Olive & Sinclair Chocolate Co.

What Olive & Sinclair Chocolate Co. does

Olive & Sinclair Chocolate Co. is a Nashville, Tennessee-based bean-to-bar artisan chocolate maker founded in 2007 by Scott Witherow. The company operates a single factory at 1628 Fatherland St in East Nashville — Tennessee's only bean-to-bar chocolate facility — where it slow-roasts and stone-grinds single-origin cacao beans with pure brown sugar in small batches using two 120-year-old melanguers. Its product portfolio spans signature chocolate bars (e.g., 75% Cacao, 67% Cacao, Sea Salt, Mexican-Style Cinnamon Chili, Coffee Crunch, Buttermilk White, Cacao Nib, Candied Lemon, O&S Milk Chocolate) priced at $10 each, limited-edition bars at $12, confections including bourbon barrel-aged nib brittle, Allan Benton–smoked nib brittle, and duck fat / sea salt & vinegar / ghost pepper caramels priced $17–$24, plus gift sets ($42–$80), digital gift cards ($15–$100), and branded merchandise. Production integrates craft-supplier partnerships with Corsair Distillery (bourbon barrel aging), Allan Benton (smoking), Bongo Java Roasting Co. (coffee), and Hubs Peanuts (limited-edition collaborations).

The business is structured around four revenue streams: (1) DTC e-commerce sales via oliveandsinclair.com, (2) in-person retail at the East Nashville factory shop (Tuesday–Saturday, 10am–5pm), (3) wholesale distribution via a dedicated portal at oliveandsinclairwholesale.com targeting retailers and specialty food shops, and (4) paid Saturday factory tours at $10/adult and $5/child. Shipping is limited to the Continental U.S. via FedEx and USPS; no phone orders are accepted. The company is privately held and founder-owned, with no disclosed institutional funding, no acquisitions, no parent company, and a headcount of 11–50. Brand positioning rests on registered "Southern Artisan Chocolate™" trademark and a track record of awards including the 2014 Garden & Gun Made In The South Award, 2012 and 2014 Specialty Food Association recognition, Southern Living Food Awards, and press coverage in goop.com, SAVEUR, and Robb Report.

Revenue is not publicly disclosed. The structural growth ceiling is set by the small-batch melanger capacity at a single factory location; expansion levers observed in the data are limited to new SKU launches (most recently the 2019 Limited Edition Goober-Rig Bar), ecosystem extensions into merchandise and gift cards, and the formalization of the wholesale channel, with no evidence of geographic expansion, second production site, or external capital.

Name

Olive & Sinclair Chocolate Co.

Legal name

Olive & Sinclair Chocolate Co.

Website

https://oliveandsinclair.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Olive & Sinclair Chocolate Co. is a Nashville-based bean-to-bar artisan chocolate maker founded in 2007, producing small-batch single-origin chocolate bars, brittles, and caramels for direct-to-consumer, retail, and wholesale customers across the Continental U.S.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Artisan Chocolate Manufacturing

NAICS

Chocolate and Confectionery Manufacturing from Cacao Beans (311351), Chocolate and Confectionery Manufacturing (31135)

SIC

Sugar & Confectionery Products (2060)

akta.pro primary industry

Chocolate & Chocolate Confectionery (CRADABAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Chocolate & Confectionery Shops (THAFAGAD)

Keywords

• Artisan bean-to-bar chocolate
• Small-batch confections
• Southern chocolate manufacturer
• Chocolate bars and brittles
• Handcrafted chocolate products

