INSIDE: Epic Guide to NZ Chocolate bars. Updated 2024.
Put your hand up if you LOVE chocolate!
Keep your hand up if you’re doing research to find the BEST NZ chocolate bars, and handmade chocolates in New Zealand.
This guide to the best New Zealand Chocolates should help!
Take a look below, and start writing your big list of chocolate from New Zealand to buy (and try) on your next trip!
Disclosure: This article, written by a human (me), without AI input, may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase after clicking on one of these links, we may receive a small commission at NO COST to you. For our Disclosure and Disclaimer statements, and an explanation of our Advertising policy please click here
Image credit: Nathana Rebouças via Unsplash
BEST NZ CHOCOLATE BRANDS!
Correct at time of publication on Roam the Gnome. Please check with venue for updates. We apologise in advance if there have been any changes we are unaware of. All prices in NZ dollars, unless otherwise stated
First up, you’ll find:
- the list of the most popular chocolate brands in New Zealand.
Followed by:
- a list of the famous New Zealand chocolate snacks
- famous NZ chocolate bars and NZ chocolate companies, &
- the best NZ chocolates for gifts and souvenirs
AND finally:
- boutique and handmade chocolatiers, and
- where to visit chocolate factories in New Zealand, and
- a link to more of the best NZ confectionery treats and New Zealand candies!
RELATED: The MONSTER List of New Zealand Souvenirs and Gift Ideas
Most Popular Chocolate Bar in New Zealand? Whittakers Peanut Slab!
Whittakers Original Peanut Slabs are a cultural icon.
This slab of chocolate now comes in:
- Whittakers Coconut Slab (Toasted coconut flavor)
- Almond Gold flavor
- Hokey Pokey milk chocolate flavors too.
If there’s one chocolate to take home, it should be the Peanut Slab.
They are small, so you can fit at least 10 of them in the gaps in your suitcase!
Day made.
(Trip made!)
BEST NEW ZEALAND CHOCOLATE BRANDS
At a glance, these are the best chocolate brands NZ style!
- Whittakers New Zealand
- Purelicious chocolates
- RJ’s
- Pascall chocolates
- Cadbury
- Nestle
- Griffins
Take a look below to find out the popular NZ chocolate brands best sellers!
No.1: Whittakers Chocolate NZ
Let’s start with the obvious choice.
New Zealand’s most loved chocolate.
Whittakers Chocolates are the best known chocolates in New Zealand, and are now the number one New Zealand chocolate brand.
Who can resist?
Definitely NOT New Zealanders!
The Whittakers Creamy Milk Chocolate block is the best seller.
No.1: Whittakers Jelly Tip chocolate
Whittakers Jelly Tip Chocolate block is the most Kiwi of the Kiwi chocolate blocks!
This classic Whittakers block is a reinvention of the classic Kiwi ice-cream and was introduced in 2015.
It’s made from:
- Whittakers White Chocolate made with 28% cocoa butter
- Smooth runny raspberry jelly, and
- 33% cocoa creamy Milk Chocolate.
No.2: Whittakers Hundreds & Thousands chocolate
OMG, it’s fairy bread chocolate!
Whittaker’s chocolates have teamed up with Cookie Bear (and Griffin’s) once again to bring this delicious treat back to the shelves.
Whittaker’s Hundreds and Thousands chocolate is a combo of:
- 28% cocoa butter white chocolate
- crunchy biscuit bits, and
- Hundreds & Thousands sprinkles all through!
It’s a limited edition NZ chocolate, so grab one quick smart.
No.3: MORE of the best Whittakers chocolate flavours
Regular 250gram Whittakers chocolate blocks include these different chocolate flavours:
- Whittakers Dark salted caramel
- Whittakers Creamy caramel
- Whittakers Dark chocolate block with 50% cocoa
- Whittakers Ghana peppermint
- Whittakers Coconut block
- Whittakers Peanut butter chocolate
- Whittakers Fruit and nut, and
- NZ’s favourite flavour, Whittakers Hokey Pokey.
No.4: Whittaker’s Chocolate Artisan Collection
Whittakers more recent additions to their chocolate recipe menu is their range of Artisan chocolate bars. These artisan bars combine the world’s finest cocoa with the most delicious ingredients sourced from New Zealand’s finest artisan producers.
