The International Chocolate Awards is pleased to announce the Winners of the 2016 European Bar semi-final Competition, which was judged in Amsterdam, 10 – 13 June, 2016 at the Hilton Amsterdam.
This year, to celebrate Amsterdam’s role as a focus of the new European fine and micro-batch chocolate movement, the judging was held with the support of the iconic Hilton Amsterdam hotel, famous for John and Yoko’s 1969 “bed-in for peace”, and now home of the annual Chocoa Grand Diner du Chocolat, prepared by the Hilton’s Roberto’s Restaurant chef Franz Conde and Grand Jury member Maricel Presilla.
Judges
The judging panel included regular European judges, along with pastry chefs, restaurateurs, journalists and other specialists from the local area and members of our international Grand Jury panel.
- Winners
- Finalists
- Judges
- Grand Jury
- Sponsors
Prizes
This was the second international competition devoted to plain unflavoured and origin chocolate bars made in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. This was the regional round for plain/origin chocolate bars, winners will go through to World Final in London in October 2016. All judging is anonymised, including at the Grand Jury final session, where Golds, Silver and Bronze prizes are awarded by private voting according to the Grand Jury rules.
Prizes are awarded only to entries that meet the required standard for each prize.
View details of our sponsors and partners here.
(Prizes are shown in alphabetical order for each medal)
'Best in competition' overall winners
Plain/origin dark bar categories
Gold: Bonnat Chocolatier (France) - Selva MayaPlain/origin milk bar categories
Gold: Bonnat Chocolatier (France) - JavaPlain/origin bars
Plain/origin dark chocolate bars
Gold: Bonnat Chocolatier (France) - Selva Maya
Silver: Bonnat Chocolatier (France) - Cacao Real Del Xoconuzco
Silver: Bonnat Chocolatier (France) - Haiti
Silver: Bonnat Chocolatier (France) - Kaori
Silver: Chocolaterie Morin (France) - Nicaragua Nicalizo
Silver: Chocolaterie Morin (France) - Nicaragua Rugoso
Silver: Chocolaterie Morin (France) - Pérou Chanchamayo
Silver: Friis-Holm Chokolade (Denmark) - Chuno 70% - Double Turned
Silver: Friis-Holm Chokolade (Denmark) - Chuno 70% - Tripple Turned
Silver: Friis-Holm Chokolade (Denmark) - Johe 70%
Silver: Friis-Holm Chokolade (Denmark) - O'Payo Organic 68%
Silver: Friis-Holm Chokolade (Denmark) - Rugoso 70% - Bad Fermentation
Silver: Michel Cluizel (France) - Plantation Vila Gracinda
Bronze: Åkesson's (United Kingdom) - Akesson's Bali 75% Trinitario Cocoa ( * Couverture chez Pralus, Bars chez Damiens)
Bronze: Bonnat Chocolatier (France) - Hacienda el Rosario
Bronze: Bonnat Chocolatier (France) - Puerto Cabello
Bronze: Chocolaterie Morin (France) - Pérou Pablino
Bronze: Chocolaterie Morin (France) - Pérou Quilla
Bronze: Delicacao Berlin (Germany) - Tafel Bali
Bronze: Friis-Holm Chokolade (Denmark) - Indio Rojo 70%
Bronze: Friis-Holm Chokolade (Denmark) - Nicaliso 70%
Bronze: Friis-Holm Chokolade (Denmark) - Rugoso 70%
Bronze: Guido Castagna (Italy) - Raw Madagascar
Bronze: Holy Cacao Chocolate (Israel) - 70% Madagascar
Micro-batch - Plain/origin dark chocolate bars
Gold: Pangea Chocolate (Spain) - Brazil Fazenda Camboa 76%
Silver: Ajala Chocolate (Czech Republic) - Dark Chocolate 70%
Silver: Ara Chocolat (France) - Guasare Criollo 72% - 72 hours fermentation
Silver: Ara Chocolat (France) - La Sabana 70%
