BEST NZ CHOCOLATE? ALL THE SECRETS OUT IN THE OPEN!

INSIDE: Roam the Gnome’s Epic Guide to NZ Chocolate bars for the Chocoholics among us!

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 contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase after clicking on one of these links, we may receive a small commission at NO extra cost to you.

Image credit: Nathana Rebouças via Unsplash

DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO THE 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!

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

Hot tip: Read our complete guide to New Zealand supermarkets.

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!

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

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 chocolate scene in New Zealand 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 NZ

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 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!

MORE of the Best NZ Chocolates Factory Shops

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.