative head and chef of the new series “Ignite the Chef in You” and President of the NZ Chef Association Auckland, Chef Jazz is an external verifier for City and Guilds, UK.
Floris Niu is a fourth generation Samoan Cacao farmer, processor and Chocolate-maker. She’s the founder of Ms Sunshine Organic Farms which operates Cacao Agritourism experiences on Upolu Island.
Categories to enter are:
- Dark Chocolate bars
- Milk Chocolate bars (plant milk only)
- Chocolate Bars; flavoured/ inclusions
- Filled chocolate Bon Bons and Truffles
- Caramels
- Bean to Bar; dark milk/ subs/ flavoured
- Drinking Chocolate
- Bark/Brittle Chocolate
- Dipped Fruit
- Supreme
Vegan Chocolate Awards 2024
