Professional

Italian/Mediterranean Craft Chocolatier Competition 2026 – Grand Jury Finalists

The International Chocolate Awards is pleased to announce the Grand Jury Finalist entrants of the 2026 Italian/Mediterranean Craft Chocolatier Competition, which was judged in-person from 28 February until 3 March 2026 in Florence, Italy. 

The judging panel included our regular judges, along with many of our IICCT alumni and other specialists from the local area and members of our international Grand Jury panel.

The Grand Jury Finalists are the entries that made it through to the final Grand Jury round, following an initial technical Selection round and a main round of judging. The Finalists are the nominations from which the Grand Jury select the prize winners, through private voting.

While listing as a Grand Jury Finalist is an achievement in itself, it does not necessarily indicate that the entry will receive a prize.

Judges

Winners

The 2026 Italy/Mediterranean Craft Chocolatier Competition Grand Jury Finalists are:

(In alphabetical order within each category)


Flavoured bars

Dark chocolate bars with an infusion or flavouring

Eduardo Silva (Italy) - Alici D'o Cuoppo 'e Mare (86.83)

Dark chocolate bars with inclusions or pieces

Eduardo Silva (Italy) - Ma Maroc (89.22)
Eduardo Silva (Italy) - Caffè di Eduardo (86.00)

White chocolate bars with inclusions or pieces

Caon Chocolate (Italy) - Pepperhome (86.55)
Maychoco (Spain) - Chocolate Blanco con Mango Limón y Sal (86.22)
T'a Milano (Italy) - White Chocolate Caramel and Hawaian Salt (84.53)

Ganaches, palets, ganache pralines and truffles

Unflavoured dark chocolate ganaches or truffles

Giuseppe Manilia (Italy) - Infinitamente Peru' (86.93)

Flavoured dark chocolate ganaches or truffles

Monia Achille (Italy) - Nocturne (92.77)
Giuseppe Manilia (Italy) - Fondente E Lampone (85.44)

Flavoured white chocolate ganaches or truffles

Depetris Riccardo / Depetris...i Ciculaté (Italy) - il Lampone e la Rosa (87.69)
Stefania Massera - PASTICCERIA MASSERA (Italy) - Studio in Bianco (85.68)
Yolanda's Chocolatiers (Cyprus) - Rose (82.85)

Flavoured ganaches or truffles with combination coating or filling

Stefania Massera - PASTICCERIA MASSERA (Italy) - Studio in Ambra (92.87)
Stefania Massera - PASTICCERIA MASSERA (Italy) - Studio in Nero (89.67)
Chocolates Maüa (Spain) - Trufa de Gin Xoriguer con Limón (89.22)
Chocolates Maüa (Spain) - Bombón con Naranja de Sóller (86.25)
Stefania Massera - PASTICCERIA MASSERA (Italy) - Studio in Rosso (82.02)

Nuts

Nut based pralines with dark chocolate

Guido Castagna (Italy) - Giuinott (97.75)
Guido Castagna (Italy) - Pralina Menta e Liquirizia (92.95)
Guido Castagna (Italy) - Pralina Malva Cardamomo (91.99)
Guido Castagna (Italy) - Pralina Cannella e Calendula (91.28)
Depetris Riccardo / Depetris...i Ciculaté (Italy) - Un Altro Cremino (90.40)
Murena Suite (Italy) - Cremino Fondente (88.19)
Trufas Martinez (Spain) - Cubanito (86.22)
Depetris Riccardo / Depetris...i Ciculaté (Italy) - Giandujotti Depetris (84.36)
Rivoire (Italy) - Gianduiotto (82.87)

Nut based pralines with milk chocolate

Murena Suite (Italy) - Cremino Classico (86.76)

Milk chocolate dragées, enrobed whole nuts

Bellantoni Cioccolato (Italy) - Dragées Pepe Rosa (91.57)

Nut based pralines with white chocolate

TRIFULOT TARTUFLANGHE (Italy) - Bacio di Dama Cookie Truffle (92.73)
TRIFULOT TARTUFLANGHE (Italy) - Pistachio Truffle (89.20)
TRIFULOT TARTUFLANGHE (Italy) - Vermouth Truffle (87.90)
TRIFULOT TARTUFLANGHE (Italy) - White Chocolate Truffle (86.87)
TRIFULOT TARTUFLANGHE (Italy) - Strawberry&Cream Truffle (86.18)
Gardini (Italy) - Cremino Pistacchio (85.45)
Tartufo Regale (Italy) - Tartufo Regale -Alba White- (83.28)

White chocolate dragées, enrobed whole nuts

Bellantoni Cioccolato (Italy) - Dragées Pinolo Alla Camomilla (94.43)
Bellantoni Cioccolato (Italy) - Dragées Pepe Verde (91.04)
Bellantoni Cioccolato (Italy) - Dragées Tiramisù (90.77)

Nut based pralines with combination chocolate

Gardini (Italy) - Cremino Liquirizia (92.10)
Gardini (Italy) - Cremino Amarena (90.67)
Gardini (Italy) - Cremino Noci (87.97)

Others - fruit/sugar/butter/cream/misc

Dark chocolate enrobed fruit pastes, jellies/gelée

Monia Achille (Italy) - Un Tè con Hemingway (89.93)

Combination enrobed fruit pastes, jellies/gelée

Bellantoni Cioccolato (Italy) - Dragées Foresta Nera (92.47)

Dark chocolate enrobed whole fruit

Falicetto Cioccolato Puro Piacenza (Italy) - Sgranfgnòn Boero (94.88)
Maychoco (Spain) - Mango Bañado En Chocolate 70% Piura (90.08)
Maychoco (Spain) - Bombón de Vino Dulce y Pasas de Málaga (85.37)
Clorawfila (Spain) - Orangettes (85.18)

White chocolate enrobed whole fruit

Bellantoni Cioccolato (Italy) - Dragées Arancia E Liquirizia (94.12)
Bellantoni Cioccolato (Italy) - Dragées Cheesecake Alla Fragola (93.63)

Spreads

Spreads with dark chocolate (no milk powder)

Guido Castagna (Italy) - Crema Nocciola +55 (96.02)
Cuore di Langa (Italy) - Blanghe (88.43)
Rivoire (Italy) - Crema Monorigine Fondente Piura (84.90)

Spreads with milk chocolate

Monia Achille (Italy) - Me (87.10)
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