Richard Butler | Exclusive Report by Vanuatu Business Review | June 28th, 2021
Aelan Chocolate Makers participated to the 1st Chocolates elaborated at Origin International Contest organized by the Agency for the Valorization of Agricultural Products (AVPA) in Paris, France.
The Agency for the Valorization of Agricultural Products, AVPA, is a non-governmental, non-profit organization, mainly composed of producers and taste enthusiasts.
The association’s goal is to enhance the value of agricultural products and to recognize the excellence of certain producers too often forgotten in the midst of mass marketing.
AVPA gathers in its offices a selection of exceptional products, winners of its competition, on which the services it offers are based.
A team of sensible and sensitive professionals regularly collaborate in its activities and allows it to bring together larger networks, all in the spirit of supporting the promotion of exceptional products.
More than 180 participants entered the contest from more than 40 countries producing cocoa from around the world and Aelan Chocolate Makers from Vanuatu was one of two participants with Alouss from Australia representing the South Pacific, who won awards.
Aelan Chocolate Makers won three awards in different categories:
– Gourmet Bronze Medal for Aelan 70% dark chocolate with cocoa nibs (category fancy chocolate with seeds and nuts)
– Gourmet Medal for Aelan 70% dark chocolate Origin Malekula (category dark chocolate without adjuvant or aditivr except sugar)
– Gourmet Medal for Aelan 70% dark chocolate with coconut (category fancy chocolate with fruits)
Those awards added to the long list of awards already received by Aelan Chocolate Makers and ACTIV Association with:
– 2017 : Cocoa of Excellence Awards for BEST 50 COCOA PRODUCERS IN THE WORLD for M. Naki for Malekula origin and M. Lui for Malo origin with ACTIV Association
– 2017 : International Chocolate Awards – New Zealand
– SILVER Medal Best Dark Chocolate – Aelan Chocolate 70% Malekula origin
– SILVER Medal Best Dark Chocolate – Aelan Chocolate 70% Malo origin
– SILVER Medal Best Dark Chocolate – Aelan Chocolate 70% Santo origin
– BRONZE Medal Best Dark Chocolate – Aelan Chocolate 70% Epi origin
– 2018 : International Chocolate Salon and Artisan Chocolate Awards– San Francisco USA
– GOLD Medal Best Vegan Chocolate – Aelan Chocolate 70% Malekula Origin
– GOLD Medal Best Vegan Chocolate – Aelan Chocolate 70% Malo Origin
– SILVER Medal Best Taste & Top Vegan chocolate – Aelan Chocolate 70% Malo Origin
– SILVER Medal Best dark Chocolate & Top Vegan chocolate – Aelan Chocolate 70% Epi Origin
– BRONZE Medal Best Texture – Aelan Chocolate 70% Malo Origin
– SILVER Medal Top Spicy Chocolate – Aelan Chocolate 70% dark chocolate with Chili pepper
These awards are the results of the long lasting work since 2010 and cooperation with the cocoa producers from the islands of the archipelago of Vanuatu (Epi, Malo ,Aore, Santo and Malekula) with ACTIV Association and our international partners from ACIAR (Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research) to develop products of Excellence with the small-scale producers and communities of the archipelago of Vanuatu and improve their livelihoods.
ACTIV Association and ACIAR are now preparing the 1st South Pacific Cocoa of Excellence competition to promote the cocoa producers from the South Pacific (Solomon Isl, Vanuatu, Fiji, Samoa and Australia).
This contest was organized following the lockdown of our region to assist the cocoa producers finding niche markets in Australia and the region for high quality fine flavor cocoa beans.
The samples will be judged by a committee of International cocoa and chocolate professionals and results will be announced in October 2021.
We can discover and enjoy Aelan Chocolate bars with other chocolate and local products creations at the Aelan Café located at the Olympic building on Lini Hi.
