CACAO OF EXCELLENCE 2023 AWARD WINNER - Gold Medal
AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS (February 8, 2024) – Cacao of Excellence, a programme of the Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) announced today the winners of the 2023 Cacao of Excellence Awards, honouring excellence in the cultivation of cacao, while also supporting and encouraging a more sustainable sector. The full list of Gold, Silver and Bronze winners can be found below and on the Cacao of Excellence website.
The winners were announced February 8, 2024, during a live ceremony split into the following regions: Asia and the Pacific, Africa and the Indian Ocean, South America, and Central America and the Caribbean. The event was held at the Chocoa Trade Fair and Chocolate Festival.
The event brought a diverse range of guests together including Cacao of Excellence Best 50 nominees, members of National Organisation Committees overseeing participation of producers, as well as entities from over 50 cacao origins, cacao cooperatives, agricultural institutes, traders, buyers, manufacturers, chocolate enthusiasts, and Chocoa Trade Fair guests.
Cacao of Excellence aims to catalyse a transformation in the cacao sector by discovering and rewarding excellence, empowering farmers and connecting them to the market, driving innovation and standards, and safeguarding genetic diversity.
For the 2023 Edition, Cacao of Excellence received 222 cacao bean samples from 52 participating origins hailing from Africa and the Indian Ocean, Asia and the Pacific, Central America and the Caribbean, and South America. The process for bean reception, processing and analysis can be found on the How the Cacao of Excellence Awards work webpage.
For the 2023 Edition, the Technical Committee’s evaluation of all 222 samples processed into cacao mass led to the selection of the Best 50 nominees eligible for Gold, Silver, and Bronze Awards. Nominated samples were processed into chocolate and evaluated by a broader jury panel consisting of 32 experts from various professions such as chocolatiers, sensory evaluation experts, and bean sourcers.
“It was an honour and a privilege to judge the 2023 Edition and be able to discover an incredible array of flavour diversity across each cacao sample – warm congratulations to the winners,” said 2023 Cacao of Excellence Jury Panelist Laura Sweitzer. Added Jury Panelist Adriana Arciniegas Leal, “Exploring the vibrant colours, aromas, and flavours of the samples is truly incredible. Each diverse and complex sample sparks curiousity, and the blind evaluation process prompts this further. I am grateful to have gone on this sensory journey.”
2023 Cacao of Excellence Awards winner
The Cacao of Excellence Awards, considered to be among the world’s most prestigious honours, recognise exceptional cacao producers for the superior quality and flavour diversity of their cacao, from all corners of the world. Held every two years since 2009, the Awards have spurred the participation of over 55 cacao origins, the establishment of National Organisation Committees in 45 origins and dedicated national cacao quality competitions in over 25 origins.
“In 2021, we embarked on an exciting journey as our farm entered its first competition in Cacao of Excellence, filled with anticipation and hope. To our immense joy, adn the day of my birthday in December 16th 2021 in the middle of the pandemy I received a call from my cousin Jorge saying that we clinched the Silver award in our category. Fast forward to the end of 2023, when the prestigious awards unveiled their list of the 50 best, we were elated to find ourselves among the honoured few. This category, encompassing cocoa origins from across the globe—Africa and the Indian Ocean, Asia and the Pacific, Central America and the Caribbean, and South America—highlighted the international recognition of our efforts.
Our pride swelled as we made our way to Amsterdam for the grand finale. The anticipation was palpable, yet beneath the nerves, there was a quiet confidence. Sampling our cocoa at the fair stand of cacao excellence earlier had left an indelible impression, and we knew we stood a strong chance at clinching the Gold this time.
The journey leading up to this moment had been marked by countless hours of hard work and meticulous attention to detail, especially in performing the fermentation process. This victory is theirs, my family and colleges back in Ecuador. Their unwavering dedication and tireless efforts form the bedrock of their success. Without their commitment to excellence in the fermentation process and in everything surrounding the farm, producing dark chocolate would be an almost impossible task for me. To my family and colleagues, I extend my heartfelt gratitude and admiration. Your relentless pursuit of perfection inspires me every day. Here's to many more triumphs ahead—keep up the exceptional work! “
Gustavo Marun - CEO & Co-Founder of Höganäs Chocolate