Americas Competition 2017 Winners

The International Chocolate Awards is pleased to announce the Winners of the 2017 Americas Competition, which was judged in Hoboken, in the New York Metropolitan Region, 29 March-4 April.

The competition was judged alongside the 2017 Asia-Pacific competition, with a combined total of over 1,000 products registered for judging, a record for the International Chocolate Awards, including over 650 plain and flavoured bars. For the first time, 2017 sees Americas and Asia-Pacific announced as a separate competitions, recognising the increasing number of entries and quality in both regions.

International Judges

The judging panel included judges from USA, Europe, Japan, South America and the USA and members of our international Grand Jury panel.

Prizes

The entry categories include dark and milk plain/origin bars along with micro-batch categories, filled chocolate and spreads and are based on consultation with the fine chocolate industry. All judging is anonymised, included at the Grand Jury final session, where Golds, Silver and Bronze prizes are awarded by private voting according to the Grand Jury rules. Entrant confidentiality is respected at all times and only the names of Winners and Grand Jury finalists are released.

Best in competition

Overall ‘best in competition’ single Golds were awarded for the best bar in the combined dark and combined milk chocolate categories, as voted for by the Grand Jury after all other scores have been compiled.

Additional Silver and Bronze prizes were given in several categories due to the high number of entries and excellent quality level.

Prizes are awarded only to entries that meet the required standard in each category.

** Bean-to-bar chocolatier products – recognising the growing trend of flavoured bars and filled chocolate made by chocolate makers, winning products made with an entrant’s own chocolate are marked with (**).

(Prizes are shown in alphabetical order for each medal)


'Best in competition' overall winners

Plain/origin dark bar categories

Gold: Shattell Chocolate  (Peru) - Chuncho 70%

Plain/origin milk bar categories

Gold: Fruition Chocolate Works  (United States) - Brown Butter Milk

Plain/origin bars

Plain/origin dark chocolate bars

Gold: Sirene  (Canada) - Tingo Maria

Silver: Amano Chocolate Company  (United States) - Amano Dos Rios

Silver: Cacaosuyo  (Peru) - Cuzco 80

Silver: Dandelion Chocolate  (United States) - Maya Mountain, Belize 70%

Silver: Dandelion Chocolate  (United States) - San Francisco De Macorís, Dominican Republic - 70% (Japan production)

Silver: Dick Taylor Craft Chocolate  (United States) - Dick Taylor Chocolate 75% Brazil Bar

Silver: Fruition Chocolate Works  (United States) - Wild Bolivia Dark

Silver: Maraná  (Peru) - San Martin 80% - Single Origin

Silver: Paccari Chocolate  (Ecuador) - Esmeraldas 60%

Silver: Paccari Chocolate  (Ecuador) - LaCumbia 70%

Silver: Paccari Chocolate  (Ecuador) - Los Ríos 72%

Silver: Paccari Chocolate  (Ecuador) - Manabí 65%

Silver: Paccari Chocolate  (Ecuador) - Piura 70%

Silver: Paccari Chocolate  (Ecuador) - Tutu Iku 70%

Silver: Potomac Chocolate  (United States) - Duarte, Dominican Republic 70% Dark

Silver: Solstice Chocolate  (United States) - 70% Kilombero Tanzania

Silver: Soma Chocolatemaker  (Canada) - Bachelor's Hall

Silver: Soma Chocolatemaker  (Canada) - Porcelana

Silver: Soma Chocolatemaker  (Canada) - Vietnam Tien Giang

Bronze: Amano Chocolate Company  (United States) - Amano Cuyagua

Bronze: Cacaosuyo  (Peru) - Chuncho - Cuzco

Bronze: Conexión Chocolate Ecuador  (Ecuador) - 70% Conexión Chocolate ( * Ecuatoriana de Chocolates (under our supervision with our recipes))

