Judging for the NZ Chocolate Awards 2022 has been set for August 2022.
Making the announcement, organisers Kathie Bartley and Nicola McConnell unveiled new branding and a new website for the Awards and a Chocolate Lovers’ Choice competition running throughout September.
To celebrate the Awards’ new look they are running a Coast Chocolate Lovers’ Choice promotion – an opportunity for Kiwis to jump onto the new website and vote for their favourite NZ Chocolate Company.
Awards Director Kathie Bartley says voting will run on www.nzchocolateawards.co.nz from Wednesday 1 September until Thursday 30 September. Every chocolate lover who votes for their favourite NZ Chocolate Company will go into the draw to win one of three NZ Chocolate Gift Boxes from The Chocolate Bar in Wellington.
There will be two winners chosen by popular vote; Favourite Chocolate Company and Favourite Artisan Chocolate Company and they will be announced on Friday 1 October 2021.
Awards Director Nicola McConnell says it’s an accident that timing coincides with the country being in lockdown, so it’s an ideal time for people to show their appreciation of their favourite local chocolate company. “We know lots of people throughout Aotearoa are turning to a little piece of chocolate to help them through lockdown, so now they can say thanks to the chocolate makers.”
Looking forward to judging the NZ Chocolate Awards on Saturday 13 August 2022, the organisers are pleased that international chocolate judge, Elle Coco has again agreed to lead the judging panel. Coco has judged at the British Academy of Chocolate and the International Chocolate Awards and was head judge of the NZ Chocolate Awards in 2018 and 2020.
The NZ Chocolate Awards are held biannually, with the last competition in 2020 and before that in 2018 and 2017. The most recent Awards were swept up by Foundry Chocolate, which was named NZ Chocolate Awards 2020 Supreme Winner for its Foundry Chocolate Anamalai Estate, India 70%. Foundry was also Category Winner with the same bar in the Bean-to-Bar – Chocolate Bar Plain Category. Their Supreme Award and the Category Winner titles were accompanied by seven Gold Medals and five Silver Medals.
Other Awards Category Winners in 2020 were a range of favourite New Zealand chocolate makers and chocolatiers; Hogarth Chocolate, Wellington Chocolate Factory, Miann Chocolate Factory, Shirl & Moss, Schoc Chocolates, Devonport Chocolates, Baron Hasselhoff’s and She Universe.
A detailed timeline for the Awards will be developed next year and it’s expected chocolate companies will be able to enter the awards from June 2022.
