The International Chocolate Awards is pleased to announce the Grand Jury Finalists of the 2026 Americas – USA Bean-to-Bar and Craft Chocolatier Competition, which was judged remotely during Summer 2026 alongside the 2026 Americas – Latin America and the Caribbean Bean-to-Bar and Craft Chocolatier Competition.
The judging panel included our regular Americas 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.
You can find the list of winners here.
The 2026 Americas – USA Grand Jury Finalists are:
(In score order within each category)
Pure / HerkunftsTafeln
Tafeln – Pur / Herkunft dunkel
Amano Chocolate (United States) – Cuyagua (90.13)Amano Chocolate (United States) – Dos Rios (88.97)
Mānoa Chocolate Hawaii (United States) – Kahaluʻu, Oʻahu Island Bar (88.87)
Mānoa Chocolate Hawaii (United States) – Kamananui, Oʻahu Island Bar (88.67)
Amano Chocolate (United States) – Sambirano Valley – Madagascar (88.57)
Amano Chocolate (United States) – Macoris (88.23)
Askinosie Chocolate (United States) – 77% Davao, Philippines Dark Chocolate (87.87)
Mānoa Chocolate Hawaii (United States) – Mililani, Oʻahu Island Bar (87.83)
Mānoa Chocolate Hawaii (United States) – Honoli’i, Hawai’i Island Bar (87.15)
French Broad Chocolate (United States) – Dominican Republic Dark Chocolate (87.00)
Ranger Chocolate Co. (United States) – Aguada (86.97)
Ranger Chocolate Co. (United States) – Cibao (86.08)
Dick Taylor Craft Chocolate (United States) – 65% Tanzania, Kilombero Valley (84.46)
Askinosie Chocolate (United States) – 70% Del Tambo, Ecuador Dark Chocolate (83.97)
Micro-batch – Tafeln – Pur / Herkunft dunkel
Sleep Walk Chocolateria (United States) – Hacienda Napana (91.00)Sleep Walk Chocolateria (United States) – Trinitario (90.78)
Hacienda Chocolat (Puerto Rico) – 75% Single Estate (90.10)
Tucson Chocolate Factory (United States) – Sierra Madre 70% (89.98)
Blue Spruce Chocolates (United States) – 70% Dark Bolivian Tranquilidad (89.80)
Hacienda Chocolat (Puerto Rico) – 70% Origin Hawaii (89.62)
Tucson Chocolate Factory (United States) – Las Esmeraldas 70% (89.54)
Boho Chocolate (United States) – Belize – Maya Mountain (89.06)
Duluth Coffee Company (United States) – Superior Chocolate (88.98)
Goodnow Farms Chocolate (United States) – Limited Release, Yasica (88.89)
Eigen Chocolate (United States) – Kokoa Kamili, Tanzania 70% (88.86)
Hacienda Chocolat (Puerto Rico) – 68% Single Estate (88.86)
Embers Chocolate (United States) – Peru Piura 70% (88.60)
Sleep Walk Chocolateria (United States) – Luna (88.58)
Tucson Chocolate Factory (United States) – Almendra Blanca 70% (88.58)
Embers Chocolate (United States) – Peru Chuncho 70% (88.45)
Castronovo Chocolate (United States) – Piura Blanco, Peru 76% (88.22)
Hacienda Chocolat (Puerto Rico) – 65% Single Estate (88.20)
Sleep Walk Chocolateria (United States) – Selva Lacandona (88.08)
Goodnow Farms Chocolate (United States) – Signature Line, Asochivite 77% (87.92)
Tucson Chocolate Factory (United States) – Alto Beni 70% (87.80)
Seahorse Chocolate (United States) – La Cueva Del Oso Huila, Colombia (87.78)
Bixby Chocolate (United States) – Organic Dominican Republic 70% Bar (87.52)
Prophecy Chocolate (United States) – Origen (87.46)
Goodnow Farms Chocolate (United States) – Signature Line, Esmeraldas 70% (87.38)
Goodnow Farms Chocolate (United States) – Signature Line, Boyaca 73% (87.36)
Goodnow Farms Chocolate (United States) – Signature Line, El Carmen 77% (87.34)
Tucson Chocolate Factory (United States) – Agua Escondida 70% (87.34)
