The International Chocolate Awards is pleased to announce the Winners of the 2026 Americas – Latin America & the Caribbean Bean-to-Bar and Craft Chocolatier Competition, which was judged remotely during Summer 2026 alongside the Americas – USA Bean-to-Bar and Craft Chocolatier competition.
Online Winners Presentation event – early September, 2026
Join us for a special online event featuring chats, interviews, videos and features with our winners, judges and sponsors in September. Details of the event will be announced soon.
This competition focuses on fine, craft and micro-batch chocolate makers who work directly from cacao beans to produce plain/origin and flavoured chocolate bars and craft chocolatiers making filled chocolates, dragées and spreads from the Latin America & the Caribbean region.
Winners will go through to the World Final in October 2026.Â
Peruvians celebrated their own innovative work in the cacao and chocolate worlds in their dedicated competition, which was announced on July 18 in Lima.
Judges
The judging panel for this competition included our regular Americas judges, along with many of our IICCT alumni, other specialists from the local area and members of our international Grand Jury panel.
All judging was anonymised, including at the Grand Jury final session, where Golds, Silver and Bronze prizes were awarded by private voting according to the Grand Jury rules. Grand Jury Finalists are listed here.
All Gold, Silver and Bronze winners in this competition are eligible to enter the World Final in October 2026.
Diamond Custom Machines - Judging shipping partner
Big thanks to DCM for all their help getting the judging samples out to our judges in a timely manner. Find out more about DCM here.
Prizes
The winners of the 2026 Americas – Latin America & the Caribbean Bean-to-Bar and Craft Chocolatier Competition are:
(Prizes are shown in score order for each medal)
‘Best in competition’ overall winners
Plain/origin dark bar categories
Gold: Cacao Hunters (Colombia) – Arhuacos 72% (90.8)Plain/origin milk bar categories
Gold: Argencove (Nicaragua) – Dark Milk 60% (89.6)Flavoured bar categories
Gold: Feliu Chocolate (Mexico) РLeche y Caf̩ 58% (90.9)Filled chocolates
Gold: Binz Chocolates (Mexico) – Bombón de Pixtle (90.2)Special flavor ingredient recognition
Flavoured with coffee
Gold: Feliu Chocolate (Mexico) РLeche y Caf̩ 58% (90.9)Flavoured with alcohol
Gold: Óscar Rodolfo Chocolatier (Mexico) – Bombón de Mezcal – Leche&café 58% Feliu (89.0)Pure/origine repen
Pure/origine donkere chocoladerepen
Gold: Cacao Hunters (Colombia) – Arhuacos 72% (90.8) (**)
+ Gold: Direct Traded
+ Gold: Growing Country
+ Gold: Chocolate Maker
Silver: Chocopunto by Mabel (Dominican Republic) – 70% Dark Monte Plata (90.4) (**)
+ Gold: Organic
