The Northwest Chocolate Festival, held in early November at the Bell Harbor Conference Center located on Pier 66 overlooking the water in Seattle, is the largest bean to bar artisanal chocolate trade show in all North America which has been helping promote chocolate businesses from around the globe for the past 15 years. Divided between two floors are chocolate machinery and equipment as well as cocoa producers and chocolate vendors. On the second floor was a conference room which for two days held professional chocolate presentations such as The Criollo Cacao Project, Building a Sustainable Chocolate Company, Cacao Agroforestry To Restore Biodiversity, and many more interesting topics of the chocolate fair trade world.

Since 2008, the festival has awarded the top chocolate makers and confectioners in the world with awards. This is one of the longest running award programs in the world for artisan chocolate, setting standards and reputation for the lucky winners. With over 300 entries in dark chocolate, more than 200 entries for inclusions, and 100 entries in milk chocolate, each year they find the best chocolate handcrafted by artisans from more than 30 countries. The NW Chocolate & Chocolate Alliance Awards are coveted by professionals and are held in the highest esteem as a mark of quality.

This year more than 100 artisanal chocolatiers from around the world showcased their products, all with different forms of chocolate. Focusing on primarily bean to bar we found chocolatiers like: Green bean to bar chocolate (Japan), OmNom (Reykjavik), Dandelion (San Francisco), Barcelona Chocolate Company (Spain), Scharffen Berger (Berkeley), and Cuna De Piedra (Mexico). Each participant brought their chocolate bars to sell and shared their knowledge with the participants who visited the chocolate festival and shared the love for well-made chocolate.

NORTHWEST CHOCOLATE FESTIVAL WINNERS 2022

GOLD MILK CHOCOLATE WINNERS

• Ana Bandeira: Chocolates 60% ao Leite
• Gansett Craft: Chocolate Milk Chocolate
• Goodnow Farms Chocolate: Oat Milk Chocolate
• Goodnow Farms Chocolate: Classic Milk Chocolate
• Miroh! Chocolate Makers: Chocolate Dark Milk
• Mission Chocolate: Ao Leite de Coco

SILVER MILK CHOCOLATE WINNERS

• Capitão Redighieri Chocolate Artesanal: Chocolate 45% cacao ao leite
• CHoKolaH: CHoKolaH Ao Leite Recheado
• Kahkow: Milk Alternative 40%
• Miroh! Chocolate Makers: Idukki Dark Milk

INCLUSION CHOCOLATE BAR GOLD WINNERS

• Barcelona Chocolate Company: Ecuador 70% with almond biscotti
• Belú Cacao: Pumpkin Spice Milk Chocolate
• Bixby Chocolate: Salted Almond Milk Chocolate Bar
• Bixby Chocolate: Creme Brulee
• Conjure Craft Chocolate: Pain Au Chocolat
• Goodnow Farms Chocolate: Maker’s Choice, Black Urfa Chili
• Luisa Abram: Gianduia bar
• Miroh! Chocolate Makers: Chocolate ao Leite com Café Blum’s
• Priscyla França Chocolates: Chocolate Pão de mel
• PUBLIC CHOCOLATORY / Hanbin Paek: Masala Chai 55%
• ODLE CHOCOLATES: CHOCOLATE INTENSO 60% CACAU COM CACHAÇA PREMIUM. ( INTENSE CHOCLATE 60% COCOA WITH CACHAÇA PREMIUM)

INCLUSION CHOCOLATE BAR SILVER WINNERS

• Barcelona Chocolate Company: Ecuador 70% with rock salt
• Goodnow Farms Chocolate: El Carmen with Coffee
• Goodnow Farms Chocolate: Special Reserve, Las Palomas Coffee
• jcoco by Seattle Chocolate Company: Boharat Spice
• Onomea Chocolate: Salted Macadamia Nut
• Wild Peaks Chocolates: White Chocolate

DARK CHOCOLATE GOLD WINNERS

• Argencove: Apoyo 70%
• Fruition Chocolate Works: Dominican Nacional Dark 74%
• Goodnow Farms Chocolate: Signature Line, Esmeraldas 70%
• Goodnow Farms Chocolate: Signature Line, El Carmen, 77%
• Goodnow Farms Chocolate: Limited Release, Factura
• Goodnow Farms Chocolate: Signature Line, Boyaca, 73%
• green bean to bar CHOCOLATE: TANZANIA 70%
• Honoka’a Chocolate Co: Pure Hawaiian Cacao 70% Blend
• Hummingbird Chocolate: Tumaco
• sweets ESCALIER: 70% Venezuela Ocumare
• sweets ESCALIER: Cuba 70%

DARK CHOCOLATE SILVER WINNERS

• Barcelona Chocolate Company: Ecuador 70%
• TOTONOI CHOCOLATE: AMAZON CACAO
• Goodnow Farms Chocolate: Signature Line, Asochivite, 77%
• Honoka’a Chocolate Co: Mauna Kea Cacao Single Estate
• Hummingbird Chocolate: Hispaniola 70%
• Luisa Abram: 81% Iaco River
• Miroh! Chocolate Makers: Paquibato Dark
• sweets ESCALIER: Honduras 68% mayared
• sweets ESCALIER: Peru cusco 68%

CONFECTIONS & BON BONS GOLD WINNERS

• Chocolats Passion: Pistachio Raspberry chocolate
• Fruition Chocolate Works: Hazelnut Pralines
• Garcia Nevett: Brown Butter Crunch
• Garcia Nevett: Tequila Lime
• green bean to bar CHOCOLATE: GOMA
• green bean to bar CHOCOLATE: Matcha
• green bean to bar CHOCOLATE: SAKE
• Kreuther Handcrafted Chocolate: Apple Pie
• Kreuther Handcrafted Chocolate: Beer Peanut Pretzel

BEST TOFFEE & CARAMEL-GOLD

• Creo Chocolate: Black Sesame Seed Brittle
• Creo Chocolate: Milk Chocolate Covered Caramelized Hazelnuts
• Gallette Chocolates / Gislaine Gallette: Pé de Moleque Supremo/Macadâmia Caramel
• Hummingbird Chocolate: Salted Caramels

BEST DRINKING CHOCOLATE

• Midunu Chocolates: Classic Milk Drinking Chocolate
• Goodnow Farms Chocolate: El Carmen Hot Cocoa
• Goodnow Farms Chocolate: Hot Cocoa, House Blend
• SABROSO CHOCOLATE MANUFACTURING: Sabroso Camiguin’s Finest Tsokolate
• Wildwood Chocolate: Cascade Mint