World Final, 2023

Location: Florence, Italy
Closing date: 20 October 2023
Judging dates: 26 Oct 2023 – 14 Nov 2023

THIS COMPETITION WAS ALREADY JUDGED.

The 2023 season World Final is now open for entries.

We are proud to open the final round of the season for the world’s largest chocolate competition.

The World Final brings together all 2023 season’s winners from the main regional and national competitions, to be matched against the best in the world with a fresh round of judging by our panel of top global chocolate judges.

Over our eleven seasons, we have promoted the ever-improving quality of established and new craft chocolate makers and fine chocolatiers from around the world. By recognizing the very best chocolate in the world, we aim to support truly sustainable and traceable cacao farming and of course the very best tasting chocolate.

Judging

Judging will be partly in-person, in Florence, Italy and partly remote, done by judges at home using our now well-established remote judging protocols. This also helps us to include a wide range of top judges from our international panel.

The winners will be announced at a live ceremony in Florence, Italy and also online in a Zoom event on 26 November 2023.

Important – Customs information

Rules for importing food into the EU are becoming stricter, particularly with foods containing any animal products, such as milk powder in milk or white chocolate. To avoid problems, delays and extra charges, please pay attention to the customs requirements for your shipment and make sure you complete all the correct details for your customs invoice.

Your samples can still arrive safely if you follow our advice and use the information we provide on the customs invoice detail example, including the correct tariff code for each entry. You will receive this information after you have entered the competition.

You are advised to send products in your normal retail packaging if possible, but mark each package or box with “COMMERCIAL SAMPLE – NOT FOR SALE”. (This is also on the product labels we provide.)

If your product includes milk or white chocolate made with animal milk, you are advised to declare the origin of the milk powder. The same applies if milk is listed in your ingredients. If possible, a letter from your supplier confirming that the milk powder provided comes exclusively from the declared origin will help. The EU accepts products with milk origins from a published list of countries without restrictions. We will send you this list by email, if your milk powder comes from one of these countries you are likely to have fewer problems! If you are using alternative non-dairy/vegan milk powder, please make this clear and do NOT use the word ‘milk’.

We will try to help as much as possible with customs problems, but if there are any delays or charges these will be your responsibility. By far the best approach is to get the paperwork right in the first place, then there is much more chance of your package going through without any problems.

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 2021-22 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 recognized 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 centers, 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.

We believe that these rules will help to promote the spirit and ideal of craft chocolate and to help the development of good chocolate and cacao.

Eligibility

Entry into the World Final is by qualification through a Gold, Silver or Bronze prize win at one of our main series of national and regional competitions. (Cacao Country Support competitions are not included). All World Final entries are rejudged by our top international judges with no reference to previous scores or prizes.

Only 2023 winning products may be entered and may not be substituted for alternate products. Different batches are acceptable, as are batch variations and recipe changes that do not significantly alter the product in such a way that it would constitute a different retail product. (For example, if an ingredient is no longer available.) Please contact us if you have any questions regarding this.

Entrants’ 2023 winning products are automatically listed on your entry page when you register for the World Final, you will not have to register them again. If you need any changes to your product details, please let us know.

The admission fee for this competition is EUR €55 and the fee for each entry is EUR €50. Prices will be converted into local currency by your credit card company, if required.