Nominate a 2026 FCIA Award Recipient

The Fine Chocolate Industry Association (FCIA) invites nominations for the 2026 FCIA Awards, recognizing outstanding contributions to sustainability, industry impact, and cacao excellence across the fine chocolate value chain.

In 2026, FCIA will consider nominations for the following awards:

• Mott Green Sustainability Award
• Eric Case Fine Chocolate Industry Impact Award
• Ed Seguine Cacao Excellence to the Industry Award

We encourage nominations from across the global fine chocolate community, including farmers and cooperatives, chocolate makers and chocolatiers, educators, researchers, NGOs, retailers, and industry collaborators.

Who Can Be Nominated?

Nominees may be individuals, organizations, or initiatives that:

• Operate anywhere along the cacao/chocolate value chain
• Demonstrate significant, industry-level impact, not just excellence within their own business
• Align with FCIA values of integrity, transparency, collaboration, and quality

Important:

• Nominees must not have previously received the same FCIA award.
• Nominations cannot be submitted by a nominee’s employee, business partner, or co-founder.

Award Categories

Mott Green Sustainability Award
Honors environmental stewardship, ethical sourcing, and regenerative practices that create measurable and lasting impact in cacao- and chocolate-producing communities, and across the supply chain.

Eric Case Fine Chocolate Industry Impact Award
Recognizes transformative leadership, community building, education, advocacy, and collaboration that strengthens the fine chocolate industry as a whole.

Ed Seguine Cacao Excellence to the Industry Award
Celebrates scientific, technical, and quality-focused contributions that advance understanding and practice of cacao excellence from origin to finished chocolate, and that benefit both producers and makers.

You may nominate the same person or organization for one primary award category per submission. If you believe a nominee is appropriate for more than one award, please submit separate forms tailored to each award’s criteria.

What Makes a Strong Nomination?

The most compelling nominations:

• Clearly describe the nominee’s contribution and why it is significant
• Provide specific examples of impact (initiatives, programs, results, partnerships, etc.)
• Highlight how their work benefits the wider industry, not just a single business
• Include evidence or indicators of results (data, testimonials, recognitions, publications, etc.)

Brief, focused, concrete answers are more useful than long general praise.

2026 Nomination Timeline

• Nominations open: [January 9th, 2026]
• Nomination deadline: February 13th, 2026]
• Review and selection: [February 16th & February 23rd, 2026]
• Award announcements: Throughout 2026 at Salon du Chocolat NYC on March 7-8, 2026 in New York City, the Southwest Chocolate & Coffee Festival on April 11-12, 2026 in Albuquerque, NM, and the Northwest Chocolate Festival on October 3-4, 2026 in Seattle, WA.

How to Nominate

1. Review the award descriptions and choose the single category that best fits your nominee.
2. Gather relevant information, including your nominee’s contact details, a summary of their contribution, and concrete examples of impact.
3. Complete the online nomination form: 2026 FCIA Awards Nomination Form

Multiple nominations for the same person or organization are allowed and can help demonstrate broad industry recognition of their contribution.