Silver: Paccari Chocolate (Ecuador) – Raw 80% (90.4) (**)
+ Gold: Ecuador
Silver: Vida Silvestre (Mexico) – Chocolate 70% Almendra Blanca (90.2) ( * José Carlos BuendÃa Beristain) (**)
Silver: Buendia cacao (Mexico) – Santo Tomas 68% Vida Silvestre (89.7) (**)
Silver: Cacao Hunters (Colombia) – Tumaco 70% (89.6) (**)
Silver: Paccari Chocolate (Ecuador) – Guayas 70% (89.5) (**)
Silver: Paccari Chocolate (Ecuador) – Choronà (89.2) (**)
Silver: Chocopunto by Mabel (Dominican Republic) – 70% Dark Zorzal (89.1) (**)
Silver: Cacau do C̩u Chocolates (Brazil) РCatongo Variety 80% Dark Chocolate (88.5) (**)
Silver: Paccari Chocolate (Ecuador) – Chuncho 70% (88.3) (**)
Silver: Paccari Chocolate (Ecuador) – Raw 70% (88.3) (**)
Silver: Kakaw Museo (Mexico) – Tulipán 72 (83.7) (**)
Bronze: Paccari Chocolate (Ecuador) – Galápagos 75% (87.9) (**)
Bronze: Maleku Chocolate (Costa Rica) – 70% Dark Chocolate (87.9) (**)
Bronze: Vida Silvestre (Mexico) – Chocolate Oscuro 80% (87.8) ( * JOSE CARLOS BUENDIA BERISTAIN) (**)
Bronze: Nugali (Brazil) – Dark Chocolate 70% Cocoa – Cacau em Flor (86.9) (**)
Bronze: Vida Silvestre (Mexico) – Chocolate Oscuro 70% (86.8) ( * JOSE CARLOS BUENDIA BERISTAIN) (**)
Bronze: XKIK (Mexico) – 75% Cacao (86.5) (**)
Micro-batch – Pure/origine donkere chocoladerepen
Gold: Feliu Chocolate (Mexico) – Chontalpa 70% (90.2) (**)
+ Gold: Mexico
+ Gold: Direct Traded
+ Gold: Growing Country
+ Gold: Chocolate Maker
Silver: Argencove (Nicaragua) – Batch 18 80% (89.5) (**)
Silver: Feliu Chocolate (Mexico) – Soconusco 70% (89.5) (**)
Silver: Delirio Chocolate (Venezuela) – Porcelana 75% cacao (89.0) (**)
+ Gold: Venezuela
Silver: Delirio Chocolate (Venezuela) – Ocumare 72% Cacao (89.0) (**)
Silver: Feliu Chocolate (Mexico) – Flor de Un DÃa 70% (88.9) (**)
Silver: Lev̻lez Chocolate (Mexico) Р70% Cacao Almendra Blanca (88.9) (**)
Silver: Semilla Escuela de Cacao y Chocolate ( Semilla, Cocoa. And Chocolate School ) (Nicaragua) – Tumchele 70% (88.9) (**)
Silver: Jacinto (Mexico) – Las Delias, Almendra Blanca (88.8) (**)
Silver: 20/20 Chocolates (Venezuela) – Chuao 70% (88.7) (**)
Silver: Buendia cacao (Mexico) – Mayi 80% Finca Las Delias (88.2) (**)
Silver: Feliu Chocolate (Mexico) – Finca La Rioja 70% (88.0) (**)
Silver: Paccari Chocolate (Ecuador) – Piura Quemazón (88.0) (**)
Bronze: Chocolates Cayr̩ (Venezuela) РCayr̩ РSur del Lago 70% (87.8) (**)
Bronze: Chocolata Soul (Mexico) – Chocolate 70% Cacao Finca Cacayo (87.7) (**)
Bronze: Delirio Chocolate (Venezuela) – Mi Tierra 67% Cacao (87.7) (**)
Bronze: Hacienda RC (Mexico) – Chocolate 74% Cacao Rosain -Hacienda RC (87.4) (**)
Bronze: Buendia cacao (Mexico) – Utsil 70% Hacienda El Recuerdo (87.4) (**)
Bronze: Kakaw Museo (Mexico) – Malinche 65 (87.2) (**)
Bronze: Mesti̤o Chocolates (Brazil) РCatongo Varietal Intenso 67% (87.2) (**)
