La Boite

What La Boite does

La Boîte is a privately held, direct-to-consumer specialty spice company founded by chef and spice master Lior Lev Sercarz, headquartered and operated from a single atelier/retail location at 724 11th Avenue in New York City. The company's product portfolio spans approximately 200 SKUs across four categories: 99 single-origin spices (e.g., Turkish Aleppo chili, Vietnamese cinnamon, Tellicherry black pepper), 77 chef-crafted proprietary blends (notably the signature eight-peppercorn Pierre Poivre), 15 curated spice sets, and 29 chef collaboration blends, supplemented by specialty pantry items, branded accessories, and founder-authored cookbooks ('Mastering Spice', 'The Spice Companion'). Core technical content is artisanal rather than digital: on-site spice processing including oak-smoking of cassia cinnamon, single-origin sourcing, and proprietary blending recipes that constitute the company's primary differentiation.

The business model is DTC e-commerce executed on Shopify, with the NYC store serving as the fulfillment hub and a walk-in retail channel. Revenue streams are one-time purchase transactions — individual blends priced $9-$16, spice sets $45-$135, and specialty pantry items up to $94 — with no subscription or recurring revenue mechanic disclosed. Free shipping kicks in at $75 across the 48 contiguous US states; international shipping is available via FedEx. Customer segments are horizontally distributed across premium home cooks, professional chefs, and gift buyers, with a separate wholesale partnership program for restaurants and retailers. Marketing is content-led (recipe blog, Spice Academy newsletter, five-platform social presence) and amplified by collaborations with James Beard Award-winning and celebrity chefs including Nok Suntaranon, Kanchan Koya, Adeena Sussman, Amanda Freitag, and Paul Kaysen. No funding rounds, M&A, or external investors are disclosed; the company is bootstrapped and founder-controlled.

Name

La Boite

Legal name

La Boîte

Website

https://laboiteny.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

La Boîte is a privately held, NYC-based DTC specialty spice company founded by chef Lior Lev Sercarz, selling ~200 single-origin spices and chef-crafted blends via Shopify and a single flagship retail store to premium home cooks, professional chefs, and gift buyers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Foods

NAICS

Other Specialty Food Retailers (44529)

SIC

Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)

akta.pro primary industry

Farmstead & Local Artisan Food Markets (Retail Shops) (CRAHAGAO)

Keywords

• Premium spice blends
• Single-origin spices
• Chef-crafted seasonings
• Culinary gift sets
• Recipe spice boxes

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. E-commerce Product Sales: Direct-to-consumer online sales of premium spice blends, single-origin spices, and specialty pantry items through their Shopify e-commerce platform. Products are shipped directly to customers across the US and internationally.
2. Spice Sets and Collections: Sale of curated spice sets and gift collections at various price points, including collaborations with notable chefs. These bundles command premium pricing and often ship free.
3. Cookbooks and Publications: Sale of cookbooks including 'Mastering Spice' and 'The Spice Companion' authored by Chef Lior Lev Sercarz.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

La Boite is a chef-founded specialty spice company that sources, processes, and sells premium single-origin spices and proprietary spice blends from its NYC atelier. The company offers bottled individual spices, signature house blends, recipe boxes, and curated collections, sold directly to consumers via e-commerce and at its physical NYC shop, with shipping across the U.S. and select international markets.

Product overview

La Boite is a direct-to-consumer spice company offering a portfolio of premium single-origin spices and chef-crafted blends. The core offering consists of over 200 spice products across four main categories: Single Origin Spices (99 individual spices), Chef Crafted Blends (77 proprietary spice mixes), Spice Sets (15 curated collections), and Collaborations (29 chef partnership blends). Additional offerings include Specialty Pantry items (oils, vinegars, sauces), cookbook publications, and branded accessories. Founded by chef and spice master Lior Lev Sercarz, the company operates from a New York City atelier and sells exclusively through its e-commerce platform, shipping throughout the US and internationally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Single-Origin Spices Bottled individual spices sourced from specific single origins, sold to home cooks, food enthusiasts, and chefs seeking traceable, high-quality seasonings.
• Chef-Crafted Spice Blends Proprietary house blends developed by Chef Lior Lev Sercarz, mixed in small batches at the NYC atelier for use in everyday cooking and distinctive recipes.
• Recipe Spice Boxes Curated boxes of spices and blends organized around specific recipes or dish concepts, enabling home cooks to recreate chef-designed meals.
• Curated Spice Collections & Gift Sets Pre-packaged collections of multiple spices and blends sold as premium gifts or a hero assortment for the home cook or culinary enthusiast.
• NYC Atelier Retail Experience Physical retail shop at the brand's NYC atelier where customers can purchase spices, blends, and collections in person and engage with the brand's culinary storytelling.

Quantifiable outcome

• Products maintain 4.9-5.0 star ratings across the product line with verified customer reviews
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

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

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Nok SuntaranoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with James Beard Award-winning chef Nok Suntaranon featuring a curated spice set and cookbook 'Kalaya's Southern Thai Kitchen'. The partnership includes the La Boite x Nok Suntaranon Set priced at $75, featuring bold Thai-inspired spice blends.
• Kanchan KoyacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe La Boite x Kanchan Koya Collection (Spice Dabba Set) represents an evolving collaboration rooted in flavor and everyday Indian cooking, priced at $135.
• Adeena SussmancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLa Boite x Adeena Sussman Collection featuring vibrant, personal spice blends for the modern kitchen. The collection includes multiple signature blends.
• Amanda FreitagcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmanda Freitag 5 Spice Set - a complete collection of five signature spice blends created with the celebrity chef. Includes recipes and the Green Goddess Sauce as featured in her collection.
• Paul KahancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPaul Kahan Set featuring all three blends made for the renowned chef, priced at $45. Includes spices inspired by his work at restaurants like The Publican.
• Southern Smoke FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSouthern Smoke Spice Set supporting the Southern Smoke Foundation, a nonprofit supporting restaurant workers. Priced at $62 with part of proceeds supporting the foundation.
• Gavin KaysenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChef Gavin Kaysen is referenced in recipe content featuring the Shabazi blend, noting it works great on tuna, chicken, pork, and steamed mussels.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Diaspora Co. Diaspora Co. is a direct peer: a DTC spice brand built on single-origin sourcing from South Asia with strong founder storytelling and chef-driven positioning. Like La Boite, it sells premium-priced spices and blends directly to home cooks, with collaborations and content marketing central to the brand.
• Burlap & Barrel: Burlap & Barrel is a direct peer: a direct-to-consumer spice company selling single-origin spices and small-batch blends to home cooks and chefs. Both brands position around single-origin sourcing, transparency, and chef-grade quality, competing for the same premium DTC customer.
• Penzeys Spices: Penzeys Spices is a direct peer in the premium spice retail category, operating a large DTC catalog plus physical stores. It competes with La Boite for home-cook and gift-buyer demand, though at lower price points and with broader product breadth.
• Spicewalla: Spicewalla is a direct peer founded by chef Meherwan Irani, selling premium small-batch spices and blends DTC and through foodservice channels. Its chef-founder DNA, wholesale foodservice program, and DTC catalog closely mirror La Boite's business model.
• Oaktown Spice Shop: Oaktown Spice Shop is a direct peer: an artisan spice retailer that blends and sells small-batch spices in-store and online. Like La Boite, it emphasizes chef-quality blends, single-origin sourcing, and a curated catalog aimed at discerning home cooks and chefs.

Broad incumbents

• McCormick & Company: McCormick is a broad incumbent in the spice industry with mass-market distribution across grocery and foodservice. It overlaps with La Boite's category but competes primarily on price and scale, not on chef-craft or single-origin positioning.
• Badia Spices: Badia is a broad incumbent spice manufacturer with strong Hispanic-market positioning and broad retail distribution. It overlaps with La Boite on shelf-stable spices and blends but operates at scale and lower price points.
• Whole Foods Market: Whole Foods Market is a broad incumbent specialty grocer that sells premium spices (including La Boite-adjacent brands) and represents a key distribution and competitive context. Its 365 by Whole Foods and partner-brand shelves compete for the same premium home-cook wallet.

Others

• Salt & Straw: Salt & Straw is an adjacent premium DTC food brand (artisan ice cream) using chef-collaborations, cookbooks, and physical storefronts as part of its model. It is thematically comparable to La Boite on chef-led premium food branding, gifting, and omnichannel retail rather than competing directly in spices.

Emerging players

• Morton & Basset: Morton & Basset is an emerging player offering chef-quality, small-batch spice blends with clean ingredients in retail and DTC channels. It targets the same premium home-cook segment as La Boite but with broader grocery distribution.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/LaBo%C3%AEteNY
• Facebookfacebook.com/laboiteny
• Instagraminstagram.com/laboiteny
• TikToktiktok.com/@laboiteny
• Pinterestpinterest.com/laboiteny_
• Xx.com/laboiteny_
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/la-boite-nyc

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 La Boite