> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://thechocolatelife.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Transparency in Chocolate Awards Programs | #PSC 213 - URL: https://thechocolatelife.com/transparency-in-chocolate-awards-programs-psc-213/ - Published: 2026-06-29T17:06:20.000Z - Updated: 2026-07-17T18:50:10.000Z - Description: 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. - Author: Clay Gordon - Tags: PodSaveChocolate, Live Stream 🗓️ Episode 213 streamed on Tuesday, June 30th, 2026\. Click a link below to view the archived episode. This ****YOUTUBE** link is shareable. 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[Participate/Watch on Facebook ](https://www.facebook.com/share/18gRzSZMXk/) --- ## **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)** [Academy of Chocolate![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/icon/aoc-logo-left-e104ede0-9988-4835-ba64-303910a652de.png)academy of chocolate![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/thumbnail/video-thumb-lg-95b3e630-b42c-4a3d-97df-dd748ee153c5.jpg)](https://academyofchocolate.org.uk/?ref=thechocolatelife.com) **2️⃣ International Chocolate Awards (UK)** [Home - Chocolate AwardsAre you ready for some of the world’s best chocolate? Read about our winners and craft chocolate super stars. Find out more Access the professional site for Entrants and Judges here. Entrants & Judges Check out our 2026 Competition Calendar From Peru to Norway – Interview with Vigdis Rosenkilde![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/icon/ica-logo-pod-only-orange-segment-favicon-512-pix-300-res-01-300x300-9be805ea-517c-40d9-89a2-d6094de9ef91.png)Chocolate Awards![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/thumbnail/Featured-image-Vigdis-holding-pods2-01-34dccaa9-8c94-44f8-adf9-313a66e4c2fd.jpg)](https://www.chocolateawards.com/?ref=thechocolatelife.com) ICA Site 1 [Home - International Chocolate AwardsCelebrating excellence and craft in fine chocolate![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/icon/cropped-ica-logo-pod-only-blue-segment-favicon-512-pix-transp-backgrnd-270x270-89022673-6942-499c-b60e-cbd9e205ee8e.png)International Chocolate Awards![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/thumbnail/Calendar_2026_horizontal_fabrics_swoosh_nano_logo10-01-0fb7cac5-5cc6-4d79-ac35-f8e7345e70ac.jpg)](https://enter.chocolateawards.com/?ref=thechocolatelife.com) ICA Site 2 **3️⃣ Good Food Awards (US)** [Awards - Good Food FoundationThe Good Food Awards recognizes that truly good food – the kind that brings people together – builds strong, healthy communities.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Good Food Foundation![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/thumbnail/gff-seo-awards-cdf3c7c3-53ee-43bb-8944-1cd20bc5d182.png)](https://goodfoodfdn.org/awards/?ref=thechocolatelife.com) US – take care there is a UK program by a similar name. [Good Food Awards | Find Great New Places to Eat TodayThe Good Food Awards celebrates the UK’s best-loved restaurants, cafés, pubs, takeaways & fish & chip shops, from hidden gems to local legends![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/icon/cropped-Good-Food-Award-Winner-270x270-3801c6fb-193f-4bf0-83f8-ae3345a0cad1.jpg)Good Food Award![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/thumbnail/Good-Food-Award-Logo-3-e1755611849519-9d97ca39-e4ab-4e56-b676-975dee696c78.jpg)](https://www.goodfoodaward.com/?ref=thechocolatelife.com) The UK award program (not covered in this episode). --- 25th Anniversary Lifetime Membership offer [![CTA Image](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2026/05/brewtubeAvatar512x.png)](https://thechocolatelife.com/25th-anniversary-lifetime-membership-offer/) ****I began my career** as a professional chocolate critic, journalist, consultant, and educator in mid-May 2001\. ****That means** I am celebrating my 25th anniversary as a professional chocolate critic, journalist, consultant, and educator in 2026\. To help me celebrate, I hope you will consider becoming a ***Lifetime** Member! ****This offer is** ***only** **available May 25 – June 30, 2026.