Midwest Craft Chocolate Festival 2025 PREVIEW | #PodSaveChocolate Ep 154
#PodSaveChocolate Episode 154 is a preview of the upcoming 2025 Midwest Craft Chocolate Festival ... in Rushville, Indiana. [ Updated ]
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Episode 154
This episode of PodSaveChocolate will consist of an interview with Dustin Cornett, the founder of the Midwest Craft Chocolate Festival and the Craft Chocolate Challenge. Dustin is also a specialty/craft maker and is the only maker I know of who organizes both a competition and a festival.
2025 Overview
- Represented countries: Canada, Colombia (multiple), Ghana, Honduras (multiple), Japan, Liberia, Madagascar (tentative), Mexico (multiple), Nicaragua, Norway, the Philippines, and the US (multiple).
- Returning from last year: Bean to Barstool (Ohio), Cacaitos (Canada/Colombia), Chocolat Café (hometown), Chocolate Thunder (Michigan), Chocs ’n Boxes (Philippines/Illinois), CocoaSupply (Ecuador/US, Canada/EU/Australia – Title Sponsor), CocoaTown (Georgia, sponsor), Embers Chocolate (Arizona), Encore Coffee and Chocolate (Missouri), Fjorden (Norway), Heirloom Cacao Preservation Project (HCP; non-profit), Kemu Farms (Michigan/ Liberia), LOHcally (Ohio), Mademoiselle Miel (Minnesota), Maverick Chocolate (Ohio), Peace on Fifth (Ohio), Sweet Bean (Ohio), YellowBird Chocolate (Michigan), Yojoa (Honduras). (The percentage of returning exhibitors is one key metric determining a festival’s long-term success.)
- US States represented for the first time: Texas and Utah.
- Craft Chocolat Challenge Entrants/Winners: Chocolate Thunder (US), Embers Chocolate (US, MASTER), Encore Coffee and Chocolate (US, MASTER), Fjorden (Norway), Kesshō (Texas, MASTER), Sweets Escalier (Japan), YellowBird (US), Yojoa (Honduras), Red Rock Chocolate (Utah). Thanks to: CocoaSupply (Innovation sponsor); CocoaTown (general sponsor); Chocolate Café (Challenge organizer).
- Number of public presentations/tastings/demonstrations on Saturday: Over 30, with most of them at no extra cost to attend. Many of the presentations are being given by exhibitors, many of whom are from producing countries, presenting the farmer perspective. (I will be doing my AMA at 11:30 in the Chocolate Meeting Room.)
- The documentary Reclaiming Cocoa will be making its US premiere in the Princess Theater in Rushville on November 16th, the weekend before the festival. A 15-minute reel from the movie will be shown throughout the day.
My History
I was an early supporter of the Midwest Craft Chocolate Festival (I began supporting the Challenge in its second year) and participated in the inaugural festival as its “Chocolate Concierge.”
You can read more of my festival experience in the post below.
Clay Gordon
I arrived a day early (driving down from Chicago with Kjell of Fjorden), stayed in a historic home, helped set up the vendor tables, gave an opening speech, and gave an AMA talk to an SRO crowd.
2025 TL;DR
This year’s festival is also in Rushville, IN, but is in a different venue. Many of last year’s vendors are returning, and the international contingent includes some new names.
And those are just some of the details that Dustin and I will go over in this preview episode.
My advice?
If you are a chocolate fan and live anywhere in the region, this festival is, at the same time, both intimate and global, so you should plan to attend if you can; for a day or for the weekend. And, unlike other festivals in the US, it takes place in a small town farming community that is very welcoming.
I’m going to be there and hope to see you as well!
Also in this Episode
The 2026 Craft Chocolat Challenge is open for entries.
Related Resources
David Nilsen
Preview coverage from Bean-to-Barstool with David Nilsen.
Clay Gordon
The 2025 Midwest Craft Chocolate Festival is sponsored by CocoaSupply.
Questions?
If you have questions or want to comment, you can do so during the episode or, if you are a ChocolateLife member, add them in the Comments below at any time.
Episode Hashtags and Socials
#cocoa #cacao #cacau
#chocolate #chocolat #craftchocolate
#PodSaveChoc #PSC
#LaVidaCocoa #TheChocolateLife
Future Episodes
The Changing Landscape of Cacao Sourcing
Interview and Tasting with Tandy Peterson of Embers Chocolate.
#PodSaveChocolate and #TheChocolateLifeLIVE Archives
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Clay Gordon
Clay Gordon
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