TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s chocolate producers scored seven gold, 26 silver, and five bronze medals at the International Chocolate Awards’ (ICA) World Final Competition on Monday (Nov. 18) in Guatemala.

Describing the experience as “rather meaningful,” Warren Hsu (許華仁), founder of Fu Wan Chocolate, praised the “god of cacao” for taking care of Taiwan. “I hope that everyone can be like us and cherish the gift the god of cacao has given to Taiwan,” added Hsu.

Established in 2017 in Pingtung County, Fu Wan Chocolate was the biggest winner among its Taiwanese peers at this year’s chocolate competition. It took five gold, 19 silver, and four bronze prizes in categories ranging from dark to flavored chocolate.

Fu Wan Chocolate won Best Dark Chocolate Overall Winner, and took the gold medal in the plain/origin dark chocolate bar category with its 62 percent Taiwan No.1 Chocolate. Other entries that clinched gold included the 62 percent Taiwan Magao Chocolate, and 62 percent Taiwan Tie-Guan-Yin Tea Chocolate.

Hsu said the awards show the quality of Taiwan cacao and its processing capabilities. Pingtung County Magistrate Pan Men-an (潘孟安) congratulated Fu Wan Chocolate via Facebook, saying he was very proud of local chocolate producers who have overcome considerable challenges to become champions at world competitions.

Another Pingtung chocolatier, Zeng Zhi-yuan (曾志元), collected two gold, six silver, and one bronze medals at the ICA final competition. One of his entries, featuring the biennial plant greater burdock, also produced in Pingtung, amazed the jury and eventually won silver in the category of dark chocolate bars with an infusion or flavoring.

Founded in 2012, ICA is run by a group of independent international partners based in the U.K., Italy and the U.S. that annually select the best chocolate and cacao. The aim is to help chocolate makers, chocolatiers, and cacao farmers produce the world’s finest products.