Transparency in Chocolate Awards Programs | #PSC 213
OVERVIEW: Episode 213 of #PodSaveChocolate takes a look at transparency in major international chocolate awards programs – the judging process, the judges, and how results are presented – and why it’s important to know more than we do about them right now.
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Episode 213
I spend a lot of time downloading awards data is a part of my attempt to understand the specialty chocolate market. What I don’t think many consumers of these awards (and this includes winners) consider, is that each awards program judges differently, rewards different things, and has different approaches to reporting, how they judge, what they judge, who the judges are, and how the awards are selected.
In this episode we’ll take a deep-ish dive into all of the above starting out with one quick question:
Why don’t we demand transparency from awards program organizers yet reward chocolate makers and cocoa suppliers who do?
the Awards Programs
1️⃣ Academy of Chocolate Awards (UK)
2️⃣ International Chocolate Awards (UK)
ICA Site 1
ICA Site 2
3️⃣ Good Food Awards (US)
US – take care there is a UK program by a similar name.
The UK award program (not covered in this episode).
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4️⃣ NW Chocolate Festival/Chocolate Alliance Awards (US)
DEI Creative in Seattle, WAWTaF?
DEI Creative in Seattle, WAThe festival website. The Chocolate Alliance website. Some 2024 winners (IG).
DEI Creative in Seattle, WA
NWCF awards on the Wayback Machine on archive.org
5️⃣ AVPA (FR)
6️⃣ The Craft Chocolat Challenge (US)
Craft Chocolat Challenge results
Future Episodes
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Clay Gordon
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