Loco Love

What Loco Love does

Loco Love is a privately held, founder-led artisanal chocolate manufacturer founded in 2013 and headquartered at 63 Centennial Circuit, Byron Bay, Australia. The company produces premium chocolate products under two main lines — Truffle Bars (handcrafted, filled chocolates such as Butter Caramel Pecan, Hazelnut Praline, and Maple Macadamia Caramel) and the Luvio sub-brand (maple-sweetened, soft-centred chocolate blocks made with tigernut flour) — alongside ceremonial drinking cacao, baking chocolate drops, and complementary lifestyle objects (candles, incense, mugs). Its formulations are built around organic, fair-trade cacao, clean-label ingredient lists free from refined sugars, GMOs, seed oils, and gluten, and the integration of adaptogenic and functional ingredients including Tremella mushroom, Astragalus, and Maca root, positioning the products at the intersection of confectionery and functional wellness.

The business operates a multi-channel go-to-market model. The primary channel is a direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront on Shopify at locolove.com, supplemented by a Byron Bay factory showroom open Monday-Friday. Wholesale distribution reaches health food stores, gift shops, and wellness retailers through a stockist network, and a bespoke corporate gifting programme offers curated hampers with custom branding starting from A$140. The Natural High Club, a tiered loyalty and subscription programme launched on 22 February 2024, requires a A$50 monthly minimum and a 3-month commitment in exchange for 10% recurring discounts and exclusive product access. The company also ships internationally to the United States and European Union, with country-specific duties, VAT, and warm-weather shipping restrictions disclosed at checkout.

Loco Love employs 11-50 people and has not disclosed any external institutional funding, acquisitions, or M&A activity. It operates as an independent, founder-owned CPG business with a single recognised leadership figure (Founder Emica Penklis). Its competitive positioning rests on brand storytelling rooted in cacao's ceremonial origins, Byron Bay provenance, and a "high-vibe" spiritual-wellness aesthetic, rather than on patented technology or large-scale distribution advantages.

Name

Loco Love

Legal name

Loco Love

Website

https://locolove.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Loco Love is a Byron Bay-based artisanal chocolate manufacturer founded in 2013 by Emica Penklis, producing organic, fair-trade, adaptogen-infused chocolate bars, truffles, and ceremonial cacao sold direct-to-consumer, via wholesale stockists, and through corporate gifting channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Byron Bay

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Direct E-commerce Sales: Online sales through owned Shopify storefront to individual consumers. Products include truffle bars, Luvio chocolate blocks, drinking cacao, gifts, candles, and accessories. Single purchases and subscription options available.
2. Wholesale Distribution: Supply to retail stockists including health food stores, gift shops, and wellness retailers. Orders fulfilled from Byron Bay factory with wholesale contact via [email protected].
3. Subscription (Natural High Club): Monthly recurring subscription model with minimum $50 spend. Subscribers save 10% on every order, receive free chocolate, and gain access to exclusive product launches. 3-month minimum commitment required.
4. Corporate Gifting: Bespoke corporate hamper gifting service with custom branding options. Hampers include curated chocolate selections, ceremonial cacao, and ritual objects starting from $140.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Loco Love manufactures and sells handcrafted artisanal chocolate products from its Byron Bay factory, including Truffle Bars in flavors such as Salted Caramel Shortbread, Hazelnut Praline, and Butter Caramel Pecan; Luvio maple-sweetened chocolate blocks; Chuncho ceremonial drinking cacao; and organic chocolate drops for baking. The brand emphasizes fair-trade organic cacao, clean-label formulations free from refined sugars, GMOs, seed oils, and gluten, and the integration of adaptogenic botanicals such as Tremella mushroom, Astragalus, and Maca root.

Product overview

Loco Love is an artisanal chocolate company based in Byron Bay, Australia, offering a diverse portfolio of high-vibrational chocolate products and complementary offerings. The core product lines include Truffle Bars (handcrafted truffles in various flavors like Butter Caramel Pecan, Hazelnut Praline, and Maple Macadamia Caramel) and Luvio Blocks (maple-sweetened chocolate bars in flavors such as Peppermint & Cacao Crisp and Toasted Coconut). Supporting offerings include Drinking Cacao (ceremonial cacao products), Baking & Creating items (chocolate drops), Objects (candles, incense, mugs), Gift Cards, and Greeting Cards. The company operates a loyalty program called Natural High Club and maintains a physical showroom in Byron Bay for in-person experiences. All products emphasize organic, sustainably sourced, fair-trade ingredients with functional botanical additions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Luvio: Maple-sweetened, soft-centred chocolate blocks made with fair-trade cacao, tigernut flour, and natural ingredients. A sub-brand product line featuring chocolate blocks in various flavors.

Products and services

• Truffle Bars
• Luvio Blocks
• Chuncho Drinking Cacao
• Mylk Chocolate Drops
• Dark Chocolate Drops
• Objects
• Gift Card
• Greeting Cards
• Gift Portal
• Corporate Hampers
• Byron Bay Showroom Experience

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hu Kitchen: US-based premium chocolate company built around paleo-friendly, low-sugar, clean-label formulations — a direct functional-wellness analogue to Loco Love's positioning.
• Tony's Chocolonely: Mission-driven chocolate brand anchored on fair-trade, slave-free cacao supply chains — directly comparable to Loco Love on ethical sourcing and storytelling.
• Vosges Haut-Chocolat: Premium chocolate brand incorporating exotic spices, herbs, and functional ingredients into chocolate — the closest US analogue to Loco Love's adaptogenic/wellness formulations.
• Alter Eco: Organic, fair-trade certified chocolate and superfood brand — overlaps with Loco Love on ethical sourcing, organic credentials, and clean-label premium positioning.
• Endangered Species Chocolate: Ethical premium chocolate maker using fair-trade ingredients with cause-based branding — comparable on fair-trade sourcing and premium gifting channel presence.
• Compartés Chocolonely: LA-based artisan chocolatier known for premium, design-forward chocolate and gift assortments — comparable on premium artisan positioning, gifting focus, and brand-led storytelling.
• Mast Brothers: Artisan bean-to-bar chocolate maker with strong brand storytelling and direct-to-consumer retail — comparable premium positioning and craft chocolate narrative.
• Moonstruck Chocolate Co. US artisan truffle and chocolate maker emphasizing premium ingredients and gifting assortments — directly comparable product format (truffles, gift collections) to Loco Love's truffle bar line.

Regional players

• Pana Organic: Australian-based organic, raw, vegan chocolate brand with similar wellness positioning — a regional peer competing in the same Australian premium chocolate niche.

Broad incumbents

• Lindt & Sprüngli: Global premium chocolate incumbent with extensive retail and gifting distribution — sets the mainstream premium benchmark Loco Love competes against for shelf and gifting share.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/locolovechocolate
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/loco-love-chocolate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Loco Love