The International Chocolate Awards is pleased to announce the Winners of the 2026 Canadian Bean-to-Bar and Craft Chocolatier competition, which was judged remotely during Spring 2026. This year was the first time that the Canadian competition was organised as a whole competition including all categories (except drinking chocolate) as part of our World Final series.
The Grand Jury Finalists are listed here.
Winners of this competition will pass through to the World Final organized in October-November 2026.
This craft competition awards prizes for plain/origin and flavoured bean-to-bar chocolate bars, as well as craft chocolatier products including filled chocolates/bonbons, pralines, enrobed fruits and nuts and chocolate spreads made with bean-to-bar chocolate as well as flavoured bars made with couverture.Â
Judges
The judges were drawn from local experts, food journalists, our IICCT Alumni and members of our permanent international Grand Jury.
Prizes
The categories judged included plain/origin and flavoured bean-to-bar chocolate bars, flavoured bars made with traceable couverture, filled chocolates, enrobed fruits and nuts and chocolate spreads. All judging is anonymized, including at the Grand Jury final session, where Gold, Silver and Bronze prizes are awarded by private voting.
Awards are awarded only to entries that meet the required standard for each prize.
The 2026 Canadian Bean-to-Bar and Craft Chocolatier Competition Winners are:
(Prizes are shown in score order for each medal)
‘Best in competition’ overall winners
Plain/origin dark bar categories
Gold: Qantu (Canada) – Malingas 75% (90.5)Flavoured bar categories
Gold: Kasama Chocolate (Canada) – Strawberry White (90.2)Plain/origin bars
Plain/origin dark chocolate bars
Bronze: Hummingbird Chocolate Maker (Canada) – Cap Haitien 70% (87.2) (**)
Bronze: Hummingbird Chocolate Maker (Canada) – Hispaniola 70% (86.6) (**)
Micro-batch – Plain/origin dark chocolate bars
Gold: Qantu (Canada) – Malingas 75% (90.5) (**)
+ Gold: Direct Traded
+ Gold: Chocolate Maker
Silver: Qantu (Canada) – Gran Blanco 70% (88.6) (**)
Silver: Common Ground Cacao (Canada) – Maranon – Single origin 72% (88.5) (**)
Silver: Kasama Chocolate (Canada) – 70% Nantou (88.3) (**)
Silver: Kasama Chocolate (Canada) – 70% Costa Esmeraldas (88.0) (**)
Bronze: Kasama Chocolate (Canada) – 70% Tuao (87.8) (**)
Bronze: DesBarres Chocolate (Canada) – Ambanja 72% (87.6) (**)
Bronze: Palette de Bine (Canada) – Kahalu’u Hawaii 70% (87.1) (**)
Bronze: Qantu (Canada) – Chaska 70% (86.9) (**)
Bronze: DesBarres Chocolate (Canada) – O’payo 72% (86.9) (**)
Bronze: Choco de Léa (Canada) – O’tuma 70% (86.8) (**)
Bronze: DesBarres Chocolate (Canada) – Maya Mountain 72 % (86.5) (**)
100 % plain/origin dark chocolate bars
Silver: Spice Isle Craft Chocolate (Canada) – 100% Classic Dark Chocolate (88.8) (**)
Micro-batch – Plain/origin milk chocolate bars
Silver: Qantu (Canada) – Dark Milk 60% Oh La Vache! (88.5) (**)
Bronze: Kasama Chocolate (Canada) – Goat’s Milk (86.8) (**)
Bronze: Black Jaguar Chocolate (Canada) – Dark Milk (86.0) (**)
Bronze: Schoki Chocolate & Nelson’s Chocofellar (Canada) – Madagascar 62% Buttermilk (85.6) (**)
Plain/origin chocolate bars with alternative sugars
Bronze: Etat de Choc (Canada) – Érable (86.7) (**)
Plain/origin chocolate bars with other Theobromas
Bronze: Allo Simonne (Canada) – Chocolat Noir Jaguar 70% (85.5) (**)
Plain/origin white chocolate bars
Bronze: Etat de Choc (Canada) – Blanc + Vanille (85.6) (**)
Flavoured bars
Dark chocolate bars with an infusion or flavouring
Silver: DesBarres Chocolate (Canada) – Black Pepper Cardamom 72% (87.3) (**)
Silver: The Organic House (Canada) – Nature’s Candy – Soursop 70% (87.3) (**)
+ Special: Innovation
Silver: Kasama Chocolate (Canada) – Single Malt (87.3) (**)
Bronze: Chachalate (Canada) – Silver Tip Jasmine Tea (86.5) (**)
Bronze: The Organic House (Canada) – Kumquat Dark Madagascar 70% (86.4) (**)
Bronze: Allo Simonne (Canada) – Chocolat Noir 70% Au Whisky (86.4) (**)
Bronze: DesBarres Chocolate (Canada) – Only in Canada 72% (86.3) (**)
Bronze: Kasama Chocolate (Canada) – Ocean Mysteries (85.9) (**)
+ Special: Modern
Bronze: Kasama Chocolate (Canada) – Tanduay Rum (85.8) (**)
Dark chocolate bars with inclusions or pieces
Silver: Kasama Chocolate (Canada) – Forest & Sea (87.5) (**)
Silver: The Organic House (Canada) – Rosemary Focaccia 65% Thailand (87.2) (**)
Silver: The Organic House (Canada) – Cinnamon Bun 65% Thailand (87.0) (**)
Bronze: Chachalate (Canada) – Golden Osmanthus (86.4) (**)
Dark chocolate bars with a filling
Gold: Allo Simonne (Canada) – Barre Au Gianduja, Sarrasin Et Melilot (90.0) (**)
+ Special: Local ingredients
+ Special: Alternate theobromas
Silver: Allo Simonne (Canada) – Barre Au Gianduja (88.4) (**)
Silver: Allo Simonne (Canada) РBarre Au Gianduja Et Gru̩ de Cacao (87.9) (**)
Silver: Allo Simonne (Canada) РBarre Au Gianduja Et Noisettes Enti̬res (87.8) (**)
Milk chocolate bars with an infusion or flavouring
Bronze: Qantu (Canada) – Milk 55% Maple Moo…ments (86.7) (**)
Bronze: Common Ground Cacao (Canada) – Mazamari Single Origin 53% (86.6) (**)
Bronze: Cocoaro Craft Chocolate (Canada) – Strawberry Shiso (85.7) (**)
Milk chocolate bars with inclusions or pieces
Silver: Common Ground Cacao (Canada) – Pineapple Habanero Coconut 54% (87.5) (**)
White chocolate bars with an infusion or flavouring
Gold: Kasama Chocolate (Canada) – Strawberry White (90.2) (**)
+ Special: Local ingredients
+ Special: No-milk white chocolate
Silver: Kasama Chocolate (Canada) – Raspberry White (89.0) (**)
Silver: Allo Simonne (Canada) – Chocolat Aux Framboises Et Citron (88.8) (**)
Silver: Kasama Chocolate (Canada) – Durian White (87.4) (**)
Bronze: Kasama Chocolate (Canada) – Calamansi White Chocolate (85.8) (**)
White chocolate bars with inclusions or pieces
Bronze: Common Ground Cacao (Canada) – Caramel Vanilla Creme Brulee (86.4) (**)
Ganaches, palets, ganache pralines and truffles
Flavoured milk chocolate ganaches or truffles
Silver: Mellis Chocolate (Canada) – Passion Fruit (87.1)
Bronze: Monde du Chocolat (Canada) – Lychee Osmanthus (86.5)
Flavoured white chocolate ganaches or truffles
Bronze: Monde du Chocolat (Canada) – Guava Camellia Oolong (86.7)
Bronze: Mellis Chocolate (Canada) – Apricot Osmanthus (86.4)
Bronze: Mellis Chocolate (Canada) – Grapefruit Geranium (85.7)
Flavoured ganaches or truffles with combination coating or filling
Bronze: Guild Chocolates (Canada) – Aroma: White Cedar (86.9)
+ Special: Innovation
Nuts
Nut based pralines with combination chocolate
Silver: The Jewelled Cocoa Bean (Canada) – Salted Caramel Pecan Bonbon (87.9)
Caramels
Combination chocolate enrobed caramels
Bronze: Guild Chocolates (Canada) – Revolution: Lemon + Black Currant (86.1)
Spreads
Spreads with dark chocolate (no milk powder)
Gold: Allo Simonne (Canada) – Tartinade Sarrasin / Buckwheat spread (90.0) (**)
+ Special: Local ingredients
+ Special: Gastronomic
Silver: Allo Simonne (Canada) – Tartinade Chocolat Jaguar / Spread (89.4) (**)
(*) Declared chocolate maker for private label bars.
(**) Winner has declared the product is made with their own bean-to-bar chocolate or couverture.