Bronze: Dandelion Chocolate  (United States) - Mantuano, Venezuela 70%

Bronze: Dick Taylor Craft Chocolate  (United States) - 72% Belize Dark Chocolate

Bronze: Grocer's Daughter Chocolate  (United States) - 70% Dark Chocolate Fortaleza Del Valle Bar ( * Conexion)

Bronze: Maraná  (Peru) - Piura 80% - Single Origin

Bronze: Paccari Chocolate  (Ecuador) - Raw 70%

Bronze: White Label Chocolate  (United States) - Honduras, La Masica

Micro-batch - Plain/origin dark chocolate bars

Gold: Shattell Chocolate  (Peru) - Chuncho 70%

Silver: Acalli Chocolate  (United States) - Barataria Blend 70% Dark Chocolate

Silver: Castronovo Chocolate  (United States) - Signature Collection - Nicalizo, Nicaragua 70%

Silver: Cocama  (Peru) - Chocoazú 70% - Theobroma Grandiflorum

Silver: Dark Forest Chocolate  (United States) - Dark Bolivian 75%

Silver: East Van Roasters  (Canada) - Pangoa,Peru 70%

Silver: Fresco  (United States) - Dominican Republic Recipe 224

Silver: Hummingbird Chocolate Maker  (Canada) - Reserva Zorzal

Silver: LetterPress Chocolate  (United States) - Ucayali, Peru

Silver: Palette de Bine  (Canada) - Guatemala Polochic 70%

Silver: Palette de Bine  (Canada) - Haïti Pisa

Silver: Palette de Bine  (Canada) - Pérou Marañón 70%

Silver: Zak's Chocolate  (United States) - 70% Dark Guatemala Lachua Cacao

Bronze: Cru Chocolate  (United States) - Dominican Republic, Zorzal

Bronze: Fresco  (United States) - Dominican Republic Recipe 212

Bronze: Fresh Coast Chocolate Co.  (United States) - Belize 70%

Bronze: Fresh Coast Chocolate Co.  (United States) - Madagascar 70%

Bronze: Hummingbird Chocolate Maker  (Canada) - Alta Verapaz

Bronze: Hummingbird Chocolate Maker  (Canada) - Cap Haitien

Bronze: Molucca  (United States) - Molucca - 72% Morogoro, Tanzania

Bronze: Ohiyo Chocolate  (United States) - 75% Peru Maranon

Bronze: Palette de Bine  (Canada) - Vietnam Lam Dong 72%

Bronze: Stone Grindz Chocolate  (United States) - Ecuador 70%

Bronze: Stone Grindz Chocolate  (United States) - Wild Bolivia 70%

Bronze: Wolter  (Mexico) - Quetzalli Criollo Tabasco 70%

High % plain/origin dark chocolate bars (85% and over)

Gold: Paccari Chocolate  (Ecuador) - Raw 100%

Silver: Dandelion Chocolate  (United States) - Kokoa Kamili, Tanzania – 85% (Japan production)

Silver: Mamuschka  (Argentina) - 90% Criollo Peru

Silver: Potomac Chocolate  (United States) - Upala, Costa Rica 85% Dark

Bronze: Brasstown Chocolate  (United States) - Brasstown Blend 85%

Bronze: Nina Fine Chocolates  (Peru) - Nina 85%

Bronze: Tesoro Amazonico  (Peru) - Dark 88%

Rough ground/textured plain/origin dark chocolate bars

Bronze: Mindo Chocolate Makers  (United States) - 70% Pure Rustic Chocolate Bar

Plain/origin dark chocolate bars made with alternative natural sugar

Gold: Palette de Bine  (Canada) - Bine à l'érable, wild Bolivia 70%

Silver: La Rifa Chocolatería  (Mexico) - Barra Blanco Marfil

Bronze: La Rifa Chocolatería  (Mexico) - Barra Uranga

Plain/origin milk chocolate bars

Gold: Fruition Chocolate Works  (United States) - Brown Butter Milk

Silver: Chocolates El Rey  (Venezuela) - Caoba Milk Chocolate 41% Cacao

Silver: French Broad Chocolates  (United States) - Milk Chocolate

Silver: República del Cacao  (Ecuador) - Milk Chocolate Ecuador 40%

Plain/origin 'dark' milk chocolate bars (50% and over)

Gold: Sirene  (Canada) - Lachua Dark Milk

Gold: Soma Chocolatemaker  (Canada) - Fazenda Boa Vista

Silver: Cacaosuyo  (Peru) - Piura Milk

Silver: Castronovo Chocolate  (United States) - Rare Cacao Collection - Sierra Nevada, Colombia Dark Milk 63%

Silver: Castronovo Chocolate  (United States) - Tumaco, Colombia Dark Milk 60%

Silver: Chocotenango  (United States) - Happy Medium (**)

Silver: Dark Forest Chocolate  (United States) - Goat Milk 55%

Silver: Dark Forest Chocolate  (United States) - Milk Chocolate 50%

Silver: Fruition Chocolate Works  (United States) - Maranon Canyon Dark Milk (**)

Silver: Maraná  (Peru) - Cusco 50% - Milk Chocolate

Bronze: Castronovo Chocolate  (United States) - Dominican Republic Dark Milk 55%

Bronze: Maraná  (Peru) - Piura 50% - Milk Chocolate

Bronze: Sirene  (Canada) - Ambanja Dark Milk

Bronze: TCHO  (United States) - Cacao (**)

Micro-batch - Plain/origin milk chocolate bars

Silver: TA.CHO taller de chocolate  (Mexico) - Ámbar 46% Finca "El Paraíso".

Bronze: Mucho Chocolate  (Mexico) - Carmelo Mestizo

Rough ground/textured plain/origin milk chocolate bars

Silver: Soma Chocolatemaker  (Canada) - Old School Milk

Plain/origin white chocolate bars

Gold: Chocolates El Rey  (Venezuela) - Icoa White Chocolate 34% Cacao

Bronze: Angovi  (Ecuador) - Angovi Chocolate Blanco ( * Fundación Familia Salesiana)

Bronze: Mamuschka  (Argentina) - Blanco con Vainilla

Bronze: República del Cacao  (Ecuador) - White Chocolate Ecuador 31%


Flavoured bars

Dark chocolate bars with an infusion or flavouring

Gold: Paccari Chocolate  (Ecuador) - Lemongrass

Silver: Amano Chocolate Company  (United States) - Amano Mango Chili (**)

Silver: AMMA  (Brazil) - Cupuaçu (**)

Silver: Cacao Hunters  (Colombia) - Cacao Hunters Cafe de Edi 61% (**)

Silver: Forte Chocolates  (United States) - Honey Bar

Silver: Forte Chocolates  (United States) - Orange Jazz

Silver: herencia divina  (Venezuela) - Sabores de Doña Petra 65 % (**)

Silver: Maverick Chocolate Company  (United States) - Espresso Dark Chocolate

Silver: Ohiyo Chocolate  (United States) - 70% Alto Beni Dark Chocolate with Coffee (**)

Silver: Paccari Chocolate  (Ecuador) - Andean Mint

Silver: Paccari Chocolate  (Ecuador) - Andean Rose

Silver: Paccari Chocolate  (Ecuador) - Guayusa

Silver: Paccari Chocolate  (Ecuador) - Lemon Verbena

Silver: Paccari Chocolate  (Ecuador) - Merken

Silver: Paccari Chocolate  (Ecuador) - Orange

Silver: Paccari Chocolate  (Ecuador) - Passion Fruit 60%

Silver: Paccari Chocolate  (Ecuador) - Sweet Pepper / Allspice

Silver: TCHO  (United States) - Coconut Crisp

Bronze: Cocoa Republic  (Trinidad and Tobago) - 65% Dark Chocolate with Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee

Bronze: Creo Chocolate  (United States) - Minty Dark (**)

Bronze: Hoja Verde  (Ecuador) - Hoja Verde Organic Orange 66%

Bronze: Paccari Chocolate  (Ecuador) - Cardamom

Dark chocolate bars with inclusions or pieces

Gold: Amano Chocolate Company  (United States) - Amano Raspberry Rose (**)

Gold: Cacaosuyo  (Peru) - Piura Nibs

Silver: Amano Chocolate Company  (United States) - Amano Cardamom Black Pepper (**)

Silver: Cacaosuyo  (Peru) - Inka Berry

Silver: Dreams of Eva  (Peru) - Eucalipto & Frambuesa

Silver: Madre Chocolate  (United States) - Triple Cacao (**)

Silver: Nina Fine Chocolates  (Peru) - Nina 70% with Nibs (**)

Silver: Nugali  (Brazil) - Dark chocolate (63% cocoa) With Cupuaçu Brittle (**)

Silver: Paccari Chocolate  (Ecuador) - Andean Blueberry 60%

Silver: Paccari Chocolate  (Ecuador) - Coffee

Silver: Paccari Chocolate  (Ecuador) - Goldenberry

Silver: Potomac Chocolate  (United States) - 70% Dark + Coconut (**)

Silver: TCHO  (United States) - Mint Chip Gelato (**)

Silver: Xocolatl de Davíd  (United States) - Almond & Pimentón

Bronze: Cacaosuyo  (Peru) - Cuzco Maras Salt

Bronze: Xocolatl de Davíd  (United States) - Peanut Butter Truffle Bar

Dark chocolate bars with a filling

Gold: Hudson Valley Naturals  (United States) - Dark Chocolate with Peanut Butter and Crispy Rice

Silver: Cacaosuyo  (Peru) - Camu Camu & Yacon

Silver: Lux Artisan Chocolates  (United States) - 64% dark chocolate, Peanut butter & sea salt bar

Silver: Milla Chocolates  (United States) - Hazelnut Praliné Bar

Silver: Milla Chocolates  (United States) - Hazelnut Praliné Bar with Turkish Coffee

Rough ground flavoured dark chocolate bars

Gold: Askinosie Chocolate  (United States) - Dark Chocolate + Crunchy Sugar Crystals & Vanilla Bean CollaBARation™ Bar (**)

Silver: Wolter  (Mexico) - Quetzalli 70% with sea salt, chicatana and cardamon (**)

Silver: Wolter  (Mexico) - Quetzalli Mexican Memories 74% (**)

Milk chocolate bars with an infusion or flavouring

Gold: Cacaosuyo  (Peru) - Lucuma

Gold: Dreams of Eva  (Peru) - Vainilla & Ají Panca

Silver: Castronovo Chocolate  (United States) - Tumaco, Colombia Mocha Milk 58% (**)

Silver: Fruition Chocolate Works  (United States) - Dark Milk with Flor de Sal (**)

Silver: Fruition Chocolate Works  (United States) - Hudson Valley Bourbon Dark Milk (**)

Silver: Mānoa Chocolate Hawaii  (United States) - 60% Dark Milk with Alii Kula Maui Lavender (**)

Silver: Maverick Chocolate Company  (United States) - Prohibition Milk Chocolate

Silver: TCHO  (United States) - Mokaccino (**)

Bronze: Cacaosuyo  (Peru) - Banana Maras salt

Bronze: TCHO  (United States) - Earl Grey (**)

Milk chocolate bars with inclusions or pieces

Gold: Fruition Chocolate Works  (United States) - Milk Chocolate Quinoa Crunch (**)

Silver: Chuao Chocolatier  (United States) - Caramel Apple Crush

Silver: Chuao Chocolatier  (United States) - Potato Chip

Silver: Vivra Chocolate  (United States) - Curry Cashew

Silver: Vivra Chocolate  (United States) - PB & Pretzel

Bronze: Cacaosuyo  (Peru) - Quinoa Crunch

Bronze: Maverick Chocolate Company  (United States) - 60% Dark Milk Chocolate with Nibs

Bronze: TCHO  (United States) - Golden Milk: Ginger + Turmeric (**)

Bronze: TCHO  (United States) - Snickerdoodle (**)

Milk chocolate bars with a filling

Gold: St. Croix Chocolate Company  (United States) - Peanut butter and wild grape jelly

Silver: KOHLER Original Recipe Chocolates  (United States) - Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Bar

Flavoured white chocolate bars

Gold: Castronovo Chocolate  (United States) - White Chocolate with Lemon & Lemon Salt (**)

Gold: Solstice Chocolate  (United States) - Brown Butter White Chocolate (**)

Silver: Forte Chocolates  (United States) - Lemon Pepper Bar

Silver: Forte Chocolates  (United States) - Rosemary Sea Salt Bar

Silver: Fruition Chocolate Works  (United States) - Strawberries and Cream (**)

Bronze: Askinosie Chocolate  (United States) - “Dirty” White Chocolate + Vintage Cocoa Gravel Bar (**)

Bronze: Le Caméléon  (Mexico) - Abril en México tea in white chocolate


Ganaches, palets, ganache pralines and truffles

Unflavoured dark chocolate ganaches or truffles

Gold: Chocolopolis  (United States) - Dominican Republic House Blend Truffle

Silver: Chocolopolis  (United States) - Madagascar Craft Truffle

Silver: Garcia Nevett  (United States) - Amazonas

Bronze: Chocolaterie Tessa  (United States) - Costa Rica 85

Bronze: Chocolaterie Tessa  (United States) - Madagascar 100

Bronze: Chocolaterie Tessa  (United States) - Madagascar 70

Bronze: Truffle Shots  (United States) - World Peace Truffle Shots

Flavoured dark chocolate ganaches or truffles

Gold: Giovanna Maggiolo Chocolate Artesanal  (Peru) - Spices

Silver: Arcay Chocolates  (United States) - Coco Rum

Silver: Chocolopolis  (United States) - Spicy Aztec Truffle

Silver: Dreams of Eva  (Peru) - Frambuesa, Asaí & Ají Panca

Silver: Dreams of Eva  (Peru) - Piña & Pimienta Negra

Silver: Giovanna Maggiolo Chocolate Artesanal  (Peru) - Cherries & Pisco

Silver: Truffle Shots  (United States) - Lemon Basil Truffle Shots

Silver: Wolter  (Mexico) - Mezcal bonbon (**)

Silver: XO Confections  (United States) - Modena Summer

Bronze: Dreams of Eva  (Peru) - Granada IPA

Bronze: French Broad Chocolates  (United States) - Strawberry Balsamic Truffle (vegan) (**)

Bronze: Roots Chocolates  (United States) - Lapsong Souchong - Smoked Tea

Bronze: Socola Chocolatier  (United States) - Jasmine tea truffles

Bronze: Truffle Shots  (United States) - Bumbleberry Truffle Shots

Bronze: Truffle Shots  (United States) - Rosemary Caramel Truffle Shots

Flavoured milk chocolate ganaches or truffles

Gold: Forte Chocolates  (United States) - Classic Milk

Silver: Chocotenango  (United States) - Yuzu & Ginger (**)

Bronze: Chocolat du Jour  (Brazil) - Coffee Truffle (**)

Flavoured white chocolate ganaches or truffles

Gold: Chocolopolis  (United States) - Lemon Lavender Truffle

Silver: Chocolaterie Tessa  (United States) - Maracuya

Silver: Truffle Shots  (United States) - Castelvetrano Olive Truffle Shots

Bronze: Chocolat du Jour  (Brazil) - Passion Fruit Truffle

Bronze: Compania de Chocolates  (Argentina) - Pistache and Lime praline

Bronze: Le Caméléon  (Mexico) - Hibiscus flower ganache in white chocolate

Bronze: Wolter  (Mexico) - Tequila Bonbon (**)

Bronze: XO Confections  (United States) - Bananas Foster

Flavoured ganaches or truffles with combination coating or filling

Gold: Arcay Chocolates  (United States) - Romero Salé

Silver: Arcay Chocolates  (United States) - Lemon Basil

Silver: Giovanna Maggiolo Chocolate Artesanal  (Peru) - Almendras y limón

Silver: Giovanna Maggiolo Chocolate Artesanal  (Peru) - Miel de picarón

Silver: Milla Chocolates  (United States) - Manhattan Bon Bon

Silver: Milla Chocolates  (United States) - Raspberry Bon Bon

Silver: St. Croix Chocolate Company  (United States) - Coffee malt bon bon

Bronze: Compania de Chocolates  (Argentina) - Cardamom ginger


Nuts

Nut based pralines with dark chocolate

Bronze: Arcay Chocolates  (United States) - Praliné D'Orange

Dark chocolate dragées, enrobed whole nuts

Silver: Truffle Shots  (United States) - Pistache Orange Dragées

Nut based pralines with milk chocolate

Silver: Caramela  (Mexico) - Salted Caramel pecan milk chocolate bombon

Bronze: Chocolaterie Tessa  (United States) - Carmel Almond Praline

Milk chocolate dragées, enrobed whole nuts

Gold: Truffle Shots  (United States) - Malabar Cardamom Dragées

Silver: French Broad Chocolates  (United States) - Hazelnut Dragee (**)

White chocolate dragées, enrobed whole nuts

Gold: Truffle Shots  (United States) - Ginger Snap Dragées


Caramels

Dark chocolate enrobed caramels

Silver: Chocolaterie Tessa  (United States) - Salted Butter Caramel, Dark

Silver: Chocotenango  (United States) - Coffee Caramel (**)

Silver: Fruition Chocolate Works  (United States) - Brown Butter Bourbon Caramels (**)

Milk chocolate enrobed caramels

Gold: Forte Chocolates  (United States) - Milk Sea Salt Caramel

Silver: Chocotenango  (United States) - Simply Lemon (**)

Silver: French Broad Chocolates  (United States) - Lavender honey caramel (**)

Silver: Sibö Chocolate Costa Rica  (Costa Rica) - Apple lime caramel (**)


Others - fruit/sugar/butter/cream/misc

Dark chocolate enrobed fruit pastes, jellies/gelée

Gold: La Praline  (Venezuela) - Mora

Silver: La Praline  (Venezuela) - Mariposa

Bronze: La Goulue Chocolatier  (Argentina) - Dark Chocolate filled with Malbec Sweet red wine

Dark chocolate enrobed whole fruit

Gold: Paccari Chocolate  (Ecuador) - Dark Chocolate Covered Dehydrated Goldenberry

Silver: Paccari Chocolate  (Ecuador) - Dark Chocolate Covered Cacao Nibs

Silver: Paccari Chocolate  (Ecuador) - Dark Chocolate Covered Dehydrated Banana

Bronze: Paccari Chocolate  (Ecuador) - Cocoa Cacao Beans Natural

Bronze: Paccari Chocolate  (Ecuador) - Dark Chocolate Covered Coffee Beans

Dark chocolate enrobed manon/butter/cream

Gold: Chuao Chocolatier  (United States) - Mocha Bonbon

Milk chocolate enrobed whole fruit

Silver: Le Caméléon  (Mexico) - Mexican banana coated in milk chocolate


Spreads

Spreads with dark chocolate (no milk powder)

Gold: Truffle Shots  (United States) - Fig + Chocolate Spread

Silver: Truffle Shots  (United States) - Gingered Chocolate Spread

Spreads with milk chocolate

Gold: Arcay Chocolates  (United States) - Passion Spread

Silver: Mamuschka  (Argentina) - Mamusch Cream

Bronze: Arcay Chocolates  (United States) - Tamarind Spread


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 – USA: Amano Chocolate Company  (United States) - Amano Dos Rios
Gold – USA: Solstice Chocolate  (United States) - 70% Kilombero Tanzania
Silver – USA: Amano Chocolate Company  (United States) - Amano Cuyagua
Silver – USA: Dandelion Chocolate  (United States) - Maya Mountain, Belize 70%
Silver – USA: Dick Taylor Craft Chocolate  (United States) - 72% Belize Dark Chocolate
Silver – USA: Dick Taylor Craft Chocolate  (United States) - Dick Taylor Chocolate 75% Brazil Bar
Silver – USA: Fruition Chocolate Works  (United States) - Wild Bolivia Dark
Silver – USA: Grocer's Daughter Chocolate  (United States) - 70% Dark Chocolate Fortaleza Del Valle Bar ( * Conexion)
Silver – USA: Potomac Chocolate  (United States) - Duarte, Dominican Republic 70% Dark
Silver – USA: White Label Chocolate  (United States) - Honduras, La Masica

Micro-batch - Plain/origin dark chocolate bars

Gold – USA: LetterPress Chocolate  (United States) - Ucayali, Peru
Silver – USA: Acalli Chocolate  (United States) - Barataria Blend 70% Dark Chocolate
Silver – USA: Castronovo Chocolate  (United States) - Signature Collection - Nicalizo, Nicaragua 70%
Silver – USA: Dark Forest Chocolate  (United States) - Dark Bolivian 75%
Silver – USA: Fresco  (United States) - Dominican Republic Recipe 224
Silver – USA: Zak's Chocolate  (United States) - 70% Dark Guatemala Lachua Cacao

Special awards

Given for entries that qualify for the special category criteria

Plain/origin dark chocolate bars

Gold – Chocolate Maker: Sirene  (Canada) - Tingo Maria
Gold – Directly Traded: Sirene  (Canada) - Tingo Maria
Gold – Growing Country: Paccari Chocolate  (Ecuador) - Manabí 65%
Gold – Organic: Paccari Chocolate  (Ecuador) - Manabí 65%
Gold – Growing Country: Paccari Chocolate  (Ecuador) - Tutu Iku 70%

Micro-batch - Plain/origin dark chocolate bars

Gold – Chocolate Maker: Shattell Chocolate  (Peru) - Chuncho 70%
Gold – Directly Traded: Shattell Chocolate  (Peru) - Chuncho 70%
Gold – Growing Country: Shattell Chocolate  (Peru) - Chuncho 70%
Gold – Organic: Shattell Chocolate  (Peru) - Chuncho 70%

(*)  Declared chocolate maker for private label bars.

(**) Winner has declared the product is made with their own bean-to-bar chocolate or couverture.

Triple MMM Special Award

A new prize given by our founding partners, Maricel Presilla, Martin Christy and Monica Meschini. The Triple MMM (or Mmm…) prize represents products chosen by the founders because of a personal appreciation of a product tasted during judging. This prize reflects personal enjoyment of the product awarded and is not based on the competition scores.

2017 Americas MMM: LetterPress Chocolate (United States) – Ucayali, Peru

Bean-to-bar Chocolatier Award

Recognising the dedication of chocolatiers who also make their own chocolate and couverture and use this for their chocolatier products. This year’s Award goes to:

2017 Americas Bean-to-bar Chocolatier: French Broad Chocolates (United States)

Biome-to-bar Recognition Award

Our new Special Award for ‘Biome-to-bar’ celebrates the special relationship between cacao and other sources of food in a particular biome – distinct biological communities that share a regional climate and vegetation, adapted to the local environment.

The Award recognizes excellence and expertise in the pairing of cacao with natural flavorings sourced from flora or fauna sharing the same ecological niche.

This year’s Award goes to Peruvian chocolate maker Ivan Murrugarra of Magia Piura, for his work in the biome of Northern Peru, matching local fruits with cacao from the same region.

2017 Americas Biome-to-bar Recognition: Ivan Murrugarra Magia Piura (Peru)