New Zealand’s Supreme Chocolate Announced

Do you love toast with your chocolate? It’s the hot new thing, if you believe the verdict of 15 leading food experts who have chosen New Zealand’s finest chocolate.

The Supreme Winner of the 2018 NZ Chocolate Awards is Hogarth Chocolate, Buttered Toast & Sea Salt.

Judges described this chocolate as irresistible, exceptional, unique and flawless. They were unanimous in their decision to award this chocolate the title of Supreme Winner.

Hogarth Chocolate, Buttered Toast & Sea Salt was one of two winners celebrating the theme of chocolate and toast. The new Hazelnut Spread by Hogarth Chocolate was awarded a gold medal and won Best in Class in the NZ Made Product Using Chocolate category.

Nelson’s Hogarth Chocolate is celebrating their success as the winningest chocolate company in the Awards, having received four gold medals along with the title of Supreme Winner and two Best in Class Awards. Hogarth Chocolate is a bean-to-bar producer, which means they source their own cacao beans from around the world and make small batches of chocolate the traditional way; sorting, roasting, crushing, winnowing, grinding and conching, ageing, melting and tempering, moulding and finally wrapping the chocolate by hand.

The other winners were:

FLAVOURED CHOCOLATE BARS BEST IN CLASS
Honest Chocolat, Manuka Honey Chocolate Tablet

FILLED CHOCOLATE BEST IN CLASS
The Chocolate Workshop, Passionfruit Bonbon

CHOCOLATE PRODUCTS INCLUDING BARK OR BRITTLE/DIPPED FRUIT & NUTS BEST IN CLASS
She Universe, Decadent Date

DRINKING CHOCOLATE BEST IN CLASS
Weta Coffee Limited, Weta Hot Chocolate

NZ MADE PRODUCT USING CHOCOLATE BEST IN CLASS
Hogarth Chocolate, Hazelnut Spread

CHILDREN’S CHOCOLATE BEST IN CLASS
Apero Cambridge, Chocolate Hazelnut Spread

PACKAGING AWARDS

BEST BAR WRAPPER
Trade Aid, Organic Fair Trade Chocolate Bar Range

BEST BOXED CHOCOLATES
Vaniyé Patisserie

BEST OTHER PACKAGING
Devonport Chocolates, Flavours of New Zealand Collection

Best in Class winners are the highest scoring chocolate in their category. They were selected from the 48 medal winners, which included; 15 Gold Medals, 17 Silver Medals and 16 Bronze Medals. The Packaging Awards were independently judged by Periscope Design in Auckland.

Head Judge Elle Crocker aka Elle Coco said, “I’m thrilled to see the talent and craftsmanship of this year’s entrants, some of whom already have international recognition, and some who will no doubt gain such recognition in the future.”
The NZ Chocolate Awards would not be possible without the support of Fresh Factory, Intermedia NZ, Marvellous Marketing, Label & Litho, NZ Life & Leisure and Antipodes.

Many of the 2018 NZ Chocolate Awards winners, including Hogarth Chocolate, will be exhibiting at the NZ Chocolate and Coffee Show at The Cloud in Auckland on Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 October.

Special thanks to the NZ Chocolate Awards 2018 judging panel which was: Luke Owen-Smith (owner of The Chocolate Bar, Wellington), Ganesh Khedekar (Pastry Chef and member of NZ Culinary Olympic Team 2016) , Shaun Tyagi (Head Chef, Harbourside Ocean Bar Grill), Trudi Nelson (Food writer and media personality), Sam Mannering (Head Chef, Pah Homestead Restaurant), Sarah Harrap (Pastry Chef, Criollo Chocolates and Desserts), Kathy Paterson (Food editor Bite magazine), Vicky Ravlich-Horan (chef and editor Nourish magazine) , Manesh Manthena (Pastry Chef, Harbourside Ocean Bar Grill), Jasbir Kaur (President, NZ Chefs Auckland Branch), Ginny Grant (Senior food writer, Cuisine), Emma Rawson (Editor This NZ Life), Anna King Shahab (food writer and judge), Lorna Subritzky (media personality and foodie) and Kimberley Dixon (Editor, Hospitality Business).

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