Eigen Chocolate (United States) – Tabasco, Mexico 70% (87.22)
Gansett Craft Chocolate (United States) – 70% Dark Chocolate (87.10)
Godsend Chocolate (United States) – 75% Dark Chocolate Maya Mountain, Belize (87.00)
Goodnow Farms Chocolate (United States) – Signature Line, Ucayali 70% (86.98)
Sleep Walk Chocolateria (United States) – Broca (86.96)
Choco Del Mar LLC (United States) – Maya Mountain, Belize (86.90)
Seahorse Chocolate (United States) – Zorzal Dominican Republic (86.77)
Castronovo Chocolate (United States) – Awajún Women 70% (86.50)
Eldora Chocolate (United States) – Peru Rio Mayo Valley 70% (86.45)
Indigenous Chocolate (United States) – Peru Chuncho 74% (86.01)
Limited Chocolate (United States) – Hawaii Puna 70% Dark Chocolate (85.94)
Indigenous Chocolate (United States) – Vanuatu Malekula Island 74% (85.74)
Eigen Chocolate (United States) – Monte Plata, Dominican Republic 70% (85.70)
Goodnow Farms Chocolate (United States) – Limited Release, Piura (85.49)
Seahorse Chocolate (United States) – Maya Mountain Belize (85.47)
Limited Chocolate (United States) – Hawaii Kalaoa Elua 70% Dark Chocolate (85.46)
Escazú Chocolates (United States) – 80% Single Origin Boyacá, Colombia (85.34)
Seahorse Chocolate (United States) – Camino Verde Durán, Ecuador (85.24)
Rhyme and Reason Chocolate Company (United States) – 72% Dark Chocolate, Chanthaburi Thailand (85.08)
Caldera Cacao Roasters (United States) – Single-Origin Colombia 72% (84.98)
Heritage Food Crafters (United States) – 70% Haiti (84.92)
Goodnow Farms Chocolate (United States) – Signature Line, Almendra Blanca 77% (84.77)
Heritage Food Crafters (United States) – 72% Dominican Republic (84.44)
Bixby Chocolate (United States) – Organic Belize 70% Dark Chocolate Bar (84.29)
Lewis Pogue Artisan Chocolate (United States) – Limited Edition Colombia 72% Dark (84.19)
Hacienda Chocolat (Puerto Rico) – 70% Puerto Rico (84.09)
Tafeln – Pur / Herkunft dunkel hoher Kakaoanteil (85% und mehr)
Honoka’a Chocolate (United States) – Hawaiian Dark Chocolate 85% (87.12)Choco Del Mar LLC (United States) – Tumaco, Colombia (86.76)
Blue Spruce Chocolates (United States) – 88% Dark Bolivian Alto Beni Beniano (84.60)
Lewis Pogue Artisan Chocolate (United States) – The Dark Side (84.04)
Tafeln – Pur / Herkunft dunkel 100 %
Goodnow Farms Chocolate (United States) – Special Reserve, 100% Cacao (88.20)Tafeln – Pur / Herkunft Milch
Amano Chocolate (United States) – Ocumare Milk Chocolate (88.04)Micro-batch – Tafeln – Pur / Herkunft Milch
Castronovo Chocolate (United States) – Tumaco, Colombia Dark Milk 60% (89.57)Godsend Chocolate (United States) – 65% Dark Milk Chocolate from Peru (89.37)
Goodnow Farms Chocolate (United States) – Milk Line, Classic Milk (87.20)
Heritage Food Crafters (United States) – 58% Dark Milk (86.38)
Limited Chocolate (United States) – Hawaii Hamakua 55% Dark Milk Chocolate (86.35)
Honoka’a Chocolate (United States) – Goat Milk Chocolate (84.39)
Eigen Chocolate (United States) – Tabasco, Mexico 55% Milk Chocolate (84.04)
Honoka’a Chocolate (United States) – Milk Chocolate (83.10)
Tafeln – Pur / Herkunft alternative Zuckerarten
Prophecy Chocolate (United States) – Classic Maple (89.30)Goodnow Farms Chocolate (United States) – Maker’s Choice, Asochivite Maple Sugar (88.40)
Goodnow Farms Chocolate (United States) – Limited Release, Date Me (85.35)
Tafeln – Pur / Herkunft Milchersatzprodukten
Seahorse Chocolate (United States) – Dark Milk (87.44)Goodnow Farms Chocolate (United States) – Milk Line, Oat Milk (85.62)
