What Choko Authentics does

Choko Authentic Apparel, operating as Choko Authentics, is a privately held Canadian outdoor lifestyle apparel company founded in 1983 by Ed Hakonson and headquartered in Uxbridge, Ontario. The company designs, manufactures, and distributes premium apparel under a portfolio model combining OEM brand licenses (GM, Ford, Chrysler, Mopar, Case IH, New Holland, Kubota, and Snap-On) with wholly owned proprietary brands (Farmers Feed Families, Tool Crazy, Hockey, Fast Eddie Racewear) and a custom manufacturing services arm (Custom-Choko). Manufacturing is executed in-house through screen printing, embroidery, heat transfer, and sublimation finishing capabilities, supported by an in-house graphics team, with physical production outsourced to multiple international manufacturers selected via comparative sample testing. The Uxbridge facility includes a gymnasium and is equipped with rooftop solar panels and a geothermal heating/cooling system.

Choko monetizes through multiple channels: licensed apparel distributed via OEM dealer networks (automotive dealerships, agricultural equipment dealers, Snap-On dealer networks across Canada, USA, Australia, and UK), branded e-commerce storefronts, retail partnerships (TSC, Princess Auto, Federated Co-op, True Value, Orscheln's, and others), bi-annual warehouse sales events at the Uxbridge headquarters, and custom corporate wear with minimum order requirements (12-150 pieces depending on service) and 50% deposit payment terms. Its customer base spans automotive dealerships, agricultural equipment dealers, Snap-On dealers, farmers and rural communities, corporate/team customers, and motorsports enthusiasts.

Beyond apparel, Choko invests in motorsports marketing through ownership of Team3Red (NASCAR Pinty's Series team with driver Jason Hathaway) and organization of Motorfest in Stouffville, Ontario. The company remains founder-controlled with no institutional investment, no public listing, and a headcount of approximately 20 employees handling day-to-day operations. Its primary structural risk is concentration on a small number of OEM licensing partners, while its primary structural asset is the breadth and durability of those license relationships built over four decades.

Name

Choko Authentics

Legal name

Choko Authentic Apparel

Website

https://choko.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Uxbridge

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Licensed Apparel Sales: Design, manufacture and distribute premium quality outdoor lifestyle apparel under license for major automotive and agricultural brands including GM, Ford, Chrysler, Case IH, New Holland, Kubota, and Snap-On
2. Custom Manufacturing Services: Custom corporate wear manufacturing with screen printing, embroidery, heat transfer, and sublimation finishing with 50% deposit required and balance upon completion
3. Own Brand Products: Own brands including Tool Crazy, Hockey, and Farmers Feed Families sold through retail partners and direct channels
4. Warehouse Sales: Bi-annual warehouse sales events offering discounted inventory directly to consumers

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Choko Authentics designs, manufactures, and distributes premium quality outdoor lifestyle apparel under license for major automotive and agricultural brands including GM, Ford, Chrysler, Case IH, New Holland, Kubota, and Snap-On. The company also operates own brands (Farmers Feed Families, Tool Crazy, Hockey, Fast Eddie Racewear) and offers custom manufacturing services through its Custom-Choko division, including screen printing, embroidery, heat transfer, and sublimation finishing for teams, businesses, charities, and special events.

Product overview

Choko Authentics is a Canadian outdoor lifestyle apparel company that designs, creates, manufactures, and distributes premium quality outdoor lifestyle apparel. The company operates a portfolio model combining licensed automotive and agricultural brand apparel (Case IH, GM, New Holland, Kubota, Snap-On) with proprietary owned brands (Farmers Feed Families, Tool Crazy, Hockey, Fast Eddie Racewear) and custom manufacturing services (Custom-Choko). Core offerings include licensed dealer apparel programs, custom corporate wear services (screen printing, embroidery, heat transfer, sublimation), and seasonal warehouse sales events. The company also sponsors motorsport activities through Team3Red racing team and Motorfest car event.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Fast Eddie Racewear: Racing and motorsports apparel brand owned by Choko, with designs, development and manufacturing capabilities.
• Custom-Choko
• Farmers Feed Families
• Tool Crazy
• Hockey

Products and services

• Case IH Licensed Apparel Branded apparel and accessories for Case IH agricultural equipment dealers and customers in Canada and USA, distributed through dedicated dealer websites and retail stores.
• GM Licensed Apparel Licensed apparel for General Motors automotive brands including Chevrolet, GMC, Corvette, Cadillac, and Buick, featuring dealer store and retail store distribution options.
• New Holland Licensed Apparel Licensed apparel for the New Holland agriculture and construction equipment brand, with dealer login portals and online shopping capabilities.
• Kubota Licensed Apparel Licensed apparel for the Kubota equipment brand with dealer accounts and online ordering capabilities for equipment dealers in Canada.
• Snap-On Licensed Apparel Licensed apparel for the Snap-On tools brand serving automotive, heavy-duty, equipment, marine, aviation, and railroad markets, available across Canada, USA, and Europe dealer networks.
• Farmers Feed Families Registered trademark owned brand offering apparel and accessories for farmers, distributed through TSC Stores, Federated Co-op, Princess Auto, Country Depot, True Value, Peavey Mart in Canada, and Orscheln's in the US.
• Fast Eddie Racewear Racing and motorsports apparel brand owned by Choko that designs, develops, and manufactures products spanning multiple price points for motorsports enthusiasts.
• Custom-Choko Custom Apparel Manufacturing Custom apparel manufacturing service offering screen printing, embroidery, heat transfer, sublimated shirts/jackets/hoodies, team wear, custom artwork, and custom manufactured product for teams, businesses, charities, and special events.
• Canadian Made Reusable Masks Reusable courtesy masks made in Canada with adjustable nose clip, filter pocket, sublimated outer layer, and moisture-wicking fabrics. Sold in packs of 10 with custom branding options available for orders of 150 or more pieces.
• Mopar Licensed Apparel Branded clothing and accessories for Mopar fans distributed through Mopar-sponsored events including Mopar Canadian Nationals and Moparfest.

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• MoparcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerChoko holds brand licensing for Mopar to provide quality clothing and accessories for Mopar fans. Partnership includes employee sales at assembly plants and vendor presence at Mopar-sponsored events including Mopar Canadian Nationals and Moparfest.
• General MotorscoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerChoko creates, designs, manufactures and distributes high-end apparel under license for GM brands including Chevrolet, GMC, Corvette, Cadillac, and Buick to automotive markets across Canada.
• New HollandcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerChoko provides highest quality branded apparel from New Holland for agricultural dealers, with dedicated dealer e-commerce store and catalogue.
• Case IHcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerChoko provides branded apparel for Case IH dealers in Canada and USA with dedicated dealer websites and catalogues.
• KubotacoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerChoko provides highest quality branded apparel for Kubota equipment dealers in Canada with dedicated dealer store and catalogue.
• Snap-OncoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerChoko creates, designs and distributes apparel for Snap-On brand in Canada and worldwide with dedicated e-commerce stores for Canada, USA, and Europe dealer networks.
• Team 3 Red / Jason HathawaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChoko sponsors #3 Raybestos/Choko Authentics NASCAR Pinty's Series team with driver Jason Hathaway. Ed Hakonson is the team owner, connecting Choko to professional motorsports.
• MotorfestminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChoko's Fast Eddie division took over sponsorship and organization of Motorfest in Stouffville, Ontario in 2017. Event began in 1998 and features 1200+ vehicles annually.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Cinch: Western and agricultural lifestyle apparel brand with rodeo and rural distribution roots—smaller-scale brand targeting the same farmers and rural consumers Choko serves through Farmers Feed Families.
• Rally House: Multi-store retailer specializing in licensed sports, automotive, and lifestyle apparel across regional markets—operates in adjacent licensed apparel retail channels similar to Choko's brand-specific e-commerce stores.

Direct peers

• Alphabroder: One of North America's largest wholesale apparel distributors supplying blank and decorated apparel to dealers and corporate buyers—comparable to Choko's wholesale distribution of licensed and own brands.
• SanMar Corporation: Major wholesale apparel supplier to the decorated apparel industry, serving screen printers and corporate buyers—analogous to Choko's role supplying dealers, retailers, and custom apparel customers.
• Cutter & Buck: Premium apparel brand offering corporate, golf, and licensed lifestyle apparel with custom decoration services—mirrors Choko's mix of licensed brand apparel and Custom-Choko custom corporate wear.
• Heritage Sportswear: Custom decorated apparel and headwear manufacturer serving corporate, team, and retail markets with screen printing and embroidery—closely matches the Custom-Choko custom manufacturing model.
• Antigua Group: Licensed apparel manufacturer for professional sports leagues, corporate brands, and lifestyle programs with in-house decoration and design—closely comparable to Choko's licensed OEM apparel and Custom-Choko model.

Broad incumbents

• Carhartt: Iconic American workwear and agricultural lifestyle apparel brand sold through farm-and-rural retail and direct channels—compares to the Farmers Feed Families brand and rural retail distribution of Choko.
• Fanatics: Global leader in licensed sports merchandise and apparel with massive scale and league-wide rights—broader incumbent with a comparable licensed-apparel, multi-brand distribution model.
• G-III Apparel Group: Large publicly traded apparel company holding licenses for DKNY, Karl Lagerfeld, Donna Karan, and many lifestyle brands—operates a much broader licensed apparel portfolio than Choko but follows the same OEM-licensing playbook.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ChokoAuthentics
• Facebookfacebook.com/ChokoAuthenticApparel
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/choko-motorsports-ltd-
• Instagraminstagram.com/chokoauthentics/?hl=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries5 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 Choko Authentics