Collaborations, Recognitions & Awards
Celebrating 11+ Years of Zak's Chocolate
COLLABORATIONS, RECOGNITIONS & AWARDS
ONGOING LOCAL COLLABORATIONS & LOCAL INGREDIENTS
DANZEISEN DAIRY CREAM since 2015
HAYDEN FLOUR MILLS FLOUR since 2015
AZ QUEEN BEE HONEY - CHOCOLATE BONBONS & CHOCOLATE WHIPPED HONEY since 2015
NUT SACK NUTS - BARKS AND CARAMEL PECAN TURTLES since 2016
ICONIC COCKTAIL CO. - SALTED COCOA NIB MIXER since 2018
CACTUS KELLY - PRICKLY PEAR & BARREL CACTUS SEEDS since 2018
SEESALT - FLEUR DE SEL BARK since 2020
THE LOCAL DONUT - COCOA CRUMB DONUT since 2021
WeBe COFFEE ROASTERS - MOCHA BONBONS, COFFEE BREAK AND LATTE BARS since 2025
WILD HARE DISTILLERY- BOURBON CARAMELS since 2025
OUR CUSTOM-ROASTED COCOA NIBS HAVE FOUND THEIR WAY INTO DOZENS OF CRAFT BEERS AT:
AZ WILDERNESS BREWING CO since 2016
GOLDWATER BREWING CO since 2020
WREN HOUSE BREWING CO since 2021
ROSES BY THE STAIRS BREWING CO since 2022
OHSO BREWING CO 2026
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
SUPER CHUNK SWEETS & TREATS AWARD WINNING CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM (a sweet memeory) 2025 - 2021
SHAKE SHACK 3 locations – FROZEN DESERTS 2016- 2020 (then they stopped using local ingredients)
LOCAL RECOGNITION*
DEVOUR CULINARY CLASSIC - 20 BEST BITES 2016
AZ CENTRAL – 100 ESSENTIAL RESTAURANTS LIST 2023
PHOENIX MAGAZINE BEST OF THE VALLEY 2016 & 2017
PHOENIX NEW TIMES 100 VALLEY TASTEMAKERS 2016
PHOENIX NEW TIMES BROWNIE FLIGHTS ARTICLE 2017
PHOENIX NEW TIMES 50 ESSENTIAL TASTES 2018
PHOENIX NEW TIMES VEGAN OFFERINGS 2019
SCOTTSDALE CULINARY FESTIVAL & WINE AND CHOCOLATE FESTIVAL 2015 - 2019
PHOENIX NEW TIMES BEST OF PHOENIX: 2015, 2017, 2018, 2021 2023
MAGAZINE & NEWSPAPER FEATURES*
AZ CENTRAL - ROSIE ON THE HOUSE 2015
PHOENIX NEW TIMES PROJECT PHOENIX 2016
NORTH SCOTTSDALE LIFESTYLE FEATURE - 2016
EDIBLE PHOENIX PROFILE SUMMER 2017
PHX HOME & GARDEN: ETHICAL ENTREPENEURS 2017
PHX HOME & GARDEN: COCOA NIB MIXER 2018
VOYAGE PHOENIX 2018
SO SCOTTSDALE 2018
PHOENIX MAGAZINE SUMMER SWEETS 2019
IMAGES AZ MAGAZINE 2019
PHOENIX NEW TIMES – CHOCOLATE TASTING 2020
PHOENIX MAGAZINE – COCOA GRILLING RUB 2021
PARADISE VALLEY CITY LIFESTYLE FEATURE 2021
GREEN LIVING MAGAZINE FEATURE 2023
TV & VIDEO FEATURES*
PHOENIX MAGAZINE BEHIND THE SCENES VIDEO 2016
GOLF CHANNEL - GOLF ADVISOR ROUND TRIP SCOTTSDALE 2018
PBS TELEVEVISON FEATURED ON SCI-GIRLS TV SERIES 2018
FOX 10 COREY’S CORNER 2016 & 2022
CW 6 2016
AZ 3 TV 2016
12 NEWS 2015 & 2019
DESERT DISH – EXPERIENCE SCOTTSDALE VIDEO FEATURE 2018
FOX TV – MADE IN ARIZONA FEATURE 2020
AZ DAILY MIX 2018 and 2023
NATIONAL RECOGNITION*
JAMES BEARD FOUNDATION TASTE AMERICA 2016
WEST JET MAGAZINE 2016
WHERE MAGAZINE - FOODIES IN PHOENIX 2016
USA TODAY - TOP 50 CHOCOLATE MAKERS 2018
NY DAILY NEWS - TOP 50 CHOCOLATIERS 2018
AAA VIA MAGAZINE - SPLURGE-WORTHY ARTISANAL CHOCOLATE 2018
CHOCOLATE CONNOISSEUR COVER FEATURE 2018
TRIP SAVVY AWARD 2018
PASSPORT MAGAZINE OCTOBER 2018
USA TODAY - 10 BEST DESSERTS IN SOTTSDALE 2019
CONNECTICUT TRAVEL - SCOTTSDALE FEATURE 2019
EAT THIS NOT THAT - BEST CHOCOLATE IN AZ 2020
WHEN IN YOUR STATE - BEST SCOTTSDALE GOURMET SHOPS 2020
EAT THIS NOT THAT - BEST BROWNIES IN AZ 2021
GARDEN & HEALTH MAGAZINE 2021
CANDY & SNACK TODAY - INCLUSIONS IN CHOCOLATE BARS 2021
FOOD & WINE - 50 BEST CHOCOLATE MAKERS IN US 2021
FOOD NETWORK – HOW TO BUY CHOCOLATE FOR EATING & BAKING 2022
CANDY & SNACK TODAY - WHITE CHOCOALATE IS REAL CHOCOLATE 2022
PBS NEXT AVENUE – OUR ORIGIN STORY FEATURE 2023
WINE SPECTATOR – PHOENIX WINE FEATURE 2023
TASTING TABLE – TOP 17 CHOCOLATIERS IN USA 2023
FROMMER’S GUIDE TO AZ – “A MUST, DON’T MISS!” 2025
SLOW FOOD USA - SNAIL OF APPROVAL 2025
NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL AWARDS FROM 2016 - 2019
During our initial years in business, we entered award competitions to see how our creations compared with others and to obtain Judges’ feedback. We were fortunate to have received award recognition for virtually every item we entered, (21 awards in 4 years) including for several of our dark, milk & white chocolate single-origin bars, bars made with locally roasted coffee, our signature "Simply Chocolate" truffle and our Cacao Nib Caramel, and it helped us to feel comfortable with our own taste instincts.
Due to this, plus the cost of entering and shipping product, we stopped entering these competitions. We figured we didn’t need award stickers on our chocolate bars anymore since we don’t compete for shelf space in someone else’s store.
(1) GOOD FOOD AWARD WINNER 2017 - FIRST ARIZONA WINNER FOR CONFECTIONS
(7) INTERNATIONAL CHOCOLATE AWARDS WINNERS 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
(9) INTERNATIONAL CHOCOLATE SALON WINNERS 2017
(1) CHOCOLATE ALLIANCE (NW CHOCOLATE FESTIVAL) WINNER 2017
(3) ACADEMY OF CHOCOLATE WINNERS 2018
* becasue some have asked: we have not solicited, or paid for, any of these
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