Bronze: Buendia cacao (Mexico) – Náay 67% / Finca Cacayo (87.1) (**)
Bronze: Argencove (Nicaragua) – Masaya 70% (86.6) (**)
Bronze: Hacienda Napaná (Mexico) – Arraigo 65% (86.6) ( * El cacao es de mi plantación y yo hago el chocolate) (**)
Bronze: Creativa KAKAW Chocolate de Origen By Gabriel Herrera (Mexico) – La Piedra 70% Polivarietal (86.5) (**)
Hoog % puur/origine donkere chocoladerepen (85% of meer)
Gold: Chocopunto by Mabel (Dominican Republic) – 85% Dark Monte Plata (88.5) (**)
+ Gold: Chocolate Maker
+ Gold: Organic
Gold: Paccari Chocolate (Ecuador) – Raw 90% (88.5) (**)
+ Gold: Chocolate Maker
+ Gold: Organic
Bronze: Cacao Hunters (Colombia) – Arauca 86% (86.6) (**)
Puur/origine donkere chocoladerepen 100 %
Gold: Legado Cacao (Colombia) – Anaya 100% (89.3) (**)
+ Gold: Chocolate Maker
+ Gold: Growing Country
+ Gold: Direct Traded
Silver: Chocopunto by Mabel (Dominican Republic) – 100% Zorzal Cacao (89.1) (**)
+ Gold: Organic
Silver: Feliu Chocolate (Mexico) – Soconusco 100% (88.8) (**)
Silver: Sub Umbra Floreo (Belize) – Floreo Belize 100% Dark Chocolate Bar (88.4) (**)
Bronze: Paccari Chocolate (Ecuador) – Raw 100% (87.3) (**)
Bronze: Delirio Chocolate (Venezuela) – Cacao Mass 100% Cacao (86.5) (**)
Pure/origine melk chocoladerepen
Silver: Cacao Hunters (Colombia) – Tumaco Leche 53% (88.8) (**)
+ Gold: Direct Traded
+ Gold: Growing Country
+ Gold: Chocolate Maker
Bronze: Cacau do C̩u Chocolates (Brazil) РChocolate Ao Leite 40% Cacau Do C̩u (85.9) (**)
Bronze: XKIK (Mexico) – 50% Cacao Milk Chocolate (85.7) (**)
Bronze: Nugali (Brazil) – Milk Chocolate 45% Cocoa (85.5) (**)
Micro-batch – Pure/origine melk chocoladerepen
Gold: Argencove (Nicaragua) – Dark Milk 60% (89.6) (**)
+ Gold: Chocolate Maker
+ Gold: Growing Country
Bronze: Cacau Dourado Chocolates (Brazil) – Chocolate 41% Cacao Ao Leitee (86.3) (**)
Bronze: Buendia cacao (Mexico) – Ki’ 54% Leche de Cabra / Finca la Joya (85.8) (**)
Bronze: DoSemente Cacau (Brazil) – Milk Chocolate 55% Cacao (85.8) (**)
Bronze: Binz Chocolates (Mexico) – Dark milk 52% Las Lluvias. (85.5) (**)
Pure/originele chocoladerepen met alternatieve suikers
Bronze: Chocolates Bios (Ecuador) – Bios 70 “whole Fruit Mucilage” (86.6) (**)
Pure/originele chocoladerepen met melkvervangers
Silver: Cacao Hunters (Colombia) – Coconut 53% (86.6) (**)
Bronze: Kairi Chocolate (Trinidad and Tobago) – Plantain 50% (85.7) (**)
Pure/origine chocoladerepen met andere Theobromas
Bronze: Paccari Chocolate (Ecuador) – Bicolor Patasmuyo 70% (86.0) (**)
Pure/origine witte chocoladerepen
Silver: DoSemente Cacau (Brazil) – Caramelized Milk White Chocolate (88.2) (**)
+ Gold: Chocolate Maker
+ Gold: Growing Country
Silver: Chocopunto by Mabel (Dominican Republic) – 40% White Chocolate (87.9) (**)