Headquarters

HQ city

Nashville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Direct Chocolate Sales: Direct sales of chocolate bars, caramels, brittles, and confections to consumers through their e-commerce website and retail factory shop. Products include signature chocolate bars ($10), limited edition bars ($12), caramels ($17-$24), gift sets, and bulk case purchases.
2. Factory Tours: Paid tours of the chocolate factory offered on Saturdays, priced at $10 per adult (ages 13+) and $5 per child (6-12), including samples and complimentary hairnet.
3. Wholesale Distribution: Bulk wholesale orders for retailers and businesses through their dedicated wholesale website at oliveandsinclairwholesale.com.
4. Gift Cards: Digital gift cards sold in denominations of $15, $25, $50, $75, and $100, redeemable in their online store.
5. Merchandise: Branded merchandise including bandanas (screen printed in Nashville) and trucker hats sold through their online store.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Olive & Sinclair Chocolate Co. manufactures and sells small-batch bean-to-bar artisan chocolate products from its Nashville, Tennessee factory, including signature and limited-edition chocolate bars, bourbon-barrel-aged and smoked cacao nib brittles, flavored caramels, and curated gift sets. All products are slow-roasted and stone-ground using 120-year-old melanguers with single-origin cacao beans and pure brown sugar, incorporating Southern flavor techniques such as bourbon barrel aging, smoking, and buttermilk.

Product overview

Olive & Sinclair Chocolate Co. is a bean-to-bar artisan chocolate company based in Nashville, Tennessee, operating since 2007. The company produces a portfolio of signature chocolate bars (including 75% Cacao, 67% Cacao, Sea Salt, Mexican-Style Cinnamon Chili, Coffee Crunch, Buttermilk White, Cacao Nib, Candied Lemon, Milk Chocolate, and Limited Edition bars), confections (Bourbon Nib Brittle, Smoked Nib Brittle, Duck Fat Caramels, Sea Salt & Vinegar Caramels, Ghost Pepper Caramels), gift sets (8 Bar Box Set, 12 Bar Case, 4 Pack, Brittle Set, Caramel Sets, Gift Cards), and merchandise (bandanas, trucker hats). All products are slow-roasted and stone-ground in small batches using single-origin beans combined with pure brown sugar, reflecting traditional methods, modern European technique, and classic Southern flavors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 75% Cacao Chocolate Bar Dark chocolate bar made with single-origin cacao beans from the Dominican Republic, presenting bright acidity with undertones of tobacco and lemon zest; slow-roasted and stone-ground in Nashville.
• 67% Cacao Chocolate Bar Bold, fudgy dark chocolate bar made with single-origin cacao from Peru, with notes of red stone fruit, brown butter, and sorghum molasses.
• Sea Salt Chocolate Bar Dark chocolate bar speckled with flaked sea salt, offering clean salinity with a citrusy, deep dark chocolate finish.
• Mexican-Style Cinnamon Chili Chocolate Bar Chocolate bar made with organic Ceylon cinnamon and chili, offering a granular melt with floral spices and smoky warmth; 2012 Specialty Food Association Silver Finalist for BEST CHOCOLATE.
• Coffee Crunch Bar 67% chocolate studded with freshly-roasted coffee from Bongo Java Roasting Co. in Nashville, with hints of red stone fruit and brown butter.
• Buttermilk White Chocolate Bar White chocolate bar made with pure cane sugar, pure pressed cocoa butter, and tangy buttermilk, balancing sweetness with added complexity; 45% cacao, 2.5 oz.
• 75% Candied Lemon and Sea Salt 75% Peruvian dark chocolate with chewy bits of candied lemon peel and Maldon Sea Salt.
• Cacao Nib Chocolate Bar 67% cacao chocolate bar filled with freshly-roasted cacao nibs for added crunch and bursts of pure cacao flavor.
• O&S Milk Chocolate Bar Milk chocolate bar described as the perfect middle ground between dark and white chocolate, with dark, complex flavors and creamy sweetness.
• Limited Edition Goober-Rig Bar Limited edition milk chocolate bar made with salted blister-fried Virginia Peanuts, natural cola powder, and Florida turbinado sugar; a collaboration with Hubs Peanuts referencing the Southern tradition of salted peanuts in a cold bottle of cola.
• Bourbon Nib Brittle Brittle made with cacao nibs aged in Corsair Distillery bourbon barrels, encased in buttery caramel brittle and layered with 67% chocolate; 2014 Specialty Food Association GOLD WINNER for BEST CONFECTION.
• Smoked Nib Brittle Brittle made with O&S cacao nibs smoked in Allan Benton's prized smokehouse in Madisonville, TN, finished with 67% chocolate; Southern Living Food Awards Best Confection winner.
• Duck Fat Caramels Handcrafted caramels made with caramelized cane sugar and rich duck fat; 5 oz, 12 individually-wrapped pieces; Garden & Gun Made In The South 2014 Award Winner.
• Sea Salt & Vinegar Caramels Handcrafted caramels combining salt and vinegar with salted caramel in a balanced, tart and tasty profile, 12 individually wrapped pieces.
• Ghost Pepper Caramels Caramels combining decadent caramel sweetness with a burst of ghost pepper heat, delivered in a balanced and bold profile.
• Olive & Sinclair 4 Pack Variety 4-pack of chocolate bars typically including 75% Cacao, 67% Cacao, Mexican-Style Cinnamon Chili, and Sea Salt.
• 8 Bar Box Set Curated gift set containing all 8 signature artisan chocolate bars: 75% Chocolate, 67% Chocolate, Sea Salt, Cocoa Nib, Candied Lemon, Mexican-Style Cinnamon Chili, Coffee Crunch, and Buttermilk White.
• 12 Bar Case of Chocolate Full case of any single chocolate bar in a Pop Up Display Box, or in a mixed Mystery Mix option, available as a wholesale-style bulk purchase.
• Brittle Set Gift set containing both the Bourbon Nib Brittle and Smoked Nib Brittle, nut-free with crunchy cacao bits in caramel brittle layered with 67% chocolate; 6 oz each.
• Caramel Set Duo caramel gift set of two boxes including Duck Fat and Sea Salt & Vinegar caramels (one box of each by default).
• Caramel Trio Set Trio caramel gift set of three boxes including Duck Fat, Sea Salt & Vinegar, and Ghost Pepper caramels.
• Olive and Sinclair Online Gift Card Digital gift card redeemable in the online store, available in denominations of $15, $25, $50, $75, and $100, and never expires.
• Olive & Sinclair Bandana Hand-printed 100% cotton bandanas milled in South Carolina and screen printed in Nashville by Grand Palace, offered in Red and Green colorways.
• Olive and Sinclair Trucker Hat Softly-lined retro trucker hat available in Brown Lettering, Navy Lettering, and Navy Logo variants.
• Factory Tours Saturday-only guided tours of the East Nashville bean-to-bar chocolate factory, priced at $10 per adult (ages 13+) and $5 per child (6-12), including samples and a complimentary hairnet; advance online booking required.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2014 Garden & Gun Made In the South Award Winner
• +4 more outcomes

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

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Hubs PeanutsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Hubs Peanuts for the Limited Edition 'Goober-Rig' Bar, a throwback to the old Southern tradition of adding salted peanuts to a cold bottle of cola. The bar features salted blister-fried Virginia Peanuts combined with their milk chocolate and natural cola powder.
• Bongo Java Roasting Co.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNashville-based coffee roaster providing freshly-roasted coffee for the Coffee Crunch Bar. The bar features the fudgy backbone of their 67% chocolate studded with freshly-roasted coffee from Bongo Java.
• Corsair DistillerycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides select small batch bourbon barrels for aging O&S cacao beans/nibs for their Bourbon Nib Brittle. The bourbon barrel aging process imparts nuanced flavor from some of the South's finest bourbons.
• Allan BentoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides access to Benton's prized smoked house in Madisonville, TN for smoking O&S cacao nibs used in their Smoked Nib Brittle. Benton is known for his signature smoked products.
• Grand PalaceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNashville-based screen printer that produces the Olive & Sinclair bandanas. The bandanas are 100% cotton, milled in South Carolina and screen printed in Nashville.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ritual Chocolate: Park City, UT bean-to-bar craft chocolate maker offering single-origin bars through DTC and wholesale with a small-batch, minimally-processed production philosophy closely aligned with Olive & Sinclair's craft ethos.
• Taza Chocolate: Somerville, MA bean-to-bar maker that, like Olive & Sinclair, uses traditional stone-grinding (Mexican molino) for stone-ground chocolate and emphