Sweet Tooth Lands UA Student a Spot in Ghirardelli Chocolate Contest Finals

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Everyone has a sweet tooth. But Michele Henderson, a graduate student at The University of Alabama, may have the sweetest one of all. Henderson entered Ghirardelli’s “Bring Your Dark to Light” contest this summer, and her flavor is now one of three that are in the running for the grand prize.

Of 14,000 submitted flavors, just five were chosen as finalists. Two flavors, Moonlight Fantasy and Spicy Pecan, have already been eliminated by voters. Only Cherry Bliss, Hazelnut Heaven and Tahitian Treasure – Henderson’s submission – remain in the competition.

A graduate student in the UA College of Communication and Information Sciences department of communication studies, Henderson says she fell in love with the Ghirardelli Chocolate Factory when she and her husband traveled to the company’s headquarters in San Francisco.

Henderson thought she might have a good chance in the competition because of her familiarity with Ghirardelli and its chocolate brands.

“My husband and I couldn’t stop thinking, ‘What if I won?’ And when the Ghirardelli representative called to tell me that I was one of the finalists, it was still hard for us to believe,” Henderson said.

In order for Henderson to win the “Bring Your Dark to Light” contest, she needs the support of online voters. The next flavor to receive the lowest number of votes will be eliminated on Sept. 6.

“Word has gotten around about the competition and so many people from the UA and Tuscaloosa communities have already supported me,” Henderson said. “I would like to thank everyone who promoted my flavor and hope others will still make that effort to vote.”

The final voting phase will close at midnight on Monday, Sept. 20, and the grand prize winner will be announced at the end of September. To support Tahitian Treasure or another flavor, visit www.newintensedark.com

Henderson found inspiration for her flavor from her travels during her honeymoon in Tahiti. She hopes the combination of pineapple, almonds and a hint of coconut will capture the tropical flavor that chocolate lovers are looking for.

“I think Tahitian Treasure is one of the two top flavors out there,” Henderson said. “It’s really different and exotic, but not so new and trendy that it turns people away. It’s also rich and luxurious, which I believe is what most people look for in dark chocolate.”

If Henderson wins the contest, she’ll receive an all-expenses paid trip to San Francisco. There, she will get a behind the scenes look at the Ghirardelli Chocolate Factory, a year’s supply of Ghirardelli dark chocolate and more. However, if she doesn’t win, she says she will still be proud of her accomplishment.

“Ghirardelli is a brand that I feel really positive about – it’s one I can really believe in,” Henderson said. “It’s exciting to know that there’s a chance that people throughout the world will get to see and taste my flavor.”