Flavorman
Flavorman is a Louisville-based beverage development firm that provides turnkey formulation, flavor creation, and analytical testing services to alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage brands, operating from a 77,000 sq ft facility with 20+ R&D professionals and an 85,000+ formulation library built over 30+ years.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1992
- HeadquartersLouisville, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Flavorman does
Flavorman is a Louisville, Kentucky-based beverage development firm founded in 1992 that provides turnkey product creation services to the alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage industry. The company operates as part of Distilled Spirits Epicenter LLC and has built an 85,000+ formulation library across 30+ years of continuous operation. It is best characterized as a specialized contract R&D house for beverages rather than a consumer brand or ingredient supplier.
The company's core technical capability centers on beverage formulation chemistry supported by an in-house analytical laboratory equipped with GC-MS, GC-FID, and HPLC instrumentation and staffed by 20+ R&D professionals including TTB-certified chemists and a Chief Flavorist. Services span flavor creation, recipe formulation, analytical testing, regulatory compliance support, and sensory development, delivered through project-based engagements with both startup brands and established beverage companies. Adjacent programs historically included Moonshine University (a distilling education program being wound down by year-end 2026) and the Stave & Thief Society bourbon industry certification.
Commercially, Flavorman generates revenue through custom development fees on a per-project basis, with pricing tailored to formulation complexity and regulatory requirements. The client mix spans enterprise beverage brands, high-growth startups, and craft producers across spirits, wine, hard cider, craft beer, functional sodas, and — more recently — cannabinoid-infused beverages. The business model is founder-owned and privately held, with no public funding history and limited disclosed financial information. Recent strategic emphasis has shifted toward international client acquisition via a U.S. Commercial Service partnership and product-line expansion into water-soluble CBD and non-alcoholic spirit categories.
Flavorman firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Flavorman
- Legal name
- Flavorman (operated by Distilled Spirits Epicenter LLC)
- Website
- https://flavorman.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1992
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Flavorman is a Louisville-based beverage development firm that provides turnkey formulation, flavor creation, and analytical testing services to alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage brands, operating from a 77,000 sq ft facility with 20+ R&D professionals and an 85,000+ formulation library built over 30+ years.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Flavorman industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Beverage Development Services
- NAICS
- Beverage Manufacturing (3121), Flavoring Syrup and Concentrate Manufacturing (311930), Flavoring Syrup and Concentrate Manufacturing (31193)
- SIC
- Beverages (2080), Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Flavor Houses & Compound Flavor Manufacturing (AFAJADAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Soft Drink & Carbonated Beverage Syrups (AFAFAGAA), Cocktail Mixes & Alcoholic Beverage Bases (non-alcoholic mixers, RTD spirit bases) (AFAFAGAH), Alcoholic Beverage Mixers & Cocktail Ingredients Brands (Non-alcoholic) (CRADAIAH)
Keywords
Where Flavorman is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Louisville
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Flavorman business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Beverage Development Services: Full-service beverage formulation and development from concept through commercialization. Includes flavor creation, recipe refinement, regulatory compliance, packaging guidance, and connection to contract manufacturers. Revenue is generated through project-based professional services engagements.
- Analytical Testing Services: Advanced laboratory testing services for distilled spirits and beverages including GC-MS, GC-FID, HPLC, and specialized compound analysis. Provides TTB-compliant testing for alcohol beverages.
- Flavor Concentrate Sales: Sale of proprietary flavor concentrates and ingredients. The company maintains an extensive library of off-the-shelf flavors and can develop custom formulations. Flavorman ships custom blended ingredients to co-packing facilities for clients.
- Experiential Team Building Services: Corporate team-building exercise where Flavorman facilitates drink creation workshops. Priced between $2,500 and $21,000 depending on event duration and scope. Generates additional revenue and brand awareness.
- Moonshine University Educational Programs: Sister company offering distilled spirits education courses including 6-day distiller courses, product & brand development courses, and private courses. Revenue from course fees. Note: Moonshine University is transitioning operations through 2026.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Short team building event (90 minutes - half day) |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Full-day team building seminar |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Flavorman product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Flavorman is a single-source beverage development partner offering turnkey services across the entire beverage product lifecycle. The company creates custom and off-the-shelf flavor concentrates, develops complete beverage formulations from concept through commercialization, and provides analytical testing (GC-MS, GC-FID, HPLC) for distilled spirits and beverages. Services include formulation, regulatory compliance (FDA/TTB), packaging guidance, co-packer connections, shelf-life testing, and quality control, supported by over 20 R&D professionals and a proprietary library of 85,000+ formulations.
Product overview
Flavorman is a single-source beverage development partner offering turnkey solutions across the entire beverage product lifecycle. The core portfolio consists of three integrated service pillars: Beverage Development (full-service product creation from concept to commercialization), Flavor Services (custom and off-the-shelf flavor concentrates), and Analytical Testing (GC-MS, GC-FID, and HPLC testing for quality control and regulatory compliance). Supporting the core services is SoluCan BD, a proprietary water-soluble CBD distillate for cannabis beverage formulations. Additionally, the company operates two affiliated educational brands—Moonshine University (spirits industry education and training) and Stave & Thief Society (bourbon certification program)—which extend the company's ecosystem beyond product development into industry training and professional development.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Beverage Development Full-service beverage product development from concept refinement to formula creation, packaging selection, FDA compliance, and commercialization guidance for beverage brands and entrepreneurs.
