Alter Eco

What Alter Eco does

Alter Eco is a privately held, US-domiciled premium organic food company founded in 2005 by Mathieu Senard and Edouard Rollet, currently led by CEO Keith Bearden and owned by private equity sponsor Trek One Capital since 2023. The company produces Swiss-made organic dark chocolate bars, chocolate truffles, truffle thins, oat clusters, granola, and heirloom quinoa from Ecuadorian cacao, distributed via owned e-commerce with a 15%-discount subscription program, the Amazon marketplace, wholesale distributors (KeHE, UNFI, Cavallaro, Nassau Candy), and shelf placement in natural/organic grocery chains including Whole Foods Market, Sprouts Farmers Market, Natural Grocers, Wegmans, Fresh Thyme, and MOM's Organic Market across the US, Canada, and Australia.

The company's core technical and sourcing platform is built around regenerative agriculture — specifically dynamic agroforestry for cacao cultivation in Ecuador, supported by the affiliated Alter Eco Foundation — alongside proprietary home-compostable chocolate packaging (TÜV AUSTRIA-certified since 2013) and a multi-certification stack spanning USDA Organic, Fair for Life Fair Trade, B Corp (since 2009, score 157.1 in 2025), The Climate Label, Plastic Neutral, and Gluten-Free Food Program (<5ppm). Carbon neutrality has been maintained since 2010 via partnership with Pur Projet. Manufacturing is outsourced to a Swiss chocolatier, with cacao sourced from Ecuadorian agroforestry cooperatives and quinoa from Bolivia.

Revenue mechanics combine unit-priced DTC sales, subscription recurring revenue with 15% retention pricing, retail wholesale through distributors, and marketplace sales. The current product mix is anchored by chocolate bars (multiple cacao percentages and flavors) and is being extended into snack adjacencies such as the 2026-launched Dark Chocolate Oat Clusters. Distribution is multi-channel but concentrated in the natural/organic retail tier, with no disclosed mass-market, food-service, or international enterprise contracts. The business model is differentiated primarily by sustainability credentials and ethical sourcing rather than scale, technology, or pricing aggressiveness.

Name

Alter Eco

Legal name

Alter Eco Foods

Website

https://alterecofoods.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Alter Eco is a PE-backed, US-based organic food company founded in 2005 that produces Swiss-made chocolate, truffles, granola, and quinoa from regeneratively-farmed Ecuadorian cacao, selling through DTC subscriptions, Amazon, and natural grocery chains across the US, Canada, and Australia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Organic Premium Chocolate & Snacks

NAICS

Chocolate and Confectionery Manufacturing from Cacao Beans (311351), All Other Specialty Food Retailers (445298)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Natural Specialty Food Stores (Gluten-Free, Vegan, Keto, Allergy-Friendly) (CRAHAEAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Health, Organic & Natural Grocery Wholesale (AFAIABAI), Organic Bakery & Confectionery Wholesale (AFAIAJAG)

Keywords

• Organic dark chocolate
• Fair trade snacks
• Compostable packaging
• Regenerative agriculture cacao
• Subscription granola snacks

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Direct Product Sales: Alter Eco generates revenue through direct sales of organic chocolate bars, truffles, truffle thins, oat clusters, granola, and quinoa products via its e-commerce platform. The company offers subscription plans with 15% discounts to drive recurring revenue.
2. Retail Distribution: Products sold through natural and organic grocery retail chains including Whole Foods Market, Sprouts Farmers Market, Natural Grocers, and other regional retailers. Distribution also handled through wholesale distributors like KeHE and UNFI.
3. Amazon Marketplace: Products available for purchase through Amazon marketplace, reaching additional consumers beyond direct-to-consumer and retail channels.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Alter Eco manufactures and sells premium organic dark chocolate bars, chocolate truffles, truffle thins, oat clusters, granola, and fair-trade quinoa through a direct-to-consumer e-commerce subscription site and natural/organic grocery retail channels. Products are Swiss-made from Ecuadorian cacao, USDA Organic, Fair for Life Fair Trade, gluten-free, and packaged in compostable or recycled materials, with the company operating as a Certified B Corporation since 2009.

