Vegan Chocolate Awards 2025: Calling All Chocolate Artisans

The Vegan Society of Aotearoa is pleased to announce the fourth annual Chocolate Awards are now open for registration. Judging takes place on 28th April 25 at Khu Khu Eatery in Ponsonby, Auckland. It’s time once again for the chocolate makers of Aotearoa to enter their best vegan bars, bon bons, truffles, drinking chocolate and dipped fruit into the competition.

“It is very exciting to see the amount of plant-based chocolate available in New Zealand growing, due to the high number of entries last year, the categories are being split to create a more level playing field for entrants. No longer will flavoured bon bons have to compete with unflavoured ones, nor the truffles, or bars either.” Media Spokesperson Claire Insley, commented.

Six very experienced judges will be lending their palates to this incredible taste test: welcoming all the way from Samoa, Floris Niu, who is a fourth generation Samoan Cacao farmer, processor and Chocolate-maker. She’s the founder of Ms Sunshine Organic Farms which operates Cacao Agritourism experiences on Upolu Island. She is co-creator of the “Koko Beans” brand of vegan chocolate snacks and the recent “Pacific Cacao and Chocolate 2022” show.

Tracy Berno is a Professor in Food Studies at AUT. She has worked in food for over 30 years in roles ranging from academic to presenting cooking classes and demonstrations to catering. Tracy has a particular interest in the foods of the South Pacific and sustainably produced food products (including chocolate). She is an experienced panel judge and has judged for many competitions and food awards starting in the early 2000s.

With a rich background in Europe and the UK’s finest patisseries and chocolatiers, Thomas Wright is on a mission to redefine the essence of chocolate. His journey from prestigious Michelin-starred kitchens to launching Ao Cacao reflects his passion for ethically and sustainably grown cacao, combined with unique Pacific and Aotearoa flavours for an unparalleled bean-to-bar experience.

Byron McLean is the founder and chocolatier of Cocoa Wilds—a new and viral chocolate boutique located on O’Connell Street in central Auckland. Leaving his corporate career in 2022, Byron poured his passion for people and learning into a whirlwind journey of growth, traveling, and taste-testing more than 300 types of chocolate worldwide.

And finally, the Award stalwarts Jasbir “Jazz” Kaur, multi-award-winning executive chef & trainer, TV personality, creative head and chef of the new series “Ignite the Chef in You” and President of the NZ Chef Association Auckland, Chef Jazz is an external verifier for City and Guilds, UK. She has been judging in New Zealand’s Regional and National culinary salon competitions for the past nine years and is deputy chief judge for the Hospitality Championships.

Aaron Pucci has clocked up 25 years in the food and beverage manufacturing industry. His trusted palate has earned him numerous seats on judging panels for awards in New Zealand and Australia over 15 years. As a dedicated chocolate consumer Aaron is always on the lookout for new brands and products ~ especially those that are breaking new ground. Aaron’s ‘food for thought’ is a desire for more manufacturers to take up the challenge of sustainable food operations and reducing their carbon footprint.

This year’s award categories are:

· Dark Chocolate Bars
· White or Milk Chocolate Bars (plant milk only)
· Chocolate Bars; flavoured
· Chocolate Bars; inclusions
· Bon Bons and Truffles; plain, unflavoured
· Bon Bons and Truffles; flavoured
· Caramels
· Bean to Bar; single origin
· Bean to Bar; flavoured
· Drinking Chocolate
· Bark/Brittle Chocolate
· Dipped Fruit

There will also be a Supreme Winner, one standout entry across all categories.

The awards are open to overseas and New Zealand companies (providing the product is commercially available in New Zealand). The Vegan trademark accepts chocolate that is processed on a factory line shared with dairy chocolate, in compliance with Good Manufacturing Practices. For further information check out the website: https://vegansociety.org.nz/vegan-chocolate-awards/

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