Central American Competition Winners – 2019

The International Chocolate Awards is pleased to announce the Winners of the third Central American Support Competition (Tercera Competencia Regional de Chocolate de Centroamérica 2019), which was judged November 11–15, in San Salvador, El Salvador.

The third Central American competition recognises the tradition and culture of chocolate and cacao over thousands of years in the historical Mesoamerica area. The competition aims to help develop local production of craft and fine flavour chocolate products in the emerging fine chocolate industry and stimulate the production of fine cacao in the Central American region.

Judges

The judging panel was made up of members of our Grand Jury and judges from Central America who traveled to El Salvador, joined by local chefs and technical experts.

Links

Prizes

(Prizes are shown in alphabetical order for each medal)


'Best in competition' overall winners

Plain/origin dark bar categories

Gold: Cacaoterra/Xiquipil  (El Salvador) - Shaw's 70%

Plain/origin milk bar categories

Gold: Kakaw Museo  (Mexico) - Kakaw Museo - Finca la Cruz

Plain/origin bars

Plain/origin dark chocolate bars

Gold: Cacaoterra/Xiquipil  (El Salvador) - Shaw's 70%

Silver: Wolter  (Mexico) - Criollo Aguaselva 72%

Silver: Wolter  (Mexico) - Uranga 74%

Bronze: Wolter  (Mexico) - Wolter 80%

Micro-batch - Plain/origin dark chocolate bars

Gold: Xocolatisimo  (El Salvador) - 70% Cacao Blend Usulután-Morazán

Silver: Argencove  (Nicaragua) - “Cocibolca” 70% Dark Chocolate

Silver: Argencove  (Nicaragua) - “Masaya” 70% Dark Chocolate

Silver: Argencove  (Nicaragua) - “Mombacho” 70% Dark Chocolate

Silver: Cacaoterra/Xiquipil  (El Salvador) - Xiquipil 70% Finca Los Angeles

Silver: Cacaoterra/Xiquipil  (El Salvador) - Xiquipil 70% Finca Palomo

Silver: Fabrica de Chocolate Momotombo  (Nicaragua) - Dark Chocolate 90% Nueva Segovia

Silver: Místika Chocolate  (Costa Rica) - Barra de Chocolate 70%

Silver: Palato Hand Crafted Chocolate  (Honduras) - 70% Chocolate Oscuro Tela

Silver: Palato Hand Crafted Chocolate  (Honduras) - 75% Chocolate Oscuro Mayan Red

Silver: Palato Hand Crafted Chocolate  (Honduras) - 75% Chocolate Oscuro Wampu

Silver: Xocolatisimo  (El Salvador) - 70% cacao Special Blend Usulután-Morazán

Bronze: Argencove  (Nicaragua) - "Apoyo" 70% Dark Chocolate

Bronze: Argencove  (Nicaragua) - “Batch No. 13” 80% Dark Chocolate

Bronze: Belú Cacao  (El Salvador) - Panela

Bronze: Cata Cacao  (Costa Rica) - Cata Cacao 85% Very Dark Chocolate

Bronze: Fabrica de Chocolate Momotombo  (Nicaragua) - Dark Chocolate 90% Rio San Juan

Bronze: Le Caméléon  (Mexico) - So. Xo.-Root 4 Neocriollo, 75% cacao

Bronze: Oro Chocolate  (Nicaragua) - Single Origin Dark

Bronze: Xocolatisimo  (El Salvador) - 70% Cacao Elmer Martínez

Bronze: Xocolatisimo  (El Salvador) - 85% Cacao Blend Usulután-Morazán

Plain/origin milk chocolate bars

Silver: Cacaoterra/Xiquipil  (El Salvador) - Shaw's 41% Milk Chocolate/SJRLaCarrera

Micro-batch - Plain/origin milk chocolate bars

Gold: Kakaw Museo  (Mexico) - Kakaw Museo - Finca la Cruz

Bronze: Cacaoterra/Xiquipil  (El Salvador) - Xiquipil 65% Dark Milk SJRLaCarrera

Bronze: Mayak Chocolate  (Honduras) - 50% Milk chocolate

Bronze: Palato Hand Crafted Chocolate  (Honduras) - 60% Chocolate Oscuro con Leche Wampu

Plain/origin white chocolate bars

Gold: Wolter  (Mexico) - Chelo Caramelo 34%


Flavoured bars

Dark chocolate bars with an infusion or flavouring

Gold: Xocolatisimo  (El Salvador) - Chocolate Oscuro La Carrera- Leche Coco (**)

Silver: Wolter  (Mexico) - Piña Dark 60% (**)

Bronze: Argencove  (Nicaragua) - Passion fruit 70% Dark Chocolate (**)

Bronze: Wolter  (Mexico) - Guanabana Dark 60% (**)

Dark chocolate bars with inclusions or pieces

Gold: Wolter  (Mexico) - Chicatana 70% (**)

Silver: Palato Hand Crafted Chocolate  (Honduras) - 65% Chocolate Oscuro Naranja y Almendras (**)

Silver: Yojoa Chocolate  (Honduras) - Ajonjolí y Sal de Mar Chocolate (**)

Bronze: Argencove  (Nicaragua) - Banana Cinnamon and Cloves 70% Dark Choc (**)

Bronze: Argencove  (Nicaragua) - Saffron 70% Dark Chocolate (**)

Bronze: Estukurú  (Costa Rica) - 75% dark chocolate with orange (**)