The packaging on these Artisan chocolates make them look way more expensive than they really are. But it’s the flavour combinations that will wow your friends and family.
I bet no one has ever tried anything like it.
Their range of chocolate New Zealand style includes:
- Nelson pear and manuka honey
- Marlborough sea salt and caramel
- Hawkes Bay Black Doris Plum and Roasted almonds
- Fijian Ginger and Kerikeri mandarin in dark chocolate
- West Coast buttermilk caramelised white chocolate
- Wellington roasted supreme coffee dark chocolate
- Buttermilk caramel gingerbread…. and more!
Where to buy Whittakers Chocolate?
Try any of the major supermarkets in New Zealand:
- New World
- PAK’nSAVE
- Fresh Choice
- SuperValue, and
- Countdown
On a budget, or want to buy Whittakers chocolate in bulk?
Check out their online grocery catalogues to find which one has Whittakers chocolates on sale this week.
Then shop there!
READ NOW: Best New Zealand FOOD gifts and souvenirs (and where to buy them!)
No.2: Purelicious Chocolates
New Zealand’s number one souvenir shop wanted to create their own range of chocolate, and so Purelicious was born.
They have cornered the authentic kiwi tastes market with their real fruit filled flowing centres in their chocolate range including:
- Green Kiwifruit milk chocolates
- Golden Kiwifruit chocolates
- Manuka honey chocolates, and
- Feijoa milk chocolates
No.3: Donovans Chocolates
Donovans Chocolates hail from the Waikato region in the the heart of the New Zealand dairy country, the perfect spot to create creamy chocolate.
Donovan’s chocolate combines the best quality Ghanaian cocoa, creamy New Zealand milk (used in milk chocolate) and a unique refining process using European technology with unique kiwi flavors you can’t find anywhere else.
They make Clusters, an Indulgence range, premium chocolate blocks in five unique flavours, fudge confectionery, and a limited edition seasonal collection available from October to January each year.
Try:
- Hokey Pokey or Salted Caramel Pretzels clusters
- New Zealand rocky road clusters or Chocolate peppermint clusters
- Velvety chocolate fudge
- toasted coconut clusters
- fruity feijoa, peanut brittle or Manuka honeycomb chocolate blocks
- Dark Chocolate Ginger Pieces
- Milk Chocolate Turkish Delight
- Peanut Butter Bites
- Dark Chocolate Caramels and
- Dark Chocolate Apricot Nougat
BEST CHOCOLATE SNACKS IN NEW ZEALAND
No.1: NZ Chocolate Fish
A Chocolate Fish is a pink or white marshmallow inner covered in a thin layer of chocolate, and it’s New Zealand’s other best known and loved chocolate snack.
The Cadbury Chocolate Fish is a single NZ chocolate bar in a packet.
The Rainbow confectionery 50gram Big Fish is the other alternative.
If you are fussy about your chocolate, pick the Cadbury bar.
Rainbow confectionary sells a 150gram and 300 gram bag of smaller baby chocolate fish to share.
No.2: Original Pineapple Lumps
Pascall’s are the makers of the Original Pineapple Lumps, the ones that come in the distinctive yellow bag.
You might be tempted, as I was, to pick up some of the cheaper brands of pineapple lumps in the supermarket as they are half the price of the Pascall’s Pineapple Lumps, but don’t.
This is definitely a case of you get what you pay for.
Buy the quality Pineapple Lumps from Pascall Confectionery.
This might just be the best chocolate in NZ.
There is no substitute.
BEST NEW ZEALAND CHOCOLATE BARS & SNACK BAGS
No.1: Cadbury Candy Bars List
These Cadbury chocolate bars are some of the best chocolate in New Zealand for kids, and anyone with a spare $5 note.
The Cadbury chocolate products list in New Zealand include:
No.1: Mighty Perky Nana Lumps
Pseudo pineapple lumps.
Good for the kids!
No.2: Cadbury Pinky Bars
Fluffy marshmallow centre lightly coated in Cadbury Dairy Milk and caramel.
No.3: Cadbury Peppy Chews
Chewy peppermint drowned in chocolate.
