Italian/Mediterranean Craft Chocolatier Competition, 2023

Location: Florence, Italy
Closing date: 1 March 2023
Judging dates: 3 Mar 2023 – 6 Mar 2023

Eligible countries: Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, Greece, Israel, Italy, Monaco, Morocco, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine, African chocolatiers, Middle Eastern chocolatiers

COMPETITION ARCHIVED.

The Italian/Mediterranean Chocolatier Competition brings together cultures and chocolate companies sharing the wider influence and ingredients of the Mediterranean Sea. This competition celebrates the craft of chocolatiers and chocolate companies who create filled chocolates, truffles, ganaches, pralines, caramels, fondants, enrobed fruits and nuts and spreads made from chocolate couverture or from their own bean-to-bar chocolate. The competition also includes flavoured chocolate bars made from chocolate couverture.

Bean-to-bar chocolate makers of plain/origin and flavored bars can also participate in the European, Middle Eastern and African Bean-to-Bar Competition with no additional registration fee.

Judging in Florence, Italy 3-6 March 2023

This year the Italian/Mediterranean Craft Chocolatier Competition will return to group judging in our usual pre-pandemic format. Samples must be received before the judging begins, to be included and should arrive by 1 March latest.

Winners of the competition will pass through to the World Final, which will be held in October-November 2023.

Origin Traceability

We are committed to supporting economically, socially and environmentally sustainable cacao farming where farmers are paid a reasonable price that reflects the work that goes into growing fine cacao. We also believe that the chocolate with the best flavor profiles comes from directly sourced fine cacao.

From 2023 onwards, we will ask every entrant for the origin of cacao used for the dark and milk chocolate in their entries, including chocolatiers. These details are given confidentially when entering. White chocolate and cocoa butter are currently excluded from these rules.

By ‘origin’ we mean a known region, area, district, or farm recognised as a source of fine cacao. We will also limit the number of sources that can be used for an origin to no more than three different cooperatives, commercial farmers, post-harvest centres, individual farmers, research stations or other single sources. Blends are acceptable if they use no more than three different named origins.

We won’t accept origins defined only as the name of the cacao growing country, except for smaller cacao countries producing less than 4000 tonnes of cacao per year.

These rules apply to all chocolate used in filled chocolate and spreads, including commercial couverture. Details of the origin must be obtained from the chocolate maker or supplier if you are not the chocolate maker.

If you do not make your own chocolate, you will also need to supply a 50g sample of the chocolate you are using for your products, in case there is a Grand Jury query about the origin.

Judging scores and flavor profiles

All entries will receive comprehensive feedback from our judging system, including the overall product score and standardised feedback statements for all products. We use our advanced interactive evaluation system for judging, which is based on the IICCT flavor profiling system. Scores are weighted to align with specialty coffee scores. Scores will be published on our website for all Grand Jury Finalists and Winners.

Eligibility

This competition judges flavoured and filled bars made from chocolate couverture and truffles, ganaches, pralines, caramels, fondants, enrobed fruits and nuts, and spreads made from chocolate couverture or bean-to-bar chocolate.

The competition is open to all companies with their main business or head office in the countries listed, including all Middle Eastern and African companies.

All chocolate used in all entries in this competition must be made from cacao with a declared and traceable source. Details of the source must be provided when entering each product and will remain confidential. For products made with couverture, details must be obtained from the chocolate maker or supplier.

Restaurants, hotels, and chefs may enter provided their products follow the normal rules of the International Chocolate Awards and our available to consumers as part of a hospitality service.

This is a Chocolatier competition for all categories EXCEPT for Plain/origin and Flavoured dark, milk and white bars made by Bean-to-Bar chocolate makers. These products are judged at the regional Bean-to-Bar competition, held in: Italy.

The admission fee for this competition is EUR €55 and the fee for each entry is EUR €55. Prices will be converted into local currency by your credit card company, if required.