Can you imagine a world without chocolate? No? But will it always be available and what are the challenges the makers face today? And did you know, just like wine, the taste of your chocolate varies depending on where the cocoa comes from? You can learn about all of this at Chocolate Festival. Chocoa Festival is the place where you learn the process from bean to bar, discover the wide variety of flavours in good cocoa and better chocolate, taste many food pairings while being guided by your favourite chocolate makers.

A two day Chocolate Festival in the heart of Amsterdam! Tasting, enjoying and discovering new flavours with wine, coffee and craft beer at the more than 85 stands. Take a journey through the cocoa chain and learn how chocolate is being made from bean to bar. A full day programme of tastings and presentations given by experts.

Learn everything you have ever wanted to know about the magical world of chocolate:

* Meet the renowned chocolate makers and experts
* Experience sustainable chocolate at a beautiful location in Amsterdam
* Taste many chocolates by top patissiers and chocolatiers
* Check out live to see Cooking Shows with chocolate by Bakery Institute
* Bring your children along to the Kids Corner where they can make their own chocolate bar in a workshop, listen to storytelling and do some fun chocolate painting!
* Combine liquor and food pairings with chocolate in a tasting
* Understand developments of sustainable production for large consumer brands
* Learn about the cocoa chain; from tree to bar
* See the trends and developments in chocolate
* Join the debate on sustainable cocoa and chocolate (Saturday)

De Grote Chocoladewijzer (Saturday February 23rd, 14:00-15:45)

Every now and then, stories appear in the media reports about how there will be no more chocolate in the future. The articles, with ominous titles such as ‘The world is running out of cocoa’, are read and shared by thousands of people and cause slight panic among chocolate lovers around the world. Climate change, fluctuations in the price of cocoa, the increasing demand for cocoa in Asia and the high age of cocoa farmers in West Africa, where about 75% of all cocoa is produced, are mentioned as causes of a possible shortage of cocoa in the future, but how much of this is true? And should we really worry about our beloved chocolate? Cocoa experts with different backgrounds will give their side of the story during the Grote Chocoladewijzer and separate the myths from the facts. The Grote Chocoladewijzer will be in Dutch only.

Hot Chocolate Awards

For the second time, six chocolatemakers will be competing, this time for the title “Best Hot Chocolate of the Netherlands 2019”. During Chocoa 2018, the public and the board of judges voted, with Macao Movement winning the title of “Best Hot Chocolate of the Netherlands 2018”. Thank you all for tasting and voting during the Awards! Click here for a video featuring the Hot Chocolate Awards

2019 Festival exhibitors

Amazing Cacao (Russia) – Angelina Chocolate (Poland) – Arvicacao (Spain) – Auro Chocolate (Philippines) – Benns Chocolate (Malaysia) – Bovetti Chocolade (Netherlands) –  Cacao Betulia (Colombia) – CaramelZ (Netherlands) – Chocoladebikkels (Netherlands) Chocolate de la Villa Real (Mexico) – Chocoladeverkopers (Netherlands) – Chocolate Explorers (Netherlands) – Chocolate Tree (Scotland) – Chocolatemakers (Netherlands) – ClearChox (Netherlands) – Cocoa Town (India) – Dandelion Chocolate (USA) – Diamond Custom Machines Corp (USA) – Jackie’s Chocolate (Netherlands) – Malmö Chokladfabrik (Sweden) – Mascacao S.A.C (Peru) – Metropolitan (Netherlands) – Moulinet Chocolat (Philipines) – Munaskao (Peru) –  Nemisto (Netherlands) – Patisserie Linnick (Netherlands) – Romance Chocolate (Belgium) – San Jose Chocolate (Ecuador) – Soklet (India) – Tobago Cocoa Estate (Sweden) – Vietnam Cacao Company (Vietnam) – Zoto/Ricolto (Belgium / DR Congo)

Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for updates and inspiration.