Chocstock, Aotearoa's only chocolate festival for adults, is officially back in business - kicking off this Friday in the capital for three days of cocoa, craft and connection.
The event, hailed as a "chocolate festival for grown-ups", brings together over 25 chocolatiers from Aotearoa, Australia and the Pacific to celebrate artisan, bean-to-bar chocolate and the country's flourishing craft industry.
They will be joined by lauded New Zealand chef Peter Gordon, who is serving as this year's Chocstock ambassador.
On Thursday, AM got a sneak peek at some of the treats that will be on offer this weekend, including an exclusive, Gordon-recipe Wellington Chocolate Factory bar with ingredients from around the Pacific: think coconut and ginger from Fiji, vanilla from Tonga, and cacao from Vanuatu and Samoa.
Then there's the chocolate martini and chocolate oat milk stout by local craft beer experts Double Vision Brewing, which are also exclusive to the festival.
Co-founders Luke Owen-Smith and Matt Williams said Chocstock is a celebration of craft chocolate in Aotearoa and the Pacific, with cacao farmers from the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea even travelling to Wellington for the event.
The festival will allow chocolate connoisseurs to meet the makers, learn about the origins of their favourite bars, and understand more about the burgeoning space. It will also feature special events such as the 'Ultimate Brownie Bake Off', which will see seven local bakers battle it out for the title of best single-origin Pacific brownie.
Meanwhile, Coffee Supreme and Double Vision will also be on deck to showcase how best to pair chocolate with your favourite caffeinated or alcoholic brew.
Chocstock will run from June 21 to June 23, 2024 at Wellington's Harbourside Centre. Tickets are still available from $35.
Watch the video above.