Product overview

Alter Eco is a food company specializing in organic chocolate, granola, and quinoa products. The product portfolio consists of Dark Chocolate Bars (Swiss-made in varieties from 47% to 100% cacao), Chocolate Truffles (with compostable wrappers), Truffle Thins, Oat Clusters, Organic Granola, and Pearl Heirloom Quinoa. The company emphasizes regenerative agriculture, fair trade practices, and sustainable packaging across its product lines. Products are available through direct-to-consumer subscription and the Build a Box bundle customization system.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Dark Chocolate Bars Swiss-made organic dark chocolate bars in multiple varieties including Super Blackout (90% cacao), Classic Blackout (85% cacao), Mint Blackout, Sea Salt, Quinoa Crunch, Total Blackout, Coconut Toffee, Almond Blackout, Orange Blackout, Raspberry Blackout, Brown Butter, Burnt Caramel, and Coffee Brittle. All bars are organic, non-GMO, and dairy-free (except those containing butterfat).
• Chocolate Truffles Organic dark chocolate truffles with Ecuadorian cacao and coconut oil centers, available in Classic Dark, Superdark, Salted Caramel, Mint Crème, Sea Salt, Silk Velvet, and Assorted varieties. Packaged in TÜV AUSTRIA-certified home compostable wrappers.
• Truffle Thins Thin chocolate bars with truffle filling combining chocolate bar texture with chocolate truffle indulgence. Varieties include Mint Crème, Salted Caramel, Crème Brûlée, Raspberry Crème, Sweet Ginger, and Passion Fruit Crème.
• Oat Clusters Organic granola-style clusters combining oats with chocolate or nut butters. Varieties include Dark Chocolate Oat Clusters, Almond Butter Oat Clusters, and Cashew Butter Oat Clusters.
• Organic Granola Organic granola with no added sugar, made with regeneratively-farmed oats. Varieties include Dark Chocolate Granola, Cashew Butter Granola, Cinnamon Raisin Granola, and Almond Butter Granola. Packaged in post-consumer recycled material.
• Pearl Heirloom Quinoa Fair trade organic quinoa from Bolivia, revered by ancient Incas as 'mother grain.' Fluffier and nuttier than common quinoa varieties, without bitterness.
• Subscription Program Recurring delivery subscription service offering 15% discount on every shipment. Customers can swap flavors, skip deliveries, or gift subscriptions. Subscription orders over $85 receive free shipping.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% of carbon emissions measured and offset since 2010
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• rePurpose GlobalcoreTechnology or IntegrationrePurpose Global is a social enterprise dedicated to fighting plastic waste. Alter Eco partnered with rePurpose Global to achieve Plastic Neutral certification, investing in efforts to recover as much plastic from nature as the company uses.
• Pur ProjetcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership established in 2010 for carbon offsetting programs. Pur Projet supports Alter Eco in planting and protecting trees in Central and South America to offset 100% of company emissions.
• The Change Climate Project (TCCP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTCCP is the nonprofit organization behind The Climate Label certification. They provide the Business Emissions Evaluator (BEE) software for Alter Eco to measure and manage carbon emissions and invest in climate solutions.
• Ecocert (Fair for Life)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEcocert administers the Fair for Life Fair Trade certification program for Alter Eco, providing third-party verification of fair trade practices, social responsibility, and environmental sustainability.
• TÜV AUSTRIAcoreTechnology or IntegrationTÜV AUSTRIA provides Home Compostable certification for Alter Eco's chocolate truffle wrappers, verifying they decompose naturally in home compost conditions.
• Gluten-Free Food Program (GFFP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGFFP, endorsed by the National Celiac Association, certifies Alter Eco products as gluten-free meeting strict standards of less than 5ppm gluten.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Endangered Species Chocolate: U.S. premium chocolate brand focused on organic, fair-trade, and ethically sourced bars and truffles sold through natural grocery and mass channels. Closest direct peer to Alter Eco on product format (bars/truffles), target customer (health/ethical consumers), and natural-channel distribution.
• Theo Chocolate: Seattle-based bean-to-bar organic and fair-trade chocolate maker selling bars and confections through natural grocery and DTC. Comparable on cacao sourcing transparency, organic/fair-trade certifications, and premium pricing.
• Hu Kitchen: Premium paleo-friendly, organic chocolate bars and snacking products sold in Whole Foods, Sprouts, and other natural retailers. Direct competitor in the better-for-you premium chocolate aisle with overlapping distribution and customer base.
• Pascha Chocolate: Organic, fair-trade, allergen-free chocolate brand focused on dark chocolate bars. Comparable niche positioning around organic, fair-trade, and allergen-friendly certifications targeting health-conscious consumers.
• Equal Exchange: Worker-cooperative producing fairly traded, organic chocolate bars and other foods. Direct peer in fair-trade organic chocolate with overlapping natural-channel distribution and ethical-sourcing positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Green & Black's: Premium organic chocolate brand owned by Mondelez, offering organic bars and ice cream across mainstream grocery in the U.S. and UK. Larger incumbent with overlapping organic chocolate product set and broader distribution scale.
• Ghirardelli: Mass-market premium chocolate brand with broad organic and non-organic product lines sold across grocery, club, and foodservice. Represents the larger incumbent competitive set that Alter Eco faces on retail shelves.

Emerging players

• Lily's Sweets: Better-for-you chocolate brand specializing in stevia-sweetened, no-sugar-added bars and baking chips sold in natural and mainstream grocery. Emerging competitor in the better-for-you chocolate category adjacent to Alter Eco's health-conscious positioning.
• Made Good: Allergen-free, organic granola bars, cookies, and snacks sold through natural and mainstream grocery. Comparable on organic/allergen-friendly certifications, healthy-snack positioning, and natural-channel distribution; overlapping category with Alter Eco's Oat Clusters.
• Unreal Snacks: Better-for-you chocolate snacks (nuggets, peanut butter cups, bars) positioned as cleaner alternatives to mainstream candy, sold in natural and mass grocery. Adjacent emerging competitor in better-for-you confectionery/snacks.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/alterecosf
• Facebookfacebook.com/AlterEcoSF
• Instagraminstagram.com/altereco_foods
• Pinterestpinterest.com/alterecofoods

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Alter Eco