A Combined Ranking Inspired by the International Chocolate Awards and the Great Taste Awards

What Defines the Best Chocolate in 2024?

When it comes to answering “What is the best chocolate in the world?”, 2024 gave us remarkable clarity. From Norway to Peru, Canada to the United States, the International Chocolate Awards (ICA) crowned winners that pushed the boundaries of craft chocolate. Alongside them, the Great Taste Awards (GTA) highlighted bars and confections that delighted culinary judges worldwide.

Together, these competitions revealed that chocolate excellence is no longer confined to traditional hubs — it’s a truly global conversation.

The Competitions Behind the Rankings

International Chocolate Awards (ICA)

Founded in 2012, the ICA remains the world’s leading fine chocolate competition. Through blind tastings conducted by international experts, each product receives both medals (Gold, Silver, Bronze) and numerical scores (0–100).

This numerical scale allows precise comparisons across years and regions, creating a benchmark that chocolate lovers and makers rely on.

Great Taste Awards (GTA)

Since 1994, the GTA has crowned fine foods — from cheese to coffee to chocolate — with its sought-after stars. The judging is blind and rigorous, making the award a reliable signal of excellence.

For chocolate, the GTA star system translates to:

• ★★★ Three Stars = Extraordinary (converted to 91 points)

• ★★ Two Stars = Outstanding (90 points)

• ★ One Star = Simply delicious (89 points)

Our Combined Ranking System

To unify the picture, GTA ratings are translated into ICA-style scores. Products that excel at both ICA and GTA receive a +1 bonus point, highlighting those that combine technical mastery with broad consumer appeal.

The 2024 Highlights: Gold Medalists & 3-Star Stars

2024 was a year of bold creativity, terroir expression, and cross-cultural innovation. Here are the standouts.

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Norway – Vigdis Rosenkilde’s Ascendancy

• Quellouno 70%
  World’s Best Dark Chocolate 2024 (ICA)
  Notes: Balanced, elegant, with floral aromatics and earthy undertones. A bar that captures the magic of Peruvian Quellouno cacao.

• Piura with Cacao Nibs 70%
  World’s Best Dark Chocolate with Inclusions 2024 (ICA)
  Notes: Crunchy nibs layered into fruity Piura cacao, delivering texture and brightness in every bite.

Norway’s Vigdis Rosenkilde cemented her reputation as one of the most innovative small-scale makers in the world, proving that northern Europe is now a hotbed of fine chocolate excellence.

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Canada – Kasama’s Creative Playfulness

• Strawberry White
  World’s Best White Chocolate 2024 (ICA)
  Notes: Juicy strawberry brightness folded into creamy white chocolate. Playful yet refined, a bar that challenges preconceptions of white chocolate.

Kasama showed how Canadian makers are redefining categories through inventive inclusions and bold design.

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United States – Goodnow Farms and Sleep Walk Innovate

• Goodnow Farms – Asochivite with Maple
  World’s Best Chocolate with Alternative Ingredients 2024 (ICA)
  Notes: Smooth Guatemalan cacao paired with Vermont maple syrup. A bridge between New England flavors and Central American terroir.

• Sleep Walk Chocolateria – Miel y Chiltepe
  World’s Best Chocolate with Filling 2024 (ICA)
  Notes: A daring blend of honey sweetness and Guatemalan chili spice, creating a layered flavor journey.

The U.S. craft scene continued its tradition of bold experimentation, introducing flavors that stretched the boundaries of fine chocolate.

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Peru – Terroir as Heritage

• Piura Select – Cacaosuyo
  While not a new winner in 2024, Piura continued to dominate as one of the most awarded origins in global competitions. Its citrusy brightness and floral qualities reinforced Peru’s reputation as the world’s most dynamic cacao source.

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Great Taste Awards 2024 – Chocolate Stars

The GTA added depth to the year’s picture. Among the highlights:

• Several ★★★ (91+) chocolates, confirming that world-class chocolate is not just technically excellent but also universally delicious.

• Products recognized at both ICA and GTA earned combined scores above 92, placing them in the very top tier of global recognition.

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Regional Stories Behind the Winners

Europe’s Continued Mastery

Europe’s heritage was visible in refinement and technical precision, but 2024 also saw a push toward transparency, vegan formulations, and origin purity. Norway, in particular, surprised the global scene with Vigdis Rosenkilde’s double wins.

North America’s Creative Edge

From Kasama’s playful Strawberry White to Goodnow’s maple-infused bars, North American makers proved they thrive on creativity, inclusions, and storytelling.

Latin America’s Roots

Though 2025 would see a bigger resurgence, 2024 already highlighted the importance of Latin American cacao, with Peru and Guatemala showing exceptional quality.

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Why Combined Rankings Matter

2024 demonstrated why combining ICA and GTA is essential:

• ICA ensures technical rigor and a global chocolate standard.

• GTA reflects wider culinary judgment and consumer delight.

• Combined scoring highlights products that impress both expert judges and broad panels of food lovers.

For example:

• Kasama Strawberry White (ICA 91.7 + GTA ★★★) would adjust upward, placing it among the year’s absolute best.

• Vigdis Rosenkilde Quellouno 70%, already ICA’s top dark chocolate, gained even greater stature when paired with consumer acclaim.

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Trends in Chocolate 2024

1. Flavored White Chocolate – Once dismissed, it emerged as a creative playground for top makers.

2. Alternative Sweeteners – Maple and other natural sweeteners gained prominence.

3. Spice & Savory Inclusions – Chili, honey, and even onion moved chocolate closer to the culinary arts.

4. Nordic Innovation – Norway became a rising leader, challenging long-standing European giants.

5. Origin Transparency – Labels like Piura, Quellouno, and Asochivite became shorthand for quality.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Which chocolate was the absolute best in 2024?
A: ICA crowned Vigdis Rosenkilde’s Quellouno 70% as World’s Best Dark Chocolate, making it the year’s defining bar.

Q: Were white chocolates recognized seriously in 2024?
A: Yes — Kasama’s Strawberry White became a benchmark, winning World’s Best White Chocolate.

Q: Why include the Great Taste Awards in the ranking?
A: GTA stars ensure recognition goes beyond technical panels, reflecting broader culinary appreciation.

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Conclusion: A Landmark Year for Global Chocolate

2024 was the year craft chocolate fully proved its international character. From Vigdis Rosenkilde’s Scandinavian elegance to Kasama’s playful Canadian white chocolate, from Goodnow’s maple infusion to Sleep Walk’s spicy Guatemalan filling, the winners told a story of diversity and daring.

The combined ICA + GTA lens revealed that the best chocolate in 2024 was not about one style or one region — it was about the meeting of tradition and creativity across continents.

If 2024 taught us anything, it is this: the future of fine chocolate is global, innovative, and unafraid to break boundaries.