Peppermint fans rejoice!
No.4: Moro chocolate bars
Caramel and nougat layered chocolate bar
No.5: Buzz Bar
An original New Zealand favourite.
At 20grams, it’s just a taste and you’ll need two or three to feel like you’ve eaten a real choc bar.
Soft marshmallow topped with caramel and covered in Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate – you can’t go wrong.
No.6: Cadbury Hedgehog
Cadbury released a new 2019 limited edition Cadbury block of chocolate called Cadbury Hedgehog!
It’s dairy milk chocolate with biscuit pieces, toasted coconut and almond pieces.
Yum.
Get it before it goes!
No.2: Nestle NZ chocolate bars
The best chocolate NZ has to offer are:
No.1: Nestle Pixie Caramel Bars
hard caramel covered in rich dark chocolate for an extra long chew!
No.2: Nestle Chokito Bar
Nestle Chokito bar is a chocolate covered chocolate bar containing caramel fudge with crisped rice
No.3: Kiwiland Choc Honeycomb
It’s delicious traditional honeycomb covered in sweet chocolate.
No.4: Candyman Chocolate Orange Fish
Orange fish are orange flavoured Chocolate Fish, that taste a little like Terry’s Chocolate Orange.
They are a strange looking fish, with an orange face and tail!
BOUTIQUE & HANDMADE NEW ZEALAND CHOCOLATE
New Zealand is home to a number of small artisan chocolate producers, mostly husband and wife teams dedicated to their love of the cacao bean.
The New Zealand artisan chocolate scene is highly competitive, so you can be guaranteed that each and every one of these chocolatiers are dedicated to the task.
Look out for these bespoke chocolate brands in New Zealand at local farmers markets (the testing ground that determines whether they have the goods to survive and thrive), local and regional souvenir shops, delis, gourmet food stores, and gift shops.
A number of these chocolatiers are thrilled to offer their products in NZ gift boxes and gourmet hampers too.
Check out their websites below to see if they have a storefront, check opening hours, and how to buy their chocolates.
BEST CHOCOLATE COMPANIES IN NEW ZEALAND
No.1: Hogarth Chocolate Nelson.
Hogarth Chocolate is the passion project of Karl and Marina Hogarth, and in their words “born out of their shared passion for chocolate, craftsmanship and art”
Their Buttered Toast & Sea Salt chocolate was the 2018 Chocolate Award winner.
But the most unique is their Kumara chocolate made from a combo of red, gold and orange kumara crisps, cacao and cocoa butter.
No.2: Solomons Gold chocolate
Solomons Gold chocolate bars are nothing but organic cacao, sourced from the Solomon islands but proudly hand-crafted in New Zealand, and organic coconut sugar.
The only thing extra they add are the natural flavour oils for the Dark Orange, Dark Berry, Dark Mint and Dark Caramel range.
Their chocolate factory is in Mount Maunganui.
No.3: The Remarkable Chocolate Co Auckland
The Remarkable Chocolate Company is based in Auckland.
No longer just at the farmers markets, this NZ chocolate company products are now on grocery store shelves.
Be sure to try their famous Chocolate Bark!
It comes in:
- ginger and salted caramel brittle
- roasted hazelnuts and orange zest
- marshmallow, toasted coconut and raspberries
- roasted almonds and crispy quinoa
They also sell organic scorched almonds covered in chocolate, and a number of different chocolate bars too.
No.4: Ola Pacifica chocolate
Ola Pacifica chocolate in the lovely North Island area of Hawkes Bay, is all about making chocolate from bean to bar, using single origin Samoan cacao beans.
Ola Pacifica chocolates come in three delicious flavours:
- orange chocolate – 60% dark chocolate infused with orange notes and candied peel
- almond chocolate with crunchy almond crisp
- coffee chocolate with crispy coffee bean crisp
The packaging is something special too!
No.5: Honest Chocolat Matakana
If beauty and aesthetics is your thing, Honest chocolat is your dream child.
You will never see chocolates as beautiful as this Artisan selection.
Which one will be your fave?