** [Learn More About Lifetime Membership! ](https://thechocolatelife.com/25th-anniversary-lifetime-membership-offer/) --- **4️⃣ NW Chocolate Festival/Chocolate Alliance Awards (US)** [The Northwest Chocolate Festival![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/icon/favicon-58582094-0732-4ba3-9d6c-5a155931f3f2.png)DEI Creative in Seattle, WA](https://www.nwchocolate.com/?ref=thechocolatelife.com) The festival website. The [Chocolate Alliance website](http://chocolatealliance.com/?ref=thechocolatelife.com). [Some 2024 winners](https://www.instagram.com/p/C8NqpPWS1wj/?utm%5Fsource=ig%5Fweb%5Fcopy%5Flink&igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==) (IG). [Awards | The Northwest Chocolate Festival![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/icon/favicon-c2ca7cc9-c14a-407e-aae3-0cebbe9c9d36.png)The Northwest Chocolate FestivalDEI Creative in Seattle, WA](https://www.nwchocolate.com/awards/?ref=thechocolatelife.com) WTaF? [Awards | The Northwest Chocolate Festival![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/icon/favicon-b8fb8717-0d8b-4bba-b5ae-46f0a9a998f6.png)The Northwest Chocolate FestivalDEI Creative in Seattle, WA![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/thumbnail/wayback-toolbar-logo-200-35ddb65d-1529-4683-8c86-12b891d3848a.png)](https://web.archive.org/web/20231209060456/https://www.nwchocolate.com/awards/) NWCF awards on the Wayback Machine on archive.org 5️⃣ **AVPA (FR)** [AVPA Paris Contest: Chocolates processed at the originConcours International de Chocolats élaborés à l’origine![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/icon/58172f_5a45174d2504421ebabd4924c122042c-mv2_d_3070_3070_s_4_2-a7d4bbca-c728-48f4-aace-8507b86e5ba0.png)AVPA.FR![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/thumbnail/58172f_832e66a35c60477081e8936ef84a977d-mv2-1f8a248e-0e59-4999-830b-1a8747e8bc82.png)](https://en.avpa.fr/chocolats?ref=thechocolatelife.com) 6️⃣ **The Craft Chocolat Challenge (US)** [HOME | Craft Chocolat Chall![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/icon/pfavico-efe72ad3-ea20-4ca7-949c-0d04b36b5b29.ico)Craft Chocolat Chall![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/thumbnail/d859b8_6689e5152b54465b8e555c44603ded25-mv2-2d2878a5-f568-4624-b00a-9700ad3776ec.jpg)](https://www.craftchocolatchallenge.com/?ref=thechocolatelife.com) [Wayback Machine![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/icon/archive-e5dd0377-f23e-40ea-83ba-112dcb8363fe.ico)![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/thumbnail/etree-5ac058c2-b62c-4a9c-aac8-0e2e86c30b4e)](https://web.archive.org/web/20260000000000%2A/https://www.craftchocolatchallenge.com/) Craft Chocolat Challenge results [Beanstalkr | Craft chocolate directory and reviews – Somewhere to talk beans and find your next chocolate bar![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Beanstalkr-Logo![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/thumbnail/Beanstalkr-Logo-03d59440-9d99-4e78-9e35-89888c39dfef.png)](https://beanstalkr.com/?ref=thechocolatelife.com) The judging platform for the CCC. --- ### **Future Episodes** 🗓️ None scheduled at the time of publication. --- ### **Episode Hashtags** #cocoa #cacao #cacau #chocolate #chocolat #PodSaveChoc #PSC #LaVidaCocoa #TheChocolateLife --- ### **#PodSaveChocolate and #TheChocolateLifeLIVE Archives** **To read an archived post** and find the links to watch archived episodes, click on one of the bookmark cards below. 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