+ Gold: Organic
Silver: Mendoá Chocolates (Brazil) – Chocolate Branco 35% Cacau Doce de Leite (87.0) (**)
Bronze: Mesti̤o Chocolates (Brazil) РBranco 35% (86.0) (**)
Repen met toegevoegde smaak
Donkere chocoladerepen met een infusie of aroma
Gold: Paccari Chocolate (Ecuador) – Ylang Ylang 60% (90.4) (**)
+ Special: Ingredients
Silver: Semilla Escuela de Cacao y Chocolate ( Semilla, Cocoa. And Chocolate School ) (Nicaragua) РChocolate Oscuro con Ron de Caf̩ (89.0) (**)
+ Special: Local ingredients
+ Special: Alcohol
Silver: Cacau do C̩u Chocolates (Brazil) РIntense Dark Chocolate with Gentle Spice (88.4) (**)
Silver: Feliu Chocolate (Mexico) РOscuro y caf̩ 62% (87.9) (**)
+ Special: Local ingredients
Silver: Binz Chocolates (Mexico) – Barra 70% Napaná con Chile Pasilla Mixe (87.9) (**)
+ Special: Recipe
+ Special: Local ingredients
Silver: Hacienda Napaná (Mexico) – Molienda 67% (87.6) (**)
Silver: Cacao Hunters (Colombia) – Cardamom 67% (87.6) (**)
Silver: Paccari Chocolate (Ecuador) – Dill / Eneldo 60% (87.5) (**)
+ Special: Gastronomic
Silver: Velmont (Brazil) – Hojicha Razuberi (87.5) (**)
Silver: Hacienda Napaná (Mexico) – Cazuela 60% (87.1) (**)
+ Special: Local ingredients
+ Special: Recipe
Silver: Paccari Chocolate (Ecuador) – Bicolor con Uchu (AjÃ) 60% (87.1) (**)
+ Special: Alternate theobromas
Silver: Delirio Chocolate (Venezuela) – Choroni Parchita 60% Cacao (87.1) (**)
Silver: Paccari Chocolate (Ecuador) – Palo Santo 60% (87.1) (**)
Bronze: Paccari Chocolate (Ecuador) – Andean Aromatic Eucalyptus 60% (86.8) (**)
Bronze: Chocolates Bios (Ecuador) – Bios 70% Sweetened With Mango Sugar (86.7) (**)
Bronze: Huma Chocolate (Ecuador) – Aromaticas (86.5) (**)
Bronze: Paccari Chocolate (Ecuador) – Wild Andean Boletus 60% (86.4) (**)
Bronze: Yojoa Chocolate (Honduras) – 70% Dark Chocolate with Coffee. (86.0) (**)
Bronze: Mission Chocolate (Brazil) РCaf̩ con Ron (86.0) (**)
Bronze: ANQURIA (Ecuador) – Anquria “63% Cacao – Ishpingo” (86.0) (**)
Bronze: Kakaw Museo (Mexico) – Mole 62% – Rancho del Lago (85.9) (**)
+ Special: Reinterpretation
Bronze: Argencove (Nicaragua) – Cardamom & Orange (85.9) (**)
Donkere chocoladerepen met insluitsels of stukjes
Gold: Cacau Dourado Chocolates (Brazil) РChocolate 70% Cacau Com Cupua̤u (89.3) (**)
+ Special: Alternate theobromas
Silver: Paccari Chocolate (Ecuador) – Raw 101% (88.4) (**)
Silver: Paccari Chocolate (Ecuador) – Bicolor con Sal 60% (87.8) (**)
+ Special: Alternate theobromas
Silver: Chocolates Bios (Ecuador) – Bios 70% Tangerine (87.7) (**)
Silver: ANQURIA (Ecuador) – Anquria “100% Cacao – Mucilage & Nibs” (87.6) (**)
Silver: ANQURIA (Ecuador) – Anquria “63% Cacao -Caramelized Macambo” (87.5) (**)
Silver: Paccari Chocolate (Ecuador) – Spicy Tamarind / Tamarindo Picante 60% (87.4) (**)
Silver: Chocolates Bios (Ecuador) – Bios 70% Araza (87.1) (**)
Bronze: Chocolates Bios (Ecuador) – Bios 70% Hog Plum & Salt / Obos con Sal (86.6) (**)
Bronze: Nugali (Brazil) – Dark Chocolate 70% with Açaà Brittle (86.6) (**)
Bronze: LIKKLE MORE CHOCOLATE (Jamaica) – Jamaican Thyme & Orange Peels 70% Cacao (86.5) (**)
Bronze: Chocolates Bios (Ecuador) – Bios 70% Macambo & Mucilago (86.2) (**)
Bronze: Pasión de Cacao (Mexico) – Flamenco (86.1) (**)
Bronze: ANQURIA (Ecuador) – Anquria Mucilage & Caramelized Wachansu (85.8) (**)
Bronze: Paccari Chocolate (Ecuador) – Green Banana Chips / Chifle 60% (85.7) (**)
Bronze: Chocolates Bios (Ecuador) – Bios 70% Intag Coffee (85.5) (**)
Melk chocoladerepen met een infusie of aroma
Gold: Feliu Chocolate (Mexico) РLeche y Caf̩ 58% (90.9) (**)
+ Special: Classic
+ Special: Recipe
+ Special: Ingredients
Silver: Cacao Hunters (Colombia) – Mocha 49% (88.9) (**)
Silver: Miroh! Chocolate Makers (Brazil) РChocolate Ao Leite Com Caf̩ Blum`s (87.0) (**)
Bronze: Kairi Chocolate (Trinidad and Tobago) – Island Spice 50% Dark Milk (86.7) (**)
Bronze: Feliu Chocolate (Mexico) – Leche y Vainilla 58% (85.7) (**)
Bronze: Lev̻lez Chocolate (Mexico) РLev̻lez 47% Chocolate con Leche (85.7) (**)
Melkchocoladerepen met insluitsels of stukjes
Silver: Cacau do C̩u Chocolates (Brazil) РChoc.canastra Cheese and Dulce de Leche (88.2) (**)
+ Special: Gastronomic
Silver: Mesti̤o Chocolates (Brazil) РMel & Baru 50% ao Leite (88.0) (**)
+ Special: Local ingredients
Bronze: Miroh! Chocolate Makers (Brazil) – 45% ao Leite, Banana e Castanha de Caju (86.8) (**)
Bronze: Cacau Dourado Chocolates (Brazil) – Chocorock (86.6) (**)
Bronze: Mendoá Chocolates (Brazil) – Chocolate 50% Cacau Ao Leite Com Cupuaçu (86.4) (**)
Bronze: Nugali (Brazil) – Milk Chocolate 45% Cocoa With Brazil Nut (85.9) (**)
Bronze: Huma Chocolate (Ecuador) – Chulpi con Leche (85.8) (**)
Witte chocoladerepen met een infusie of aroma
Gold: Yojoa Chocolate (Honduras) – White Chocolate with Anise Avocado (90.5) (**)
+ Special: Local ingredients
Silver: Jucolatte (Brazil) – Chocolate 33% Milho (89.2) (**)
+ Special: Gastronomic
Silver: Kakaw Museo (Mexico) – Taxcalate 41% (88.3) (**)
+ Special: Reinterpretation
Silver: MCB Xocolate (Venezuela) – Tropical (88.2) (**)
Silver: Velmont (Brazil) – Golden Banana (87.6) (**)
Bronze: Mission Chocolate (Brazil) – Coquito (86.3) (**)
Witte chocoladerepen met insluitsels of stukjes
Gold: Cacau Dourado Chocolates (Brazil) – Chocolate Branco Caramelo Com Coco (89.4) (**)
Silver: Chocolates Bios (Ecuador) – Chocolate Blanco 37% Araza (88.5) (**)
Silver: Cacau do C̩u Chocolates (Brazil) РWhite Choc w/ Freeze-Dried Passion Fruit (87.8) (**)
Combination chocolate met insluitsels of stukjes
Silver: Paccari Chocolate (Ecuador) РCoffee Cardamom / Cardamomo con Caf̩ 32% (83.0) (**)
Bronze: Cacau do C̩u Chocolates (Brazil) РWhite & Milk Chocolate with Blue Cheese (86.2) (**)
Ganaches, palets, ganache pralines en truffels
Ganaches of truffels van donkere chocolade met toegevoegde smaak
Silver: Óscar Rodolfo Chocolatier (Mexico) – Bombón de Tequila – Rioja 70%, Feliu (87.4) (**)
+ Special: Recipe
+ Special: Alcohol
Bronze: Óscar Rodolfo Chocolatier (Mexico) – Bombón de Whisky – Rioja 70%, Feliu (86.7) (**)
Bronze: Óscar Rodolfo Chocolatier (Mexico) – Bombón de Vino Tinto – Rioja 70%, Feliu (86.3) (**)
Ganaches of truffels van melkchocolade
Gold: Óscar Rodolfo Chocolatier (Mexico) – Bombón de Mezcal – Leche&café 58% Feliu (89.0) (**)
+ Special: Alcohol
+ Special: Recipe
Silver: Caramela (Mexico) – Beso de Cacahuate (88.1)
+ Special: Recipe
Ganaches of truffels met een coating of vulling van gemengde donkere/melk/witte chocolade
Gold: Binz Chocolates (Mexico) – Bombón de Pixtle (90.2) (**)
+ Special: Chocolate Maker
+ Special: Local ingredients
Silver: Akbal Chocolates (Mexico) – Oaxacan Mole Negro Bonbon (87.8) (**)
+ Special: Reinterpretation
Bronze: Akbal Chocolates (Mexico) – Morita Chili Ganache (86.0) (**)
Noten
Donkere chocolade dragees, omhulde hele noten
Bronze: ANQURIA (Ecuador) – Anquria “70% Cacao – Whole cacao seed” (86.8) (**)
Melkchocolade dragees, omhulde hele noten
Silver: Nugali (Brazil) РDrag̩e Coffee Beans (87.2) (**)
Bronze: Nugali (Brazil) РDrag̩e Cocoa Nibs (86.4) (**)
Overige Рfruit/suiker/boter/cr̬me
Donkere chocolade gevuld met een zachte gelei/pasta van fruit
Bronze: Lev̻lez Chocolate (Mexico) РManguitos Enchilados 75% (85.5) (**)
Melkchocolade gevuld met een zachte gelei/pasta van fruit ..
Silver: Miroh! Chocolate Makers (Brazil) РBombom de Cupua̤u Com Cumaru (87.9) (**)
+ Special: Biome
Met donkere chocolade omhuld heel fruit
Bronze: Cacao Hunters (Colombia) – Gulupa Recubierta (86.9) (**)
Bronze: Mesti̤o Chocolates (Brazil) РDrageado Cupua̤u 65% (86.4) (**)
Met melkchocolade omhuld heel fruit
Gold: Paccari Chocolate (Ecuador) – Higos con Chocolate 32% y Frambuesa (89.2) (**)
Bronze: Paccari Chocolate (Ecuador) – Uvilla con Chocolate 32% y Frambuesa (86.5) (**)
Cocoa Powder
Gold: Hacienda Napaná (Mexico) – Cacao en Polvo Hacienda Napaná (88.9) (**)
+ Special: Craft
Silver: Vida Silvestre (Mexico) – Cacao En Polvo (87.7) (**)
Bronze: Mindo Chocolate (Ecuador) – Polvo de Cacao (84.9) (**)
Cocoa Butter
Gold: Hacienda Napaná (Mexico) – Manteca de Cacao Hacienda Napaná (90.6) (**)
+ Special: Craft
Silver: Vida Silvestre (Mexico) – Manteca de Cacao (89.3) (**)
Bronze: Catica Chocolates (Costa Rica) – Cocoa butter (86.1) (**)
(*) Declared chocolate maker for private label bars.
(**) Winner has declared the product is made with their own bean-to-bar chocolate or couverture.
