SAINT LUCIAN CHOCOLATE TOP OF THE CROP IN 2015 ACADEMY OF CHOCOLATE AWARDS

Luxury chocolate brand, Hotel Chocolat, has scooped the most awards at this prestigious world event, two of them for products made exclusively from Saint Lucian cocoa, grown at their own estate in Soufriere as well as from 160 cacao growers across the island.

The Awards, now taking place for the 7th time, are a highly anticipated event in the international chocolate calendar.

This year a record number of entries was received with over 500 products from all over the world.

Judging took an extensive five days and the tasting panel included globally recognised chocolate experts and buyers, pastry chefs, food professionals and food journalists.

Hotel Chocolat was awarded Silver in the “Bean to Bar under 80%” category for their Rabot Estate Single Cote, Bord du Lac 70% cocoa and Bronze in the “Best Flavoured Milk Bar” category for their Saint Lucian 65% Milk Earl Grey.

Hotel Chocolat was the first chocolatier to make single-origin Saint Lucian chocolate in 2007. Prior to this, all the local cocoa beans that made it to market were lost in mixed bulk sales and anonymous chocolate blends.

Saint Lucia’s once-prized variety of Trinitario cocoa was in danger of disappearing into the history of chocolate. If properly fermented, dried, roasted and conched, Saint Lucian beans can produce chocolate with a dazzling array of tasting notes, ranging from classically rich cocoa to black tea and ripe yellow fruit, grassy olive oil and dry red Burgundy.

Philip Buckley, Country Head, Saint Lucia comments:

“A key part of our plan is helping Island Growers to keep farming. By buying their harvests at a good price, we allow farmers to reinvest in their farms, and with technical support and access to higher quality cocoa, it’s a win-win for everyone.”

Today, more than 166 Island Grower partners have joined us, and we couldn’t be prouder that, working with us, their beans now create some of the officially finest chocolate in the world and that our ethical model of cocoa growing has taken hold on the island.