Silver: Ara Chocolat (France) - Porcelana 70%
Silver: J.Cocoa (United Kingdom) - 66% Dark Chocolate Tenor Variety
Silver: Omnom Chocolate (Iceland) - Madagascar 66%
Silver: Solkiki Chocolatemaker (United Kingdom) - 68% Pure Nacional - Fortunato No.4 - Rough Maranon
Silver: Zart Pralinen Chocolate Makers (Austria) - Kokoa Kamili 70%
Bronze: Ara Chocolat (France) - Agua Fria 70%
Bronze: Ben Le Prevost Chocolatier (United Kingdom) - Madagasacar
Bronze: Chocolaterie Laia (France) - 75% Sao Tome - Diogo Vaz - Forastero
Bronze: Chocolatoa (Belgium) - Chocolatoa Costa Rica Nahua Maleku 75%
Bronze: Krak (Netherlands) - Belize
Bronze: Krak (Netherlands) - Vietnam Region: Ben Tre
High % plain/origin dark chocolate bars (85% and over)
Gold: Chocolate Tree (United Kingdom) - Venezuela Porcelana 85%
Silver: Åkesson's (United Kingdom) - Madagascar 100% Criollo Cocoa ( * Couverture chez Pralus, Bars chez Damiens)
Silver: Holy Cacao Chocolate (Israel) - 100% Cacao
Bronze: Chocolat Madagascar (Madagascar) - Dark 85% Cocoa
Bronze: Malmö Chokladfabrik (Sweden) - Peru 85%
Bronze: Metiisto Artisan Chocolate (Australia) - Tanzania 85%
Bronze: Raoul Boulanger (France) - Los Rios 100%
Bronze: Zart Pralinen Chocolate Makers (Austria) - Kokoa Kamili 85%
Plain/origin dark chocolate bars made with alternative natural sugar
Silver: Forever Cacao (United Kingdom) - 72% Ashaninka Bean to Bar
Plain/origin milk chocolate bars
Gold: Bonnat Chocolatier (France) - Java
Silver: Chocolaterie Morin (France) - Vietnam Lait 48%
Silver: Francois Pralus (France) - Pralus Bar 100G 45% Melissa
Silver: Malmö Chokladfabrik (Sweden) - BJÖRN of Sweden Milk Chocolate 40%
Bronze: Heilemann (Germany) - Heilemann Vietnam 45%
Bronze: Idilio Origins (Switzerland) - Idilio 15 Idilio con leche ( * Felchlin)
Micro-batch - Plain/origin milk chocolate bars
Gold: Omnom Chocolate (Iceland) - Milk of Madagascar 45%
Silver: J.Cocoa (United Kingdom) - 30% Milk chocolate Chuno Variety
Bronze: J.Cocoa (United Kingdom) - 30% Milk chocolate Nicalizo Variety
Bronze: Metiisto Artisan Chocolate (Australia) - Madagascar dark milk 56%
National awards
Given to Grand Jury finalists when there are 10 or more entries from one country in a category
Plain/origin dark chocolate bars
Gold – French: Bonnat Chocolatier (France) - Selva Maya
Micro-batch - Plain/origin dark chocolate bars
Gold – British: Solkiki Chocolatemaker (United Kingdom) - 68% Pure Nacional - Fortunato No.4 - Rough Maranon
Gold – French: Ara Chocolat (France) - Porcelana 70%
Special awards
Given for entries that qualify for the special category criteria
Plain/origin dark chocolate bars
Gold – Chocolate Maker: Bonnat Chocolatier (France) - Selva MayaGold – Directly Traded: Bonnat Chocolatier (France) - Selva Maya
Micro-batch - Plain/origin dark chocolate bars
Gold – Chocolate Maker: Pangea Chocolate (Spain) - Brazil Fazenda Camboa 76%Gold – Directly Traded: Pangea Chocolate (Spain) - Brazil Fazenda Camboa 76%
Plain/origin milk chocolate bars
Gold – Chocolate Maker: Bonnat Chocolatier (France) - JavaGold – Directly Traded: Francois Pralus (France) - Pralus Bar 100G 45% Melissa
Micro-batch - Plain/origin milk chocolate bars
Gold – Chocolate Maker: Omnom Chocolate (Iceland) - Milk of Madagascar 45%Gold – Directly Traded: Omnom Chocolate (Iceland) - Milk of Madagascar 45%
(*) Declared chocolate maker for private label bars.
(**) Winner has declared the product is made with their own bean-to-bar chocolate or couverture.