Bronze: Mayak Chocolate  (Honduras) - 75% Dark chocolate whith Cashew & salt (**)

Bronze: Yojoa Chocolate  (Honduras) - Naranja con Arándano Chocolate (**)

Milk chocolate bars with an infusion or flavouring

Bronze: Macaw Kakau  (Costa Rica) - Macaw Kakau 60% con Cafe don Roberto

Milk chocolate bars with inclusions or pieces

Gold: Xocolatisimo  (El Salvador) - Chocolate con leche con Frambuesa (**)

Silver: Fabrica de Chocolate Momotombo  (Nicaragua) - Chocolate con Toffee, Almendras,especias (**)

Bronze: Fabrica de Chocolate Momotombo  (Nicaragua) - Chocolate de leche "Banano en Gloria" (**)

Bronze: Mayak Chocolate  (Honduras) - 50% Milk chocolate, with chilli Cabro (**)

Bronze: Xocolatisimo  (El Salvador) - Chocolat c/Leche Café-Almendras-Vainilla (**)

Bronze: Zucoleto  (Honduras) - Zucoleto Milk Fruit & Nut (**)

Milk chocolate bars with a filling

Silver: Xocolatisimo  (El Salvador) - Choc./Leche C/Praline Almendra/Mandarina (**)

White chocolate bars with an infusion or flavouring

Gold: Cacaoterra/Xiquipil  (El Salvador) - Xiquipil 30% White Manilatzapotl / Mango (**)

Bronze: Estukurú  (Costa Rica) - White chocolate cappuccino bar

Bronze: Estukurú  (Costa Rica) - White Chocolate with Hibiscus sabdariffa (**)

Bronze: Palato Hand Crafted Chocolate  (Honduras) - Chocolate Blanco con Limón y Sal (**)

White chocolate bars with inclusions or pieces

Gold: Xocolatisimo  (El Salvador) - Chocolate Blanco Menta-Matcha-Limón (**)

Silver: Maleku Chocolate  (Costa Rica) - Maleku Chocolate White 40% w/nibs (**)

Bronze: Mayak Chocolate  (Honduras) - 35 White chocolate & Almonds (**)


Ganaches, palets, ganache pralines and truffles

Unflavoured dark chocolate ganaches or truffles

Silver: Xocolatisimo  (El Salvador) - Trufa Negra (**)

Flavoured dark chocolate ganaches or truffles

Silver: syokorat / wikka  (Mexico) - Campón 73% by Chris Macbeth (**)

Bronze: Xocolatisimo  (El Salvador) - Bombón de Cava Freixenet Brut

Flavoured white chocolate ganaches or truffles

Gold: Xocolatisimo  (El Salvador) - Bombón de Baileys (**)

Flavoured ganaches or truffles with combination coating or filling

Silver: Xocolatisimo  (El Salvador) - Bombón Ron Cihuatán 12 años

Bronze: Cacaoterra/Xiquipil  (El Salvador) - Truffle de Pesto (**)


Nuts

Nut based pralines with dark chocolate

Bronze: Xocolatisimo  (El Salvador) - Bombón Mont Blanc (**)

Dark chocolate dragées, enrobed whole nuts

Bronze: Palato Hand Crafted Chocolate  (Honduras) - Almendras con Chocolate Oscuro y Naranja (**)

Bronze: Palato Hand Crafted Chocolate  (Honduras) - Cafe con Chocolate Oscuro (**)

Nut based pralines with milk chocolate

Gold: Xocolatisimo  (El Salvador) - Bombón de Frambuesa y Maní (**)

Milk chocolate dragées, enrobed whole nuts

Bronze: Cacaoterra/Xiquipil  (El Salvador) - Chocolate Covered Almonds with Cinnamon (**)

White chocolate dragées, enrobed whole nuts

Silver: Palato Hand Crafted Chocolate  (Honduras) - Almendras con Chocolate Blanco y Limón (**)


Caramels

Dark chocolate enrobed caramels

Bronze: Xocolatisimo  (El Salvador) - Cesta de Caramelo (**)

Milk chocolate enrobed caramels

Silver: Xocolatisimo  (El Salvador) - Toffee de Almendra (**)

Bronze: Fabrica de Chocolate Momotombo  (Nicaragua) - Rellenitos de Dulce Navideño (**)


Spreads

Spreads with dark chocolate (no milk powder)

Bronze: syokorat / wikka  (Mexico) - Untable Hacienda Napana by Chris Macbeth (**)


Drinks with dark chocolate

Dark drinking chocolate (made with water)

Bronze: Chocolate Doña Mari  (Guatemala) - Chocolate Doña Mari Cardamomo (**)

Bronze: Chocolate Doña Mari  (Guatemala) - Chocolate Doña Mari Vainilla (**)

Dark drinking chocolate (made with water) DUPLICATE

Gold: Wolter  (Mexico) - Metate Canela 40% (**)

Silver: Maleku Chocolate  (Costa Rica) - Maleku Spicy Drinking Chocolate (**)

Silver: Wolter  (Mexico) - Metate Chile y Pimienta 70% (**)

Bronze: Wolter  (Mexico) - Metate Vainilla 70% (**)


Alcoholic drinks

Alcoholic drinks/liquors made with chocolate or cacao

Silver: Licores Don Juan  (Nicaragua) - Likao

Bronze: Licores Don Juan  (Nicaragua) - Alexander

Bronze: Licores Don Juan  (Nicaragua) - Licor de Cacao Clásico


(*)  Declared chocolate maker for private label bars.

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