Cacao of Excellence 2023

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“Our” award winners

Cacao of Excellence is about the best cocoa beans in the world and ClearChox sells very good chocolates, preferably made in the country of origin. So where the cocoa is grown. You may understand that we are proud that our chocolate makers use very best beans.

Cacao of Excellence is a two-year competition, which started in 2009, organised by Biodiversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture. Countries send in beans, so by no means all cocoa beans participate every time. For example, Soklet won in 2017.

The awards for the 2023 competition were presented at Chocoa in Amsterdam on 8 February 2024.

Gold for Mr Bodie and PURE Chocolate Jamaica

PURE Chocolate sources, exclusively, all cocoa beans from Mister Bodie, a farmer in the John Crow Mountains. The wet beans are fermented and dried by PURE Chocolate itself. And it is this combination of expertise that has meant gold.

For all of PURE Chocolate’s chocolates, click here.

Silver for Koperasi Kerta Semaya Samaniya (KSS) and Georgia Ramon

When Georgia Ramon owner and chocolate maker Phillip Butzmann and his partner Laureen Wunsch visited Bali, they embraced cooperative Kerta Semaya Samaniya. Sadly, a fatal accident took Phillip away from us at the end of 2023, but the business continues. (See ‘Georgia Ramon continues!‘)
At Chocoa, Phillip’s parents Constance and Ralf Butzmann were present to meet KSS representatives. And, of course, they were at the awards ceremony.

The Georgia Ramon Bali 75% bar is made with KSS cocoa.

The parents had opened a donation account for KSS in memory of their son, this instead of flowers at the funeral. More than 15,000 euros was collected and will be handed over to KSS during the upcoming Easter holidays. Ahead of this, two dry houses have already been built. Family Butzmann: “We would like to thank everyone who donated. It helps us to see how beloved our Phillip was.”

Silver for SOFA and Auro

Saloy Organic Farmers Association (SOFA) is the cocoa supplier for Auro. It is a fine example of how a chocolate maker and a cooperative can be strong together. And this is not for the first time. In 2019, cocoa farmer Mang Jose, one of Auro partners, also fell in the awards. Back then, no gold silver or bronze was handed out. He was “simply” among the best 20 then.

Clockwise: Saloy bars from Auro -> president of SOFA: Judith Gabasa -> SOFA members with Team Auro -> Mark Ocampo and Kelly Go from Auro accept the award for SOFA – image: Auro

Silver for Kokoa Kamili – Women’s Lot

Cacao from Tanzanian cooperative Kokoa Kamili is used by Mesjokke in its Swinging Sunrise 72% bar and by Gerogia Ramon in the Tanzania 100%.