Recognised by the Experts
35 chocolate awards.
Judged blind. Judged rigorously. Judged on flavour first.
From the tasting panels of the Academy of Chocolate to the stars of the Great Taste Awards, our chocolates have been tested by industry experts, and come out shining.
Because we don’t sell sympathy.
We sell chocolate.
Our Standout Award Winners
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Vanilla Coconut
Academy of Chocolate Award 2023
Pure coconut cream infused with vanilla beans in 40% milk chocolate. Dreamy, mellow, quietly confident.
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Sea Salt Caramel
Great Taste Award 2014
Rich caramel with muscovado sugar and smoked sea salt. A modern classic.
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Mango & Raspberry
Great Taste Award 2022
Sweet mango meets tangy raspberry in dark chocolate. Bright. Balanced. Unforgettable.
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Pistachio
Academy of Chocolate & Great Taste Awards 2017
Pure pistachio butter with oil from the Loire Valley. Smooth. Elegant. Decadent.
2025 Great Taste Award Winner
Judge's Comments: "An attractive looking chocolate bar which benefits from well balanced salted caramel. There is a good ratio of filling to shell and the milk chocolate is enjoyably creamy, with restrained sweetness."
Regular price
£4.95
Tax included.
What These Awards Actually Mean
The Academy of Chocolate and Great Taste Awards judge blind.
No branding. No story. No mission.
Just chocolate.
Panels of industry experts taste thousands of entries each year. Texture, balance, finish, flavour clarity - every detail matters.
Which means when we win, we win on craft.
And that matters to you.
Awards are not given for good intentions. They are given for excellence.
Award-Winning, Across the Collection
Beyond our featured favourites, many more of our chocolates have earned industry recognition. Expert approved. Crafted with precision in Cambridgeshire.
One award could be luck. Thirty-five is consistency.
Apple Cinnamon – Academy of Chocolate Award 2019
Fresh apple puree with a hint of freshly ground cinnamon in 40% Belgian milk chocolate.
Banoffee – Academy of Chocolate & Great Taste Awards 2017
The freshness of bananas in a golden 40% milk chocolate caramel.
Blackcurrant Caramel – Great Taste Award 2015
Plant-based caramel with blackcurrant puree in 60% dark chocolate.
Caramel Latte – Academy of Chocolate Award 2019
Hand roasted espresso perfectly balanced with caramel chocolate.
Citrus Punch – Great Taste Award 2016
Fresh lime and orange juice and zest in creamy white chocolate.
Fresh Mint – Great Taste Award Winner 2016, Academy of Chocolate Award 2017
Creamy ganache infused with fresh garden mint in 60% dark chocolate.
Intense Coffee – Academy of Chocolate & Great Taste Award 2019
Freshly ground coffee beans in 60% dark chocolate ganache. Plant-based.
Lime & Ginger – Great Taste Award 2016, Academy of Chocolate Award 2017
Fresh lime zest and juice, fresh grated ginger in 70% dark chocolate. Plant-based.
Maple & Pecan – Great Taste Award 2016
Pecan nut butter and organic Canadian maple syrup in 40% milk chocolate.
Orange Caramel – Great Taste Award 2014, Academy of Chocolate Award 2017
Plant-based orange caramel made with fresh orange zest and juice in 60% dark chocolate.
Passionfruit & Lemongrass – Academy of Chocolate & Great Taste Awards 2019
Creamy passionfruit ganache with lemongrass in 60% dark chocolate.
Plant-based.
Raspberry & Elderflower – Great Taste Award 2019
Raspberry puree with elderflower ganache in 60% dark chocolate.
Rose & Cardamom – Great Taste Award 2014, Academy of Chocolate Award 2017
Freshly ground green cardamom and organic rose oil ganache in 60% dark
chocolate.
Salted Lime – Academy of Chocolate & Great Taste Awards 2017
Salted caramel heightened by the tanginess of pure lime juice in Belgian 40% milk
chocolate.
What the Judges Said
A Legacy of Award-Winning Flavour
Some flavours step aside to make room for new ideas.
But their recognition remains.
These chocolates earned Academy of Chocolate and Great Taste awards - proof that excellence has always been part of our craft.
From The Archive
Kiwi & Five Spice - Academy of Chocolate Award 2019
Mango Tango - Great Taste Award 2019
Peppery Strawberry - Academy of Chocolate Award - 2017
Raspberry & Rose - Academy of Chocolate Award 2017
Tellicherry Pepper - Great Taste & Academy of Chocolate Awards 2019
Recognition for More Than Flavour
While judges award us for chocolate, business leaders recognise us for something more - creating real employment pathways for autistic people.
Craft. Courage. Change.
National & Regional Business Awards
The King's Award for Enterprise - 2024
Promoting Opportunity Through Social Mobility
The highest official UK award for business. Recognition for creating real employment pathways for autistic people.
SME Ely Business Awards - 2023
Community Business of the Year
Cambridge Business Awards - 2022
Diversity & Inclusion
Great British Entrepreneur Awards – 2020 Regional Winner
Family Business Category
Citi Micro Entrepreneurship Award (2017/2018)
Founder Recognition
In 2025, our founder Mona Shah was awarded an MBE for services to training and employment for young autistic people.
“It’s a huge honour, but I don’t see it as mine alone. I see it as shared - with my family, our team, the autistic community, our customers, shareholders, investors, Board, and everyone who has walked this journey with us.”
— Mona Shah, Founder
A reminder that recognition matters most when it creates more opportunity.
National Recognition & Press
Harry Specters has attracted press coverage for years - both for our chocolate, and for the change we’re creating through real employment for autistic people.
In 2022, we took that story to the national stage on Channel 4’s Aldi’s Next Big Thing, where we were selected as an episode winner and earned the opportunity to bring three of our award-winning bars to Aldi shelves.
Featured In
A snapshot of some of the outlets that have covered Harry Specters:
Ely Standard: Charlotte Cane MP visited Harry Specters chocolatiers
BBC News: Harry Specters: The Ely chocolate factory hiring autistic workers
University of Cambridge - Judge Business School: The King honours sweet social venture Harry Specters
ITV News: Inspiring Britain: The chocolate shop supporting young people with autism
Velvet Magazine: Easter Eggs: Behind the scenes at Ely’s change-making chocolate factory
Big Issue: Inside the chocolate factory spreading sweet treats – and helping autistic people find work
Cambridge Independent: Duke of Edinburgh goes chocolate tasting and tries his hand at rowing during Cambridgeshire visit
Chocolate First. Recognition Follows.
Thirty-five chocolate awards.
Five business awards.
National recognition on television and in print.
But awards aren’t the goal.
They’re the result of doing things properly - crafting exceptional chocolate and creating meaningful employment for autistic people.
When flavour leads, everything else follows.
CHOCOLATE FOR CHANGE
