Recognitions & Awards
Celebrating 10 + Years of Zak's Chocolate
RECOGNITIONS & AWARDS
As we reflect back on 10+ years of Zak’s Chocolate, we are so grateful for all of you who have tried, shared and loved our style of craft chocolate, and who have become our chocolate friends and family. We are also amazed to have been so fortunate to receive recognition for our craft in so many local and national publications. We started to make a list and decided to share that here.
During our initial years in business, we entered several different award competitions in order to see how our creations compared with others and to obtain the Judges’ feedback. We were fortunate to have received award recognition for virtually every item we entered 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. Some of these recognitions are listed as separate entries with links in our News & Video Section, so we did not include links here, it’s just a list.
With so much appreciation, Maureen & Jim
LOCAL COLLABORATIONS
ICONIC COCKTAIL SALTED COCOA NIB MIXER
AZ QUEEN BEE HONEY CHOCOLATE WHIPPED HONEY
NUT SACK NUTS BARKS AND CARAMEL PECAN TURTLES
WeBe COFFEE ROASTERS MOCHA BONBONS, COFFEE BREAK AND LATTE BARS
SHAKE SHACK 3 locations – FROZEN DESERTS 2016- 2020 (then they stopped using local ingredients)
OUR CUSTOM-ROASTED COCOA NIBS HAVE FOUND THEIR WAY INTO DOZENS OF CRAFT BEERS AT:
AZ WILDERNESS BREWING CO
GOLDWATER BREWING CO
WREN HOUSE BREWING CO
ROSES BY THE STAIRS BREWING CO
TOMBSTONE BREWING CO
OHSO BREWING CO
LOCAL RECOGNITION
DEVOUR CULINARY CLASSIC - 20 BEST BITES 2016
AZ CENTRAL – 100 ESSENTIAL RESTAURANTS LIST 2023
PHOENIX NEW TIMES BEST OF PHOENIX: 2015, 2017, 2018, 2021 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
MAGAZINE FEATURES
PHOENIX NEW TIMES PROJECT PHOENIX FEATURE 2016
EDIBLE PHOENIX PROFILE SUMMER 2017
PHX HOME & GARDEN: ETHICAL ENTREPENEURS 2017
PHX HOME & GARDEN: COCOA NIB MIXER 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 FEATURE 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 & 2021
CW 6
AZ 3 TV
AZ DAILY MIX
12 NEWS
DESERT DISH – EXPERIENCE SCOTTSDALE VIDEO FEATURE 2018
FOX TV – MADE IN ARIZONA FEATURE 2020
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
EAT THIS NOT THAT BEST BROWNIES IN AZ 2021
GARDEN & HEALTH MAGAZINE 2021
FOOD & WINE 50 BEST CHOCOLATE MAKERS IN US 2021
FOOD NETWORK – HOW TO BUY CHOCOLATE FOR EATING & BAKING 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
(1) GOOD FOOD AWARD WINNER 2017
(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
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