Helmut Melzer
The verdict after enjoying a total of 20 different chocolates is clear: organic and fairly traded chocolate is actually in no way inferior to conventional sweets. But on the contrary. And you don't even have to dig deeper into your pocket. So, why buy “normal” chocolate at all, if at the same time it protects the environment and workers on cocoa plantations are fairly rewarded and treated?
Perfect products
For several years now, Option has been looking for the perfect products - also in terms of ecology and ethics. While we were mostly disappointed in previous tests of other product areas, we find that chocolate does exist. Because all of our test candidates from eleven manufacturers consist of ingredients from organic agriculture, the ingredients of 15 of the 20 products were even traded fairly. And environmentally friendly materials were also used for the packaging.
Even if you can't really speak of health with chocolate: All the bars we tested do without refined, industrially processed sugar, but are alternatives, mainly with cane sugar, but also coconut blossom sugar and agave syrup. A small but special group is made up of vegan or raw chocolates. Of course, just like with dark chocolate, you have to like that. Tastes are different.
Apart from the evaluation with points, we asked a particularly interesting question after the test: Which chocolate would you really buy? The conclusion: Each of the jury members had at least five favorites, which will soon actually end up in the shopping cart.
The big winners
Even if all tested brands are recommendable, there were two particularly clear favorites: Confiserie Berger from Lofer, Salzburg and Landgarten from Bruck an der Leitha, Lower Austria. The former started with the varieties of almond nougart and Elisenlebkuchen whole milk and will delight even the most demanding chocolate lover. At Landgarten, the concept of chocolate drops with real fruit was convincing.
Quite surprisingly for everyone involved, the bittersweet participants also found great approval and were even able to claim fourth and fifth place - even though no jury member is a bittersweet fan.
Use organic & fair trade when buying
Our conclusion: stay away from conventional chocolates with their sometimes even questionable ingredients or the criticized palm oil. Find your own favorite at Bio and Fairtrade and exert consumer pressure. The chocolate area has the potential to turn things around.
The best chocolate: the test winners
This is how we tested
In a blind tasting, our test group - consisting of six adults and one child - each received a piece of a total of 20 chocolates from eleven manufacturers, sorted according to the categories of whole milk, dark chocolate and vegan or raw. The evaluation was based on taste only, 1-10 points were awarded. Despite our rating, we don't want to rank the chocolates because everyone will surely find fans. But: You can't argue about taste. We have therefore decided to recommend our favorites in the respective categories without ranking. All chocolate candidates were organic, most of them also traded fairly. The numbers in the picture refer to the order in the test.
OVERALL WINNER: Berger, almond nougart
Top marks for Berger: A poem made of chocolate, melting smoothly and with a fine filling. Salzburgers score with sensational taste, organic and fair trade ingredients, as well as elegant packaging made from sustainable material. It couldn't be better! Cocoa content 35%
The best whole milk chocolate
Landgarten, three kinds of chocolate berries
The Lower Austrians delight with fine chocolate and real fruits, exclusively in organic & fair trade. The drops, which are almost addicting, are available in various chocolate and fruit variations in 50 gram bags.
Cocoa content 37%
Yes, of course, whole milk hazelnut
This whole milk chocolate with whole nuts from the brand Yes of course comes from the Swiss manufacture Chocolat Bernrain in Kreuzlingen! Particularly tender and wonderfully nutty, organic & fair trade - what more could your heart want?
Cocoa content 36%
The best dark chocolate
Landgarten, dark raspberry
Landgarten, the second: For the Options jury one of the best dark chocolate ever - in a tried and tested combination with dried, real fruit in the core. A real treat for every chocolate lover - with a balanced cocoa content of 62 percent.
EZA, Mascao Pomegranate Dark
Dreifaltigkeit Bio, directly fair traded & EZA can compete with any chocolate competitor, spoils you with fine pieces of pomegranate and is also vegan, gluten and GMO-free. Made in Switzerland with 60 percent cocoa.
Chocolate, Orange Cocoa
The award-winning Viennese chocolate from Thomas Kovazh is a hand-made delicacy with a fine hint of orange and cocoa chips. The chocolate is organic, the cocoa is obtained directly from a farmers' cooperative in Peru. Schokov also offers exotic chocolate creations. Cocoa: 70%
The best non-profit chocolate
Plant for the Planet
A special recommendation: Classic milk chocolate with a noble note is actually an NGO initiative that was founded in 2007 by Felix, then nine years old, against climate change. A tree is being planted for three panels in Mexico, for example, and thus directly promoting the global climate!
The best vegan chocolate
Vegan, White Roasted Almond vegan
The German brand Veganz has succeeded in producing this delicious alternative on an almond basis, certified vegan and from organic farming. A fine white, very sweet chocolate with crunchy almond chips and a wonderful hint of vanilla, made in Switzerland.
By the way: Why actually Fairtrade chocolate? Here's the answer.
Photo / Video: Shutterstock, Option, Manufacturers.