- Raspberry and Ginger
- Rhubarb and Custard
- Single Origin Venezuela
- Manuka Honey and Pear
- Passion Fruit
- Kawau Bay Macadamia
- Hazelnut Praline
- Matakana Coffee Mocha
- Lime and Coconut
- Strawberry Preserve
- Salted Caramel
- Oob Blueberries with Lemon
Delightfully gift boxed, choose a variety box from:
- the Artisan selection (pictured above)
- Her Selection
- His Selection
- Taste of Matakana selection
- Celebration selection
Or you can buy a 6 piece gift pack of one of your favourites:
- espresso martini bonbons
- rhubard and custard bonbons
- salted caramel bonbons
- passionfruit heart bonbons
Want to pay a visit?
Visit the Honest Chocolat store in the heart of Matakana Village or The Honest Chocolat Boutique and Chocolate Bar within Commercial Bay in Central Auckland.
No.6: The Chocolate Workshop, Wanaka
The Chocolate Workshop is a small artisan chocolatier based in Wanaka, owned and operated by chocolatier and artisan, Tanja Schwindt from Germany.
The Chocolate Workshop is home to handcrafted Wanaka Chocolate, fancy chocolate, and decadent chocolate treats.
No.7: Wildness Chocolate Wellington
The four main products of Wildness organic chocolate are made with bits of the Brazilian dried cupuacu fruit, said to be full of medicinal properties and somewhat like the cacao bean.
But that’s not the only unique thing about it.
Wildness is a Social Enterprise in New Zealand and in Singapore.
Their creed is that they “harness the passion, skills and energy of exceptional Singaporeans with special needs at APSN CFA (Association for Persons with Special Needs Centre for Adults) and in the Rimutaka prison in New Zealand”
This is chocolate that’s as good for you, as it is good for others.
No.8: Choco Loco New Zealand
Choco Loco chocolates is a fabulous handmade chocolate shop in Takaka, at the top of the South Island of New Zealand.
This boutique chocolatier sells all things chocolate, including their own filled chocolates.
And books, cards, and mugs.
They also sell cakes and pastried baked on site, and you can grab a coffee while you fill a gift box of your own favourites from the full range including:
-
Choco Loco Bounty
-
Sozzled Prune
-
Salted Cara Melt
-
Ginger Ninja
-
Tiddly Pom (Gold Medal New Zealand Chocolate Awards 2020)
-
Frisky Whisky
-
Cappuccino
-
Gin Fling (Silver Medal New Zealand Chocolate Awards 2020)
-
A Currant Affair (Gold Medal New Zealand Chocolate Awards 2018)
-
Passionfruit Surprise
-
Pepperberry Delight
-
Citrus Burst
-
Peanut Caramel Sizzle
-
Hazelnut Stack
-
Mojo
-
Cherry Kirsches
-
Hinta Mint
-
Lime Zinger (Gold Medal New Zealand Chocolate Awards 2020
No.9: Aroha Chocolate
Aroha chocolates are hand crafted, fine artisan chocolates from the scenic city of Nelson.
Made with the finest Belgian chocolate and ingredients both locally sourced & from around the world.
These NZ chocs are not just beautifully presented, but they also have no artificial preservatives.
Flavours of the truffles and bonbons include:
- Irish Cream
- Chai
- Gingerbread Spice
- Raspberry
- Tiramisu &
- Vanilla.
They also sell milk chocolate squares in milk chocolate, dark chocolate, almond and raspberry zing flavours, gourmet rocky road, and drinking chocolate to boot.
No.10: Trade Aid chocolates New Zealand
Trade Aid in Christchurch sell a range of organic fair trade chocolate bars, chocolate blocks, chocolate drops and novelty chocolates
Their chocolate blocks include flavours like:
- Milk hazelnut chcoolate
- salt toffee crisp chocolate
- limited edition hazelnut, ginger and cranberry chocolate
- milk chocolate cashews
- dark raspberry chocolate
- pure dark chocolate
- mint crisp chocolate
No.11: Ocho Chocolate Company Dunedin
Ocho Chocolate Dunedin is a craft bean-to-bar chocolate made from beans grown in the Pacific.
