Winners of the Cocoa of Excellence programme’s International Cocoa Awards (ICA) for 2015 were announced today in Paris at the Salon du Chocolat, the city’s annual five-day chocolate festival.

The ICAs recognize the work of cocoa famers and celebrate the quality, flavour and diversity of cocoas according to their origin.

Seventeen awards were given this year. The winners by region/country for 2015 are as follows:

Africa: Côte d’Ivoire (Pihi Lambert, Kouassi Agahonou Juliette), Ghana (Abubakari Alidu), Togo (Akakpo Mamah)

Asia-Pacific: Hawaii (Waialua Estate Cacao), Indonesia (Hengkilianto, The President Director of PT Timor Mitra Niaga), Papau New Guinea (Lower Watut Cooperative – Wals Cocoa Co-operative, Fermentary Number LBA 332), Solomon Islands (David Junior Kebu)

Central America/Caribbean: Honduras (Fundación Hondureña de Investigación Agricola (FHIA), Nicaragua (Ingemann Fine Cocoa S.A.), Trinidad and Tobago (La Reunion Estate, San Juan Estate).

South America: Bolivia (Asociacio de Productores de Carmen del Emero, Angel Tapia), Colombia (Alianza Exportadora Tumaco, Conformada por las organizaciones – Corpoteva, Cortepaz, Consejo Comunitario Bajo Mira y Frontera.), Ecuador (Ing. Alicia Encalada Villacis, Asociacion Agricola La Fortaleza)

The judges for the 2015 edition had to make their selection from among 35 participating countries and 146 cocoa samples.

The liquors of all the cocoa samples were analysed by a panel of experts. The top 50 samples were then processed into chocolate (68.1 per cent cacao) and presented to a jury of 26 chocolate professionals and cocoa experts.

Cocoa of Excellence is a joint initiative of Bioversity International and Event International (organisers of the Salon du Chocolat). The programme aims to further mutual awareness and strengthen collaboration between producers and chocolate makers.

For more information, visit the Cocoa of Excellence website.

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