- Flavor Services Custom and off-the-shelf flavor concentrates for beverages, including natural, artificial, WONF, and TTB Natural classifications across fruit, spirit, botanical, and specialty profiles.
Quantifiable outcome
- 85,000+ beverage formulations developed
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Flavorman
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Flavorman technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature8 records
Flavorman partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Moonshine UniversitycoreMoonshine University is a sister company within the same organization (Distilled Spirits Epicenter LLC) providing distilled spirits education. Founded in 2013, it has taught 337 courses and welcomed 15,000+ attendees. Flavorman announced transition of Moonshine University operations through December 31, 2026, with course materials being transitioned to industry partners.
- Stave & Thief SocietycoreThe first bourbon certification program recognized by the bourbon industry and the only program recognized by the Kentucky Distillers Association as its 'Official Bourbon Education Course.' Provides Associate and Executive Bourbon Steward certifications for bourbon enthusiasts, bar/restaurant owners, and distillery professionals.
- Moonshine University Alumni NetworkminorNearly half of Moonshine University attendees enter the market within two years of completing a course. Alumni represent potential clients for Flavorman's beverage development services.
- US Commercial ServiceminorUS government trade facilitation organization helping US companies export. Flavorman values this relationship for international expansion support.
- KY World Trade CenterminorKentucky-based organization supporting international trade. Helps Kentucky companies like Flavorman expand globally.
- USDA Foreign Agricultural ServiceminorUSDA agency helping US agricultural exporters. Relevant for beverage ingredients and international partnerships.
- US Small Business AdministrationminorUS government agency supporting small business growth. Helps companies like Flavorman access resources for expansion.
Scale indicators14 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Flavorman competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Bell Flavors & Fragrances: Bell is a privately held flavor and fragrance house offering custom flavor development and beverage formulation services to startups and multinational brands. Directly comparable to Flavorman as a B2B flavor compound and beverage development partner.
- Döhler: Döhler is a global producer of natural ingredients, flavors and beverage bases, providing turnkey beverage development from concept to production. Comparable to Flavorman in offering integrated formulation, flavor systems, and analytical services for beverage makers.
- Robertet: Robertet is a French fragrance and flavor house serving beverage, food, and personal care clients with custom flavor compounds. Comparable to Flavorman as a specialty flavor house with deep technical formulation expertise.
Broad incumbents
- Kerry Group: Kerry is a global taste and nutrition company supplying flavors, ingredients, and functional systems to beverage and food manufacturers. Comparable to Flavorman in flavor development and beverage solutions, but at significantly larger scale and broader portfolio.
- International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF): IFF is one of the largest global flavor and fragrance houses, with extensive beverage and spirits flavor portfolios. Comparable to Flavorman in beverage flavor creation and testing, but at massive scale with global R&D infrastructure.
- Givaudan: Givaudan is the world's largest flavor and fragrance company, offering beverage flavors and integrated taste solutions. Comparable to Flavorman in custom flavor development for beverages, with significantly broader scale and global reach.
- Symrise: Symrise is a global flavor and nutrition company serving beverage, food, and pet food industries. Comparable to Flavorman in beverage flavor creation and sensory science, with a much larger global footprint.
- Mane: Mane is a family-owned French flavor and fragrance house serving beverage, food, and personal care sectors. Comparable to Flavorman as a privately held flavor company with custom formulation capabilities, albeit at much larger scale.
Emerging players
- Prinova (Prinova Group): Prinova provides flavor, ingredient, and premix solutions to beverage and nutrition brands. Comparable to Flavorman in the B2B flavor and formulation services space, with emerging focus on functional and sports nutrition beverages.
- Comax Flavors: Comax is a US-based custom flavor house serving beverage, food, and nutrition markets. Comparable to Flavorman in the product/customer profile (B2B custom flavors for beverage brands) but smaller in scale and footprint.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Flavorman social profiles
Digital presenceFlavorman financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Flavorman leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Flavorman funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Flavorman M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Flavorman
What does Flavorman do?
Flavorman is a single-source beverage development partner offering turnkey services across the entire beverage product lifecycle. The company creates custom and off-the-shelf flavor concentrates, develops complete beverage formulations from concept through commercialization, and provides analytical testing (GC-MS, GC-FID, HPLC) for distilled spirits and beverages. Services include formulation, regulatory compliance (FDA/TTB), packaging guidance, co-packer connections, shelf-life testing, and quality control, supported by over 20 R&D professionals and a proprietary library of 85,000+ formulations.
Is Flavorman a public or private company?
Flavorman is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Flavorman founded?
Flavorman was founded in 1992. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Flavorman based?
Flavorman is headquartered in Louisville, United States, in the North America region.
How does Flavorman make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Beverage Development Services are the primary driver. The others are analytical Testing Services, flavor Concentrate Sales, experiential Team Building Services and moonshine University Educational Programs.
Who are Flavorman's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Bell Flavors & Fragrances, Döhler and Robertet. Broad incumbents are Kerry Group, International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF), Givaudan, Symrise and Mane. Emerging players are Prinova (Prinova Group) and Comax Flavors.
Does Flavorman have an API?
No public API is recorded for Flavorman.
What industry is Flavorman in?
Flavorman's product category is Beverage Development Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAJADAA, Flavor Houses & Compound Flavor Manufacturing, with a secondary code of AFAFAGAA, Soft Drink & Carbonated Beverage Syrups. Its NAICS code is 3121 and its SIC code is 2080.