Overview:
AYITIKA, a Haitian bean-to-bar chocolate model, gained silver and bronze on the 2025 Worldwide Chocolate Awards in the USA. The medals, a part of a rising checklist of worldwide honors, highlight Haiti’s cocoa potential and the corporate’s push into world connoisseur markets.
Haitian bean-to-bar chocolate maker AYITIKA has as soon as once more gained worldwide recognition by successful two medals on the 2025 International Chocolate Awards this summer season in the USA. The awards emphasize Haiti’s function in a regional motion that’s remodeling the worldwide chocolate business.
AYITIKA, Haiti’s main chocolate-producing firm, will obtain its two awards throughout a ceremony scheduled for Sept. 9 as one of many high producers for the Americas – Latin America and the Caribbean area.
AYITIKA’s 65% Darkish Chocolate “JENJANM” earned a silver medal within the Flavored Darkish Chocolate class, whereas its 70% Darkish Chocolate “JAKMEL” took house bronze within the Plain Darkish Chocolate class. Each awards safe AYITIKA’s place among the many main craft chocolate makers within the area and qualify the corporate to advance into this 12 months’s World Remaining, slated for October.
“These final two medals are a robust sign that AYITIKA is heading in the right direction and that our merchandise meet the requirements of excellence demanded by world markets,” Jean Chesnel Jean, founder and CEO of the corporate, stated to The Haitian Instances in an e-mail alternate.
“Your complete spirit of Haiti’s land is mirrored in our merchandise,” Jean stated.
The competitors, organized by the Worldwide Institute of Chocolate and Cacao Tasting (IICCT) and acknowledged because the world’s largest chocolate product contest, is a prestigious occasion in high-end advantageous chocolate.
That is the results of a collective effort the place AYITIKA and rural households mix their experience, diligence, and fervour to introduce connoisseur customers to Haiti’s numerous aromas of cocoa varieties and terroirs. Your complete spirit of Haiti’s land is mirrored in our merchandise.”
Jean Chesnel Jean, Founder and CEO of AYITIKA
Since 2012, it has introduced collectively IICCT professionals and impartial judges expert in tasting and evaluating chocolate.
It’s organized by class, together with producers and artisan chocolatiers, and by area, with regional winners advancing to the “World Remaining.” This summer season’s competitors was judged remotely by a global panel of consultants, highlighting the resurgence of advantageous chocolate-making within the Americas—not simply in the USA and Canada, but in addition in Latin America and the Caribbean, with Colombia, Mexico, Nicaragua and Venezuela successful gold medals.
As soon as regarded primarily as a provider of uncooked cocoa, the Latin American and Caribbean area is now gaining recognition for producing advantageous, artisanal chocolate that displays native cultures and distinctive cocoa varieties.
AYITIKA’s rising assortment of awards
This marks the fifth worldwide medal AYITIKA has gained in 2025 alone, and its seventh general since launching simply three years in the past. Earlier this 12 months, the corporate gained a silver medal on the Chocoa Pageant in Amsterdam and two “Paris Gourmand” medals on the Company for the Valorization of Agricultural Merchandise (AVPA) competitors in June.
Earlier than this 12 months, the southern Haiti-based chocolate firm gained two medal distinctions of excellence on the AVPA Paris worldwide competitors— one in 2022 and one other in 2024, respectively.
The Gourmand-Silver is the second medal for AYITIKA in two consecutive participations
AYITIKA works straight with rural farming households in Haiti, combining fashionable chocolate-making strategies with centuries-old cocoa traditions. Its mission goes past crafting award-winning chocolate: the corporate goals to focus on Haiti’s terroir and convey honest alternatives to farmers.
The worldwide chocolate stage
The Worldwide Chocolate Awards is without doubt one of the most prestigious competitions on the earth for advantageous and craft chocolate. The 2025 Americas version drew entries from throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, together with established names from Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico and Venezuela, in addition to newcomers working with revolutionary flavors like cassava, native herbs and indigenous drinks.
AYITIKA’s recognition amongst these opponents underscores Haiti’s rising presence within the world chocolate market, even because the nation faces challenges with exports, political instability and restricted infrastructure.
“The renaissance of chocolate in Latin America can also be a narrative of cultural pleasure,” organizers famous.
“Makers usually are not solely producing wonderful chocolate but in addition highlighting indigenous traditions, endangered components, and partnerships with native farmers.”
What’s subsequent for AYITIKA
After showcasing its creations at main worldwide occasions, together with the Salon du Chocolat in New York, AYITIKA is making ready for an formidable schedule forward. The corporate plans to showcase its goodies on the Paris Chocolate Present from Oct. 29 to Nov. 3, adopted by the Montreal Chocolate Present from Nov. 18 to 23, earlier than returning to the New York Chocolate Present in March 2026.
Nonetheless, challenges stay. Haiti’s isolation and fragile provide chains make it troublesome for AYITIKA to fulfill rising demand in Europe and North America. The corporate says it’s vigorously working with companions to resolve these obstacles by the tip of the 12 months.
“These medals are a robust sign that AYITIKA is heading in the right direction and that our merchandise meet the requirements of excellence demanded by world markets.”
Jean Chesnel Jean, Founder and CEO of AYITIKA
“We ask our compatriots for a bit of endurance,” the AYITIKA CEO stated. “It is a collective effort that mixes the experience, rigor, and fervour of rural households and our firm. Collectively, we’re exhibiting the world the wealthy variety of Haiti’s cocoa.”
Based mostly in Moreau, a rural neighborhood in Haiti’s southern Torbeck municipality close to Les Cayes— and about 140 miles from Port-au-Prince—AYITIKA follows its “root-to-bar” strategy, which includes full management of the manufacturing course of, from researching native varieties to artisanal cocoa processing.
Since its launch in 2016, the corporate has additionally developed two extra cocoa terroirs, together with one within the Cayes-Jacmel commune of the Southeast Division and the opposite in Baradères, a commune of the Nippes Division. It really works with at the very least 2,700 cocoa producers who’re a part of the farmers’ affiliation “Rasin,” which suggests roots in Creole.
“After a number of years of analysis and experimentation, AYITIKA began making chocolate in 2022,” Jean revealed.
“Since then, it has already earned seven worldwide awards, which demonstrates our experience, dedication, and fervour for high quality.”