The winter chocolate season begins in October when the Northwest Chocolate Festival takes place in Seattle. It is not hyperbole to say it's one of the top chocolate festivals in the world. The first festival celebrating the bean-to-bar chocolate movement, it began when you could count the number of craft chocolate makers on one hand. I remember its early days in the Northwest Rooms at the Seattle Center, a dated building from the 1962 Seattle World's Fair, where chocolate makers and chocolatiers set up their wares on folding tables in a handful of rooms that might make up one aisle at today's festival. NW Chocolate has come a long way since then, filling the convention floor at the Meydenbauer Center in Bellevue, a suburb of Seattle that is becoming a city in its own right.
Building Community: Connecting Chocolate Enthusiasts
This year's festival was particularly memorable because it was the first time members of The Chocolate Explorers Club planned their festival visits together and met in person. A group of members gathered on Zoom in advance of the festival to share strategies, tips and tricks for getting the most out of this weekend-long event. You may be asking yourself, "Strategies? For a chocolate festival?". Yes! If you've ever attended a trade show of any kind, you know that you get more out of it if you plan in advance. Without advance planning, you might overlook an exhibitor you would have enjoyed or arrive at a booth after a popular maker has sold out of chocolate or miss a speaker you wanted to hear. There are so many chocolate exhibitors and so many great speakers that there's a lot to enjoy - and a lot you might miss without good planning.
Club members attended from all corners of the US, including Pennsylvania, Colorado, California and, of course, Washington. It was great to see so many members in person, some for the first time.
Sustainable Sourcing and Bean-to-Bar Craftsmanship on Display
The festival showcased many makers committed to ethical sourcing who proudly shared their direct relationships with cacao farmers who use sustainable farming practices. These connections ensure quality while supporting fair compensation throughout the supply chain. Bean-to-bar craftsmanship was on full display, with makers discussing fermentation techniques, conching times, and the nuanced flavor profiles of single-origin cacao. Extensive sampling offered festival-goers a taste of how processing methods affect flavor complexity.
I was pleasantly surprised by the number of international exhibitors given the difficulties of travel and tariffs. While there were notable absences, there were plenty of new makers to keep my palate buzzing with interesting chocolates to taste. I discovered makers such as Lucid Chocolatier from New Zealand and Semilla Chocolate from Nicaragua, each of them offering chocolate bars not found in the US. These small-batch producers craft flavorful single-origin chocolates that are worth a spot in any discerning chocolate collection.
What were some of my favorites? I love bean-to-bar chocolate and confections, so my list of favorites includes both. I'll list a few here, but this is by no means exhaustive. There were many great chocolate makers in attendance!
A few International Chocolate Makers Worth Discovering
- Chocolate Naive from Lithuania, a chocolate we featured in August
- Ara Chocolat from Paris
- Fu Wan Chocolate from Taiwan
- Kasama Chocolate from British Columbia
- Lucid Chocolatier from New Zealand
- Semilla Chocolate from Nicaragua
- Baiani Chocolate from Brazil
- Kairi Chocolate from Trinidad
- Fruition Chocolate from Shokan, NY
- Allelon Chocolate from Seattle
- Melissa Coppel, a renowned chocolatier from Las Vegas who makes amazing confections and is truly a mensch
Behind the Judging: Selecting the Festival's Best in Show
I also had the pleasure of participating in a panel of judges who gathered for a blind tasting to determine which twelve chocolates submitted by exhibitors would be awarded "Best in Show". It was an incredible group of international women that included a who's-who of craft chocolate cognoscenti such as Marciel Presilla and Chloe Doutre-Roussel. We had so much fun judging together that I hope we'll repeat it again next year.
Insider Strategies for Maximizing Your Chocolate Festival Experience
Here are the top 5 insider strategies for getting the most from the Northwest Chocolate Festival.
- Purchase an early-entry ticket that allows you to enter at 9am before the general admission ticket holders arrive at 11am. Early admittance means you have quality time to talk to chocolate makers before it gets crowded.
- Review the list of exhibitors a few days before the event. Make a list of the exhibitors you want to visit and go to their booths first.
- Choose the speakers you want to hear in advance. Speakers may overlap on the schedule, so make a prioritized list.
- Pack a savory lunch. If you want to maximize your time, bring a lunch and enjoy it on site so you don't have to leave and come back.
- Bring a refillable water bottle.
Join Our Chocolate Journey: Experience Future Festivals Together
The Northwest Chocolate Festival may last only a weekend, but your chocolate exploration doesn't have to end when the event closes. As members of The Chocolate Explorers Club, we connect year-round through virtual tastings, maker conversations, and our monthly curated selections featuring artisans like the ones highlighted in this post. Our community brings together passionate chocolate lovers who share tips, tasting notes, and experiences - just as we did when planning this festival visit. Ready to deepen your chocolate knowledge, discover rare bean-to-bar makers, and join a community that understands your appreciation for craft chocolate? Become a member today and transform your chocolate experience from occasional indulgence to an ongoing journey of discovery. Your next delicious chocolate moment is just a membership away.