Honoka’a Chocolate (United States) – Hawaiian Dark Chocolate w/ Coconut Milk (84.45)
Wesley’s Cocoa Farm (United States) – Dark Coconut Milk Chocolate (82.02)
Tafeln – Pur / Herkunft Weiss
Goodnow Farms Chocolate (United States) – Limited Release, White Chocolate (86.98)Heritage Food Crafters (United States) – 36% White (82.98)
Tafeln mit Geschmackszusatz
Tafeln – mit Zusatz – eingerührte / untergemischte Zutaten – dunkel
Goodnow Farms Chocolate (United States) – Maker’s Choice, Caramelized Onion (89.98)Goodnow Farms Chocolate (United States) – Limited Edition, Demon Seed Whiskey (89.11)
Gansett Craft Chocolate (United States) – 70% Dark Chocolate Whiskey (88.45)
Prophecy Chocolate (United States) – Not Chocolate (88.44)
Orinoco Chocolate Co. (United States) – Doc Holliday’s Whiskey Bar (88.32)
Bixby Chocolate (United States) – Organic Bourbon 70% Dark Chocolate Bar (88.13)
Goodnow Farms Chocolate (United States) – Maker’s Choice, Pure Passion Fruit (87.99)
Goodnow Farms Chocolate (United States) – Limited Release, Winter Maple (87.81)
Goodnow Farms Chocolate (United States) – Limited Release, Root Beer (87.59)
Lyons (United States) – Teresa (86.49)
Lyons (United States) – Merlot (86.45)
Honoka’a Chocolate (United States) – Barrel Aged Bourbon (86.40)
Goodnow Farms Chocolate (United States) – Special Reserve, Lawley’s Rum (86.20)
Goodnow Farms Chocolate (United States) – Limited Release, Pumpkin Pie (86.05)
Honoka’a Chocolate (United States) – Barrel Aged Rum (86.05)
Goodnow Farms Chocolate (United States) – Special Reserve, Brown Butter (85.90)
Goodnow Farms Chocolate (United States) – Special Reserve, Putnam Rye Whiskey (85.86)
Godsend Chocolate (United States) – 75% Dark Chocolate with Scotch (85.70)
French Broad Chocolate (United States) – Whiskey Barrel Dark Chocolate (85.45)
Goodnow Farms Chocolate (United States) – Special Reserve, Las Palomas Coffee (85.10)
Goodnow Farms Chocolate (United States) – Maker’s Choice, Sichuan Pepper (84.27)
Goodnow Farms Chocolate (United States) – Maker’s Choice, Sweet Heat Chili (82.61)
Tafeln – mit Zusatz – Einschlüsse / Stücke – dunkel
Sleep Walk Chocolateria (United States) – Aztec (88.73)Dick Taylor Craft Chocolate (United States) – Brown Butter with Nibs & Sea Salt (87.89)
Goodnow Farms Chocolate (United States) – Maker’s Choice, El Carmen Coffee Crunch (87.64)
Boho Chocolate (United States) – 62% Dark Almond (86.78)
Amano Chocolate (United States) – Citrus Mélange À Trois (86.73)
Dick Taylor Craft Chocolate (United States) – Black Fig (86.02)
Amano Chocolate (United States) – Raspberry Rose (85.87)
Sleep Walk Chocolateria (United States) – Jalisco (84.92)
Lyons (United States) – Florida (84.71)
Amano Chocolate (United States) – Cardamom Black Pepper (84.60)
Enna Chocolate (United States) – The Longest Night (84.45)
Tafeln – mit Zusatz – gefüllt – dunkel
Orinoco Chocolate Co. (United States) – Creamy Hazelnut Gianduja Bar (84.75)Tafeln – mit Zusatz – eingerührte / untergemischte Zutaten – Milchschokolade
Embers Chocolate (United States) – Dream Bar (88.25)Goodnow Farms Chocolate (United States) – Maker’s Choice, Cafe Con Leche (86.74)
Goodnow Farms Chocolate (United States) – Limited Release, Passion Fruit & Cream (86.71)
Goodnow Farms Chocolate (United States) – Limited Release, Chocolate Banana Split (86.42)
Honoka’a Chocolate (United States) – Barrel Aged Rum with Coconut Milk (86.07)
Honoka’a Chocolate (United States) – Drunken Goat Milk (85.55)
