Route 66 chocolate shields made by Pease’s at Bunn Gourmet of Springfield, Illinois, are among the hundreds of contestants in the annual Coolest Thing Made in Illinois contest.
They’re part of the sixth annual “Makers Madness” contest, where 250 items are nominated and the public gets to choose the overall winner.
Alas, the chocolate shields appear to not be on the company’s website at this time, though it is selling giant-size Lincoln pennies, both in milk chocolate and dark chocolate.
The products in the contest range from Mel-O-Cream Donuts in Springfield to aerosol cheese to NFL footballs to heavy industrial equipment.
“The products nominated in this year’s contest represent the wide diversity of our state’s dynamic manufacturing industry, which anchors our economy and drives our communities forward,” said Mark Denzler, president and CEO of the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association that runs the contest.
“We wish all of the manufacturers nominated the best of luck and extend a special appreciation to the women and men on shop floors across Illinois who make these incredible products.”
According to WIFR, the public can vote up to five times a day for the top 16 products. Voting ends on March 16, and results will be announced on March 18.
With the top 16 results, a bracket-style tournament begins with head-to-head matchups each week until April 6.
The awards ceremony is set for April 9 at the governor’s mansion, where The Coolest Thing Made in Illinois will be named.
The winner in 2024 was a Komatsu mining truck.
(Image of the Route 66 chocolate shields via the Makers Madness contest)