Last year, five Canadian chocolatiers took home medals at the World Finals of the International Chocolate Awards. They showed the world that the country is more than igloos and polar bears—it is also home to some of the world’s best and most innovative chocolatiers.
Can they do it again?
This October, the International Chocolate Awards returns to Vancouver. It’s the last stop in a whirlwind competition that includes competitions in Italy, Germany, Scandinavia and New York.
The Canadian competition is the first hurdle for competitors, who compete in categories ranging from flavoured bars to filled chocolates to spreads. Winners are then invited to enter the World Final, which takes place this November in London—where they’ll compete head-to-head against other regional winners.
More than 100 products were entered into the 2013 Canadian competition, with nine companies making it to the World Finals in London, and five winning medals: Vancouver’s DC Duby and Beta5 Chocolates, Edmonton’s Sweet Lollapalooza, Toronto’s MoRoCo Chocolate, and Montreal’s Christophe Morel.
Notably, at the 2013 World Finals, Canadians took three of five awards in the flavoured dark ganaches category, swept the white chocolate ganaches category, and Vancouver’s Beta5 Chocolates were the first Canadians to win a World gold, for their Fisherman’s Friend confection.
Companies wishing to build on last year’s success or take part for the first time and help celebrate Canada’s world-class chocolate industry have until October 1 to enter.
Judging will take place from October 5–8 at Vancouver Community College’s downtown campus. The judging panel includes chocolate experts, pastry chefs and journalists, with a core judging panel of international experts that judge multiple competitions. Winners will be recognized at an awards ceremony on Thursday, October 9 at Xoxolat.
The International Chocolate Awards is an independent organization set up in 2012 by Martin Christy, founder of fine chocolate review site Seventy%, and Kate Johns, director of Chocolate Week. The Vancouver competition is run by Eagranie Yuh, author of The Chocolate Tasting Kit (Chronicle Books).
Girl drinking hot chocolate via shutterstock
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