Van Otis Chocolates Named Winner of 2025 Grand Confection Award

Congratulations to Van Otis Chocolates, winner of the 2025 Grand Confection Award. Pictured with the award (from left): Marc Amiet, Emily Lewis and Emily Lazzar. To the right are finalists pictured with RCI Board President Gregory Power of Las Olas Confections and Snacks: Jayni Wunderlich of Graham's Chocolates, James Holland of Liled's Candy Kitchen and Andrew Wilbur of Wilbur's of Maine Chocolate Confections.

COVINGTON, KY – June 18, 2025 - Retail Confectioners International (RCI) proudly announced the winner and three finalists of its second annual Grand Confection Award, honoring creativity and craftsmanship in the confectionery industry. The Confection of the Year was the meltaway—a chocolate confection made with fat or nut butter as a primary ingredient.

The 2025 Grand Confection Award was presented to Van Otis Chocolates of Manchester, New Hampshire, for its Peanut Butter and Whipped Honey Meltaway during RCI's Annual Convention & Industry Expo. This winning confection combines smooth peanut butter with New Hampshire native whipped cinnamon honey and adds feuilletine for a light crunch.

A panel of industry experts evaluated 25 meltaway entries from candy makers across the U.S. and Canada during RCI’s Annual Convention & Industry Expo in Covington, Kentucky. Judging was conducted blindly and based on criteria of excellence in taste, texture, appearance and creativity.

In addition to the Grand Confection winner, the following entries were selected as finalists:

• Peanut Butter Diamond by Graham’s Chocolates, Geneva, IL
• Strawberry Cheesecake Meltaway by Liled’s Candy Kitchen, Vallejo, CA
• Raspberry Lemonade Meltaway by Wilbur’s of Maine Chocolate Confections, Freeport, ME

“As a trade association for retail confectioners, RCI believes in celebrating the art and science of crafting delicious confections—and this award does just that,” said RCI Executive Director Angie Burlison. “We’re proud to offer a platform for our members to showcase their skills and receive the recognition they deserve.”

All entries were featured during the convention in a special display and highlighted in RCI’s Convention Magazine. Click here to view the full list of entries and participants.