On November 29, I traveled from Medellín to Bogotá just to attend the International Chocolate Awards Colombia 2024, one of the most important award ceremonies in the world.
For those of us who work with Colombian fine flavor cacao, these awards are nothing less than the Nobel Prizes of Chocolate: the highest recognition of excellence in artisan chocolate, technique, origin, and flavor.
This year, during the Choco Show at Corferias, I had the honor of experiencing something unforgettable:
Magno Chocolates received three awards — a milestone for our brand and for Colombian cacao.
🥥 1. Coconut Cookie — Two awards and a story born of the Caribbean
Our Coconut Cookie bar, made with 70% dark chocolate from Cauca, won a bronze medal along with a special recognition for Best Reinterpretation of a Traditional Colombian Recipe.
This bar is a tribute to the Caribbean cocada:
a chewy, toffee-like blend of homemade cookie and coconut panela candy, with little caramelized pieces that bring back childhood, the beach, tradition.
I've lived in Cartagena for the past 5 years, so this recipe is deeply personal to me.
I wanted to bring the cocada — a symbol of the Caribbean — into a premium single-origin chocolate bar, creating an experience that weaves together technique, memory, and territory.
The most moving moment came when Maricel Presilla, co-founder of the International Chocolate Awards, traveled from the United States and handed me the award in person.
As she gave it to me, she said:
“Nataly, to me, this bar deserved a gold.”
Her words stayed with me.
So much so that in 2026 we'll be entering this bar in the international round of the competition.
🍯 2. Gulupa & Honey Bonbon — Silver medal
The third recognition went to one of the bonbons from our ORIGEN edition — a tasting box that celebrates our land through Colombian chocolate and specialty coffee.
The award-winning bonbon combines:
• Arauca 70% chocolate, a fine cacao known for its deep, floral notes.
• Gulupa, a Colombian tropical fruit with a perfect balance of sweetness and acidity.
• Honey from the dry forest of La Guajira, which lends a warmth all its own.
With this blend, the bonbon earned a silver medal, standing out among the best premium chocolate bonbons in Colombia.
🤎 What do these awards mean for Magno Chocolates?
These recognitions are more than medals.
They're confirmation that Colombian cacao stands among the best in the world — and that brands working with fine, traceable, ethical chocolate can compete with the world's best.
For me as a founder, they represent:
🌿 Our commitment to cacao farmers
We work only with traceable, single-origin cacao, from farms that have mastered fermentation, drying, and roasting.
They are the foundation of every award-winning bar and bonbon.
🍫 The dedication of our team of women
Magno Chocolates is a company founded and run by women.
Every piece — from our 24K gold Gems to our viral bars — is made with precision, artistry, and discipline.
⭐ The strength of Colombian chocolate in the world
Success at the International Chocolate Awards drives us to keep innovating and defending authenticity:
no artificial flavorings, no artificial vanilla — only real ingredients and artisan techniques.
✨ THANK YOU!
Thank you for walking this road with us — one that began eight years ago in my home kitchen and today has us competing among the world's finest chocolates.
Thank you to our team, to the cacao farmers, to the judges who believed in our recipes, and to our community, who inspire us every single day.
This triumph isn't ours alone.
It's a triumph for Colombia — for its cacao, its tradition, and its creativity.
