What StaVin does

StaVin Inc. is a privately held, family-owned supplier of premium toasted oak products for the global wine industry, founded in 1989 by brothers Stephen and Alan Sullivan and headquartered in Sausalito, California. The company sources oak from premier forests in the center of France, Hungary, and the United States (Missouri, Tennessee, Kentucky), naturally seasons it for three years, and processes it through three proprietary toasting regimes — hand fire-toasting (observing traditional French Tonnelier methods), long-cycle convection oven toasting (Savour Oak), and barrel head convection heat treatment — to produce oak adjuncts for fermentation and aging. The product portfolio spans Barrel Systems (Barrel Insert, Barrel Replica, Infusion Tube, Oak Beans) for reviving neutral barrels, Tank Systems (Stave Fans, Stave Segments, Oak Beans, Fermentation Oak Chips) for stainless steel tank applications, the Barrel Head and Savour Oak sub-brands, a Liquid Tannins line (Express Oak, Pure, Nature), and the OxBox micro-oxygenation system developed in-house with two Ph.D. chemists on staff.

StaVin sells directly to commercial wineries in North America through a regional sales team with dedicated territory coverage (Napa/Sonoma, Central Coast, Pacific Northwest, Southwest), and through a network of country-specific international distributors — Tonnellerie Demptos (Europe/Eastern Europe/South Africa/Middle East), Astela (Spain), Blue H2O Filtration (Australia), Laffort (New Zealand), and Vinicas (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Uruguay) — with strategic backing from TFF Group, the parent of Francois Freres Cooperage and seven other cooperages, which partnered with StaVin in 2009. A separate authorized reseller channel (MoreBeer!, Northern Brewer, Country Wines, Bosagrape, Austin Homebrew, and others) serves the home winemaker segment in North America. The company additionally offers a Barrel Fingerprinting service (blind sensory evaluation by the Director of Research) and pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed.

The business is small and artisanal — 1-10 employees, with the two founding Sullivan brothers and two Ph.D. chemists (Dr. Jeff McCord, Dr. Jeff Murrell) forming the technical core — but serves 3,000+ customers across four continents and has operated continuously for 30+ years. Its value proposition rests on three economic claims: 85-95% cost reduction versus a traditional barrel program, 50x ecological efficiency (one mature oak tree yielding 500 barrel equivalents versus 10 barrels), and 100% oak-to-wine surface contact versus approximately 10% in a barrel. The company is a portfolio-style premium consumables supplier to a niche B2B customer base, with an associated demonstration winery (Safe Harbor, opened 2007) that functions as a live proof-of-concept for tank-based aging.

Name

StaVin

Legal name

StaVin Inc.

Website

https://stavin.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

StaVin is a family-owned supplier of premium toasted oak products (staves, segments, beans, chips, liquid tannins) for commercial wineries and home winemakers worldwide, founded in 1989 in Sausalito, California, and serving over 3,000 customers across four continents.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Winemaking Oak Products

NAICS

Sawmills and Wood Preservation (32111), Veneer, Plywood, and Engineered Wood Product Manufacturing (32121), Wood Product Manufacturing (321)

SIC

Wholesale-Lumber, Plywood, Millwork & Wood Panels (5031), Millwood, Veneer, Plywood, & Structural Wood Members (2430)

akta.pro primary industry

Wood Treatment & Preservation for Engineered Wood Products (IMAMACAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wood Remanufacturing (Mouldings, Millwork Blanks, Cut Stock) (IMAMABAI), Engineered Wood Products Distribution (LVL, I-joists, Glulam, CLT) (IMAMAIAD)

Keywords

• Toasted oak products
• Winemaking oak alternatives
• Oenological oak suppliers
• Barrel alternative products
• Micro-oxygenation systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Sausalito

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Oak Product Sales: Sale of toasted oak products (stave fans, oak beans, segments, barrel inserts, replicas, infusion tubes, chips) for wine fermentation and aging. Products sold directly to wineries and through authorized resellers for home winemakers. Pricing based on product type and quantity.
2. Barrel Fingerprinting Program: Blind sensory evaluations conducted by Director of Research to help determine oak concentrations, toast levels, and blending procedures. Technical consulting service supporting product sales.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

StaVin manufactures and supplies handcrafted toasted oak products used by wineries as alternatives to traditional oak barrels. The portfolio spans Barrel Systems (Barrel Insert, Barrel Replica, Infusion Tube, Oak Beans) for reviving neutral barrels, Tank Systems (Stave Fans, Stave Segments, Oak Beans, Fermentation Chips) for stainless steel tank applications, Barrel Head heat-treated products, Savour Oak convection-toasted products, and Liquid Tannin extracts. Oak is sourced from premier forests in France, Hungary, and the United States, naturally seasoned for three years, and finished via fire-toasting, convection oven toasting, or barrel head heat treatment.

Product overview

StaVin is the world's leading supplier of premium toasted oak products for winemaking, offering a comprehensive portfolio of barrel and tank integration systems. The product portfolio includes Barrel Systems (Barrel Insert, Barrel Replica, Infusion Tube, Oak Beans) for integrating oak into existing neutral barrels, and Tank Systems (Stave Fans, Stave Segments, Oak Beans, Fermentation Oak Chips) for stainless steel tank applications. Supporting product lines include Barrel Head products, Savour Oak (convection oven-toasted), and Liquid Tannins (Express Oak, Pure, Nature). Additional offerings include the OxBox micro-oxygenation system, Oak Dosage Calculator, and Barrel Fingerprinting service. Products are available in three oak origins (French, Hungarian, American) and three toast preparations (Fire, Savour Oak Convection, Barrel Head Convection), with 3-5 toast levels ranging from Medium to Heavy. The company serves over 3,000 customers worldwide including commercial wineries and home winemakers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Savour Oak: Convection oven-toasted oak products offering high vanilla and sugar notes. Available in Savour, Savour DM and Savour Plus toast levels.
• Express Oak
• Barrel Head
• OxBox

Products and services

• Barrel Systems Onsite methods for integrating high-quality, 3-year seasoned, fire-toasted oak staves into existing neutral barrels, including Barrel Insert, Barrel Replica, Infusion Tube, and Oak Beans. Allows wineries to add new barrel equivalent flavor to neutral barrels without purchasing new barrels.
• Tank Systems Economical and ecologically responsible oak products for use as barrel alternatives in stainless steel tanks. Includes Stave Fans, Stave Segments, Oak Beans, and Oak Chips. Marketed as 85% less expensive than barrel programs and 50 times more ecologically efficient.
• Barrel Insert Two fire-toasted oak stave sections installed on either side of the bunghole in neutral barrels using 316 grade stainless steel retainer rods. Adds new barrel equivalent flavor during fermentation or maturation and revives neutral barrels with superior flavors. Professional installation service is available.
• Barrel Replica French, American or Hungarian oak replica for neutral barrels, available with three toasting preparations (StaVin Fire, Convection Oven, Barrel Head). Comes in 10 sections with 30 total staves; can be split to achieve 50% new barrel extraction spread over two barrels.
• Infusion Tube 304 grade stainless steel tube filled with toasted oak for incremental oak integration in neutral barrels. Each 8-ounce load adds 33% new oak flavors. Provides a convenient way to add oak without removing barrel heads and is reusable and economical.
• Stave Fans Pre-wired fan-shaped toasted oak products for hanging in stainless steel tanks. Pack size of 44 sq ft delivers 100% new barrel impact per 180 gallons with a minimum 4-month contact time and 2-year useful life. Available in Fire, Barrel Head, and Savour Oak Convection Oven toast preparations.
• Stave Segments 2-inch square segments cut from toasted staves for medium timeframe applications in tanks, with faster extraction rates than whole staves. Available in all three toast preparations (Fire, Savour Oak Oven, Barrel Head Oven), packaged in 15 lb food-grade polybags.
• Oak Beans Fire-toasted oak beans cut from 3-year seasoned staves. Available for both barrel and tank applications, offering quick extraction rates with the same complex flavor compounds as staves. Aids in color stabilization and tannin cross-linking during fermentation; packaged in 20 lb food-grade nylon mesh bags inside barrier polybags.
• Fermentation Oak Chips 3-year seasoned oak chips designed for fermentation integration in tanks. Available as Savour Oak convection toasted (color stabilization, structural enhancement) or untoasted (more hydrolysable tannins, body enhancement with less aromatics). Dosage rate is 22 lbs per 1,000 gallons.
• Barrel Head Products Proprietary convection heat-treated oak components that replace untoasted barrel head staves. Enhances wines with greater texture, mouthfeel, elegant complex flavor profiles, and rounded high notes. Includes Barrel Head Segments and Barrel Head Long Beans, used at 20-30% addition to fire-toasted oak.
• Savour Oak Long-cycle convection oven-toasted oak products distinct from fire-toasting, naturally seasoned for three years. Produces uniform toast throughout the wood yielding high vanilla and sugar notes with more sweet characters in aromatics and increased viscosity. Available in three toast levels: Savour, Savour DM, and Savour Plus. Includes String Beans and Fermentation Chips.
• Liquid Tannins (Express Oak, Pure, Nature) Liquid oak extracts for finishing and fermentation. Includes Express Oak (pure concentrated essence of fire-toasted French oak for touch-up finishing), Pure (untoasted for fermentation), and Nature (toasted for fermentation). Made from 3-year seasoned, fire-toasted French oak using a proprietary extraction method.
• OxBox Micro-Oxygenation System Micro-oxygenation system developed by Dr. Jeff McCord for replicating micro-oxygenation uptake in tanks to match barrel oxygen exposure. Uses a 10-micron sparging stone for precise oxygen introduction, and is designed to be used alongside StaVin Oak Integration Systems to enable barrel-free winemaking in tanks.
• Barrel Fingerprinting Program Blind sensory evaluation program conducted by StaVin's Director of Research with the customer's wine team. Helps determine the correct oak concentrations, toast levels, and blending procedures using StaVin's three toasting regimes (Fire, Convection Oven Savour, and Convection Oven Barrel Head) to provide 'the missing link' aromas, flavors, and mouthfeel from a customer's favorite barrel program.
• Oak Cubes for Home Winemakers Slow fire-toasted oak cubes for home winemakers, providing control and flexibility during red and white fermentations and aging. Sealed in 8-ounce poly-metal bags, stabilizes color, and helps cross-link tannins. Sold exclusively through authorized North American resellers such as MoreBeer!, Country Wines, Northern Brewer, and Bosagrape.

Quantifiable outcome

• Cost savings of 85-95% compared to traditional barrel programs
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• TFF Group / Jerome FrancoiscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009In 2009, Jerome Francois, CEO of TFF Group (which includes Francois Freres Cooperage) became fascinated by oak adjuncts and sought to add an adjunct company to his product line. He partnered with the Sullivan brothers because 'StaVin stood out. They were like coopers. They selected center of France wood and aged it three years. They fire-toasted their staves much like we do when we make barrels. They were family owned, dedicated to quality and had a great reputation in the industry.' The partnership opened up the entire European market for StaVin products. TFF Group operates eight different cooperages.
• Tonnellerie Demptos S.A.S.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistributor for StaVin products covering Europe, Eastern Europe, South Africa and The Middle East. Located at 18 Avenue de Luzanne, Saint-Caprais-de-Bordeaux, 33880 France. Contact is Jean-Marie Garrigue. This is a key distribution partner for the European market.
• Astela Import, S.L.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSpanish distributor for StaVin products. Located at Jon Arrospide 2 trasera, 48014 Bilbao, Spain. Contact is Miguel Alonzo. Covers Spain specifically.
• Blue H2O FiltrationcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAustralian distributor for StaVin products. Located at Unit 1/11-13 Wells Road, Oakleigh VIC 3166, Australia.
• Laffort New Zealand LtdcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNew Zealand distributor for StaVin products. Contact is Greg Wilkin. Represents StaVin in the New Zealand market.
• Vinicas S.A.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSouth American distributor covering Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Uruguay. Located at Galvarino Gallardo 1588, Santiago, Chile. Contact is Catalina Castro Estrada.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Laffort: Global oenological products company offering tannins, enzymes, yeast and oak-derived products. StaVin's distributor in New Zealand; competes in the broader wine input category with overlapping oak tannin products.
• Tonnellerie François Frères (TFF Group): Parent company of StaVin and one of the world's largest cooperage groups operating eight cooperages. Directly comparable as a premium oak product supplier to the wine industry, with a broader barrel-centric portfolio.

Direct peers

• Canton Cooperage: US-based premium cooperage producing barrels and engineered oak alternatives. Comparable in offering hand-crafted toasted oak products for both barrel and tank applications.
• Oak Solutions Group: US manufacturer of premium oak adjunct products including staves, chips and tank products for commercial wineries. Direct competitor in the North American toasted oak products market.
• Radoux: French cooperage and oak products manufacturer with a dedicated oak adjunct line (Oak Alternatives). Directly competes with StaVin in premium toasted oak chips, staves and segments for wineries.
• Tonnellerie Seguin Moreau: Premium French cooperage (part of Oeneo Group) that produces oak barrels and has expanded into oak adjunct products for tank and barrel aging — direct competition in the same StaVin product categories.
• Innerstave / Apera: US-based manufacturer of oak adjunct products for the wine industry, including inner stave barrels, oak chips and tank staves. Direct competitor in the North American winery channel.
• Tonnellerie Demptos: TFF Group cooperage that is also StaVin's European distributor. Comparable as a premium oak product and barrel manufacturer serving the same global winery customer base.
• Boisé France: French specialist manufacturer of oak chips, segments and tank staves for the wine industry, primarily serving European wineries. Directly comparable product portfolio to StaVin's Tank Systems.

Emerging players

• AB Mauri (Fleischmann's Yeast): Global supplier to the wine and brewing industries with adjacent wine-making inputs. Less direct overlap on toasted oak but competes for the same winery procurement budget.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stavin-inc-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

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 StaVin