Choco Del Mar LLC (United States) – Cleo’s Kick (83.55)
Tafeln – mit Zusatz – Einschlüsse / Stücke – Milchschokolade
Choco Del Mar LLC (United States) – Vanilla Starlight Crunch (86.74)Eldora Chocolate (United States) – 50% Dark Milk Vegan bar (84.54)
KESSHŌ (United States) – Jasmine Yuzu Dark Milk Bar (83.71)
Bixby Chocolate (United States) – Organic Milk Chocolate Sea Salt Bar (83.26)
Tafeln – mit Zusatz – eingerührte / untergemischte Zutaten – weisse Schokolade
Chocolates by Hollywood Casino Toledo (United States) – Brown Butter Chai (89.38)French Broad Chocolate (United States) – Cafe Latte White Chocolate (88.95)
Castronovo Chocolate (United States) – Cacao Fruit White Chocolate (85.68)
Tafeln – mit Zusatz – Einschlüsse / Stücke – weisse Schokolade
Bixby Chocolate (United States) – Organic Creme Brûlée Bar (88.00)Eldora Chocolate (United States) – Horchata Plus Bar (86.52)
Hacienda Chocolat (Puerto Rico) – White Caramelized (84.53)
KESSHŌ (United States) – Ube Horchata White Chocolate Bar (83.75)
Tafeln – mit Zusatz – gefüllt – weisse Schokolade
TCHO (United States) – Perfect Matcha (85.76)KESSHŌ (United States) – Dubai-Style Black Sesame Bar (84.22)
Tafeln – mit Zusatz – eingerührte / untergemischte Zutaten – Combination schokolade
Rhyme and Reason Chocolate Company (United States) – Chocolate Dipped Strawberry (87.68)Tafeln – mit Zusatz – gefüllt – Combination chokolade
TCHO (United States) – Lemon Twist (86.60)Ganache, Taler, Ganache Pralinen, Trüffel
Gefüllte Pralinen – mit Zusatz dunkel – Ganaches und Trüffel
Montadero Chocolate (Puerto Rico) – Special Reserve (90.62)Garcia Nevett (United States) – Pain d’Epice (88.36)
Garcia Nevett (United States) – Mango Coconut (84.44)
Gefüllte Pralinen – Weisse Schokolade mit und ohne Zusatz – Ganaches und Trüffel
Cacao & Cardamom Chocolatier (United States) – Blueberry Lime (84.00)Gefüllte Pralinen – gemischte Schokoladen Ummantelung / Füllung mit und ohne Zusatz – Ganaches und Trüffel
Bixby Chocolate (United States) – Bourbon with Bourbon Barrel Heirloom Sal (88.28)Cacao & Cardamom Chocolatier (United States) – Chai Spice (86.00)
Garcia Nevett (United States) – Tulasi (85.84)
Cacao & Cardamom Chocolatier (United States) – Lychee Basil (83.35)
Cacao & Cardamom Chocolatier (United States) – Chipotle (82.82)
Nüsse
Gefüllte Pralinen – mit Zusatz dunkel – Nuss Pralinen und Gianduja, ganze umhüllte Nüsse
Prophecy Chocolate (United States) – Spicy Macambo (89.08)Prophecy Chocolate (United States) – Choco-Macambo Combo (86.04)
Nut based pralines with white chocolate
Cacao & Cardamom Chocolatier (United States) – Baklava (84.98)Gefüllte Pralinen – Milch (mit und ohne Zusatz) – Nuss Pralinen …
Cacao & Cardamom Chocolatier (United States) – Pistachio Knafeh (87.26)Cacao & Cardamom Chocolatier (United States) – Cashew Cinnamon Praline (83.94)
Karamellpralinen
Gefüllte Pralinen – mit Zusatz dunkel – Karamel (auch ohne Zusatz)
Ranger Chocolate Co. (United States) – Maple Caramel (84.26)Gearharts Fine Chocolates (United States) – Dark Chocolate Caramels (83.43)
Gearharts Fine Chocolates (United States) – Dark Chocolate Pistachio Toffee (83.16)
Cacao & Cardamom Chocolatier (United States) – Tonka Bean Caramel (83.10)
Ranger Chocolate Co. (United States) – Lavender Caramel (82.28)
Sonstiges – Frucht/ Zucker /Butter / Sahne
Milch ummantelter Manon / Butter / Sahne
Ranger Chocolate Co. (United States) – Root Beer Bonbon (85.90)Ranger Chocolate Co. (United States) – Passion Fruit Bonbon (82.35)
