Do you love toast with your chocolate? It’s the hot new thing, if you believe the verdict of 15 leading food experts who have chosen New Zealand’s finest chocolate.
The Supreme Winner of the 2018 NZ Chocolate Awards is Hogarth Chocolate, Buttered Toast & Sea Salt.
Judges described this chocolate as irresistible, exceptional, unique and flawless. They were unanimous in their decision to award this chocolate the title of Supreme Winner.
Hogarth Chocolate, Buttered Toast & Sea Salt was one of two winners celebrating the theme of chocolate and toast. The new Hazelnut Spread by Hogarth Chocolate was awarded a gold medal and won Best in Class in the NZ Made Product Using Chocolate category.
Nelson’s Hogarth Chocolate is celebrating their success as the most winning chocolate company in the Awards, having received four gold medals along with the title of Supreme Winner and two Best in Class Awards. Hogarth Chocolate is a bean-to-bar producer, which means they source their own cacao beans from around the world and make small batches of chocolate the traditional way; sorting, roasting, crushing, winnowing, grinding and conching, ageing, melting and tempering, moulding and finally wrapping the chocolate by hand.
The other Best in Class winners were:
FLAVOURED CHOCOLATE BARS BEST IN CLASS
Honest Chocolat, Manuka Honey Chocolate Tablet
FILLED CHOCOLATE BEST IN CLASS
The Chocolate Workshop, Passionfruit Bonbon
CHOCOLATE PRODUCTS INCLUDING BARK OR BRITTLE/DIPPED FRUIT & NUTS BEST IN CLASS
She Universe, Decadent Date
DRINKING CHOCOLATE BEST IN CLASS
Weta Coffee Limited, Weta Hot Chocolate
NZ MADE PRODUCT USING CHOCOLATE BEST IN CLASS
Hogarth Chocolate, Hazelnut Spread
CHILDREN’S CHOCOLATE BEST IN CLASS
Apero Cambridge, Chocolate Hazelnut Spread
PACKAGING AWARDS
BEST BAR WRAPPER
Trade Aid, Organic Fair Trade Chocolate Bar Range
BEST BOXED CHOCOLATES
Vaniyé Patisserie
BEST OTHER PACKAGING
Devonport Chocolates, Flavours of New Zealand Collection
Best in Class winners are the highest scoring chocolate in their category. They were selected from the 48 medal 
winners, which included; 15 Gold Medals, 17 Silver Medals and 16 Bronze Medals. The Packaging Awards were independently judged by Periscope Design in Auckland.
Head Judge Elle Crocker aka Elle Coco said, “I’m thrilled to see the talent and craftsmanship of this year’s entrants, some of whom already have international recognition, and some who will no doubt gain such recognition in the future.”
Many of the 2018 NZ Chocolate Awards winners, including Hogarth Chocolate, were available at the NZ Chocolate and Coffee Show at The Cloud in Auckland on Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 October.