Flavours include:
- Milk chocolate
- White chocolate
- Sea salted chunks of caramel
- Beekeeper made from NZ manuka honey, bee pollen and puffed amaranth
- Horopito leaf and kawakawa berries
- Short Black with cacao nibs, coffee and vanilla
There’s also cacao bars ranging from 70% to 100% cacao, 40 gram size ocho squares (in same flavours as above), drinking chocolate, a brownie baking kit, cacao buttons, and cacao bean snacks.
Visit the new factory shop at 10 Roberts St, Dunedin, for a tasting session.
They are open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 3pm.
No.12: Weta Hot Chocolate by Weta Coffee, Onehunga
Last but not least, a special mention of the Weta drinking chocolate that you can buy at the Wētā Coffee boutique coffee roastery and café located in Auckland’s One Tree Hill.
Don’t leave NZ without it.
Buy the 2.5kg commercial pack if you can.
BEST NEW ZEALAND CHOCOLATE FACTORIES YOU CAN VISIT IN PERSON!
Looking for an NZ chocolate factory to visit in person?
Here’s the complete list of the Best Chocolate Factories to Visit in New Zealand!
Check out these Chocolate Makers NZ style.
No.1: Miann Chocolate Factory
Miann Chocolate Factory is a bean-to-bar chocolate factory in the Morningside Suburb of Auckland, NZ.
You can book a 2 hour long Chocolate Tasting session where you will taste 6 handmade chocolates, learn about their process from handpicking the cacao beans to pouring the chocolate moulds.
You’ll finish with a chocolate dessert and take one of their chocolate bars home. Minimum 8 people. NZ $55 per person.
No.2: Wellington Chocolate Factory
The Wellington Chocolate Factory is open everyday.
Take a public tour on a Saturday from 11am to see their open plan chocolate factory, and enjoy chocolate tastings, plus a cup of single origin drinking chocolate!
Bookings required. 12 years +. NZ $16 per person.
They also run school holiday tours for kids aged 7 to 12.
Image credit: Schoc Chocolate
No. 3: Schoc Chocolate Greytown
Visit the super cute Greytown Schoc chocolate shop in the region of Wairarapa.
Visit Schoc Chocolate New Zealand in person and you can taste their delicious organic chocolate too.
Schoc gourmet chocolates also has a store in Wellington.
No. 4: Patagonia Arrowtown
From humble beginnings as a small chocolate shop, the Patagonia cafe on Ramshaw Lane in the picturesque township of Arrowtown, now serves:
- coffee
- breakfasts
- ice cream
- cookies
- desserts,
- as well as their signature chocolates.
If you are looking for chocolate from New Zealand to take home, we hope this list will have given you lots of ideas for New Zealand souvenirs and gifts too.
Planning to visit a chocolate factory in New Zealand? Try one of these.
No.5: La Petite Artisan Chocolat
Visit this NZ chocolate maker in person to find seasonal goodies as well as everyday products you’ll want to buy over and over again.
All chocolates are handmade with the finest organic, fair trade & single-origin cacao.
You’ll find a whole bunch of unusual flavour combinations in their chocolate bars, including orange and toasted sesame chocolate, and lemon and sea salt chocolate for starters.
But it’s the classic collection of dark chocolates that you want to look out for.
Flavours include:
- Coffee Cardamom
- Rum Raisin
- Lemon Salt
- Orange Cinnamon
- Hazelnut
- Raspberry Rosewater
And they look like gems!
Find this Chocolat Artelier in Hastings, Hawke’s Bay at 207 Heretaunga Street East.
No.6: She Universe Christchurch
(Hot Chocolate Bar at the Tannery, and the London Bus cafe)
No.7: Cadbury New Zealand Factory
Unfortunately, at the time of writing, the Cadbury Chocolate Factory New Zealand (Cadbury World Experience) in Dunedin has now closed.
BEST NEW ZEALAND CONFECTIONARY (NZ CANDY)
Looking for details on New Zealand candies?
Find all the details in our comprehensive guide below.
Hot tip: Lolly Cake! (I warned you!)
READ NOW: Best New Zealand Candy & Lollies Guide (includes lolly cake recipe!)
Looking for FUN Things to Do in New Zealand with Kids?
Taking a trip to New Zealand anytime soon? Bookmark these epic things to do in New Zealand with kids.