We are happy to announce the chocolatiers who have triumphed in the D.A.CH and Eastern European Craft Chocolatier Competitions this year. The two regional competitions were judged in a hybrid way, partly remotely and partly in person in Hannover (D.A.CH) and in Bucharest (Eastern European) in May 2024.
The competitions served as a platform to showcase the entrants’ passion, creativity, and dedication to the craft of chocolate-making.
The winners of these Craft Chocolatier Competitions will advance to the highly anticipated World Final, scheduled for later in 2024.
Once again, we extend our heartfelt congratulations to all the winners of the D.A.CH and Eastern European Craft Chocolatier Competitions. Your creativity, passion, and commitment to excellence have elevated the craft of chocolate-making, and we eagerly anticipate witnessing your continued success on the global stage.
Traceability
Continuing our efforts to make the Awards more transparent, we keep emphasizing the importance of working with traceable cacao across the whole of the competitions. Our filled chocolate competitions, now called “Craft Chocolatier Competitions”, demonstrate an increasing focus on cacao sourcing and traceability. This new traceability policy reflects not only current trends in craft chocolate, but also our own founding philosophy and focus on fine cacao.
Judging and prizes
The judges were drawn from IICCT alumni, local experts and members of our permanent international Grand Jury.
The categories judged included flavoured chocolate bars, filled chocolates, enrobed fruits and nuts and chocolate spreads, as well as flavoured bars (not bean-to-bar) and are based on yearly feedback from our entrants and in consultation with the fine chocolate industry. All judging is anonymised, including at the Grand Jury final session, where Golds, Silver and Bronze prizes are awarded by private voting according to the Grand Jury rules.
Prizes are awarded only to entries that meet the required standard for each prize.
2024 D.A.CH Craft Chocolatier Competition Winners are:
(Prizes are shown in score order for each medal)
Barras saborizado
Barras de chocolate negro con infusiones o polvos
Bronze: Schokov (Austria) – Schokov Organic «No10» Juniper & Fir (86.1)
Bronze: Schokov (Austria) – Schokov Organic «No5» Raspberry & Chili (85.8)
Barras de chocolate negro con relleno
Gold: Sandra & Pascal Wirth (Germany) – 65% Schwarztee & kandierte Rosenblüten (88.6)
+ Special: Ingredients
Barras de chocolate con combinación con inclusiones o piezas
Bronze: Trüffel Güse Hannover (Germany) – SIMPLY THE BEST! Nuts and Cacao (86.2)
Ganaches, palets, ganaches pralinés y trufas
Ganaches o trufas de chocolate negro no saborizadas
Bronze: Pott au Chocolat (Germany) – Grand Cru Alto Piura 75% (86.7) (**)
Ganaches o trufas de chocolate negro saborizado
Bronze: Confiserie Harmonie (Germany) – Die besondere Note (86.6)
Ganaches o trufas de chocolate blanco saborizado
Bronze: Das Bernsteinzimmer (Germany) – Safewords (86.0)
Ganaches o trufas de una combinación de chocolates saborizados
Gold: Lisas Pâtisserie (Germany) – Sakura Praline (89.3)
Silver: Confiserie Simon (Germany) – «Gankerl» Birne-Bergamotte Praliné (87.1)
+ Special: Ingredients
Bronze: Chokumi – Pralinen & Schokoladen (Germany) – orange & hazelnut (85.7)
Nueces
Grajeas de chocolate negro, nueces cubiertas de chocolate negro
Gold: Pott au Chocolat (Germany) – Kakaobohnen in dunkler Schokolade (89.2) (**)
+ Special: Classic
Caramelos
Caramelos de chocolate combinados
Silver: Astrid Thal by Chocanya (Germany) – Honey-Caramel (88.4)
+ Special: Craft
(*) Declared chocolate maker for private label bars.
(**) Winner has declared the product is made with their own bean-to-bar chocolate or couverture.
2024 Eastern European Craft Chocolatier Competition Winners are:
(Prizes are shown in score order for each medal)
Barras saborizado
Barras de chocolate negro con inclusiones o piezas
Gold: Maria Magdalena Bizgan (Romania) – Coffee infused dark chocolate with nibs (90.4)
Barras de chocolate blanco con inclusiones o piezas
Silver: chocoMe (Hungary) – chocoMe blonde squares with black sesame (87.1)
+ Special: Ingredients
Ganaches, palets, ganaches pralinés y trufas
Ganaches o trufas de chocolate con leche saborizado
Bronze: Maria Magdalena Bizgan (Romania) – Caramel, coffee ganache, milk chocolate (86.2)
Nueces
Pralinés de nuez cubiertas de chocolate con leche
Gold: Maria Magdalena Bizgan (Romania) – Hazelnut praline with milk chocolate (89.2)
Cremas para untar
Cremas para untar de chocolate con leche
Bronze: Maria Magdalena Bizgan (Romania) – Hazelnut spread with milk chocolate (86.5)
(*) Declared chocolate maker for private label bars.
(**) Winner has declared the product is made with their own bean-to-bar chocolate or couverture.