Three homegrown Indian chocolate brands have won big at the prestigious Academy Of Chocolate Awards UK 2024. The results, which came out earlier this week, announced 17 accolades in total for Indian chocolate products. The brands that won were Paul and Mike, Bon Fiction and Manam Chocolate. Paul and Mike is based in Kerala, Bon Fiction in Andhra Pradesh and Manam Chocolate in Hyderabad. The three brands work to champion Indian cacao in various ways and have won several awards on the global stage in the past too. Find out which specific creations won recognition below:
Which Indian Chocolates Were Awarded This Year?
At the Academy Of Chocolate Awards UK 2024, Paul and Mike won silver for its 'Brunost Cheese Fine Milk Chocolate' and bronze for 'Rum & Rummy Raisins Mild Dark Chocolate.' Bon Fiction won four accolades: a gold for 'A Rose in Pistachio Skies,' silver for its '7 Assorted Bars Gift Pack,' and bronze for its '82% Dark Drinking Chocolate' and 'The Mango Menace.'
Manam Chocolate won three silver awards for its 'Chocolate Lab Tablet No. 2 - Pedda Rasalu Mango', 'Chocolate Lab Tablet No. 3 - Chakkarakeli Banana', and 'Indian Origin Tablet No. 6 - 66% Dark.' It won bronze awards for eight of its chocolates, namely 'Indian Origin Tablet No. 5 - 80% Dark', 'Indian Origin Tablet No. 7 - 69% Dark', 'Indian Origin Tablet No. 8 - 100% Dark', 'International Origin Tablet No. 14 - 80% Dark', 'Hazelnut & Cardamom Praline', 'Toasted Hazelnut & Cardamom Bonbon', and '45% Milk Chocolate x Yuzu-Scented Caramel Ganache.'
Also Read: 11 Times Indian Food Shone Globally In 2024: A Year In Review
Manam Chocolate took to Instagram to announce the news and stated, "It's important to reiterate that these awards don't celebrate the triumph of a single person, but rather, they belong to everyone at Manam-the farmers, the fermenters, the chocolate-makers and the chocolatiers. It's their ability to grow, harvest, ferment, refine and express cacao into delicious Indian Craft Chocolate, that makes this recognition possible. And together, we continue to carve a new identity for Indian chocolate on the global stage, showcasing the excellence of Indian craftsmanship."
Earlier this year, Manam Chocolate Karkhana [a factory and experience centre] received global recognition in a different way. It was one of two Indian establishments to be named among TIME magazine's 'World's Greatest Places' for 2024 (more details here). Some time ago, Paul and Mike also made headlines when it became the first Indian brand to win a Gold at the prestigious International Chocolate Awards. It won the award for its 'Milk Chocolate Coated Salted Capers' (read more here).
The three brands (including Bon Fiction) also won multiple accolades at last year's edition of the Academy Of Chocolate Awards UK. Click here to know more.