The International Chocolate Awards is pleased to announce the Grand Jury Finalists of the third Central America Support Competition which was held on November 11–15, in San Salvador, El Salvador.

The Grand Jury Finalists are the entries that made it through to the final Grand Jury round, following five days of judging, which included judges from Central America and members of our international Grand Jury panel. The panel was made up of chocolate experts, pastry chefs, journalists, restaurant reviewers, bloggers, culinary educators and chefs.

The Finalists are the nominations from which the Grand Jury select the prize winners, through private voting. The Grand Jury follow strict rules, which you can read here (PDF).

While listing as a Grand Jury Finalist is an achievement in itself, it does not necessarily indicate that the entry will receive a prize.

The 2019 Central American competition Finalists are:

(In alphabetical order within each category)

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Plain/origin bars

Plain/origin dark chocolate bars

Cacaoterra/Xiquipil (El Salvador)
Jez Chocolate (El Salvador)
Wolter (Mexico)

Micro-batch – Plain/origin dark chocolate bars

Argencove (Nicaragua)
Belú Cacao (El Salvador)
Cacaoterra/Xiquipil (El Salvador)
Cata Cacao (Costa Rica)
Fabrica de Chocolate Momotombo (Nicaragua)
Le Caméléon (Mexico)
Maleku Chocolate (Costa Rica)
Místika Chocolate (Costa Rica)
Oro Chocolate (Nicaragua)
Palato Hand Crafted Chocolate (Honduras)
Xocolatisimo (El Salvador)

Plain/origin milk chocolate bars

Cacaoterra/Xiquipil (El Salvador)

Micro-batch – Plain/origin milk chocolate bars

Cacaoterra/Xiquipil (El Salvador)
Kakaw Museo (Mexico)
Mayak Chocolate (Honduras)
Palato Hand Crafted Chocolate (Honduras)

Plain/origin white chocolate bars

Wolter (Mexico)

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Flavoured bars

Dark chocolate bars with an infusion or flavouring

Argencove (Nicaragua)
CariBeans (Costa Rica)
Wolter (Mexico)
Xocolatisimo (El Salvador)

Dark chocolate bars with inclusions or pieces

Argencove (Nicaragua)
Estukurú (Costa Rica)
Mayak Chocolate (Honduras)
Palato Hand Crafted Chocolate (Honduras)
Wolter (Mexico)
Yojoa Chocolate (Honduras)
Zucoleto (Honduras)

Dark chocolate bars with a filling

Nahua (Costa Rica)

Milk chocolate bars with an infusion or flavouring

Macaw Kakau (Costa Rica)
Maleku Chocolate (Costa Rica)
Xocolatisimo (El Salvador)

Milk chocolate bars with inclusions or pieces

Fabrica de Chocolate Momotombo (Nicaragua)
Mayak Chocolate (Honduras)
Xocolatisimo (El Salvador)
Zucoleto (Honduras)

Milk chocolate bars with a filling

Xocolatisimo (El Salvador)

White chocolate bars with an infusion or flavouring

Cacaoterra/Xiquipil (El Salvador)
Estukurú (Costa Rica)
Palato Hand Crafted Chocolate (Honduras)
syokorat / wikka (Mexico)

White chocolate bars with inclusions or pieces

Maleku Chocolate (Costa Rica)
Mayak Chocolate (Honduras)
Xocolatisimo (El Salvador)

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Ganaches, palets, ganache pralines and truffles

Unflavoured dark chocolate ganaches or truffles

Xocolatisimo (El Salvador)

Flavoured dark chocolate ganaches or truffles

syokorat / wikka (Mexico)
Xocolatisimo (El Salvador)

Milk chocolate ganaches or truffles

Kotowa Victoria Chocolate (Panama)

White chocolate ganaches or truffles

Xocolatisimo (El Salvador)

Ganaches or truffles using mixed dark/milk/white for coating and fillings

Cacaoterra/Xiquipil (El Salvador)
Xocolatisimo (El Salvador)

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Nuts

Nut based pralines with dark chocolate

Xocolatisimo (El Salvador)

Dark chocolate dragées, enrobed whole nuts

Palato Hand Crafted Chocolate (Honduras)
syokorat / wikka (Mexico)

Nut based pralines with milk chocolate

Xocolatisimo (El Salvador)

Milk chocolate dragées, enrobed whole nuts

Cacaoterra/Xiquipil (El Salvador)

White chocolate dragées, enrobed whole nuts

Palato Hand Crafted Chocolate (Honduras)

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Caramels

Dark chocolate enrobed caramels

Xocolatisimo (El Salvador)

Milk chocolate enrobed caramels

Fabrica de Chocolate Momotombo (Nicaragua)
Xocolatisimo (El Salvador)

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Spreads

Spreads with dark chocolate (no milk powder)

syokorat / wikka (Mexico)

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Drinks with dark chocolate

Dark drinking chocolate (made with water)

Chocolate Doña Mari (Guatemala)
Maleku Chocolate (Costa Rica)
Wolter (Mexico)

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Alcoholic drinks

Alcoholic drinks/liquors made with chocolate or cacao

Licores Don Juan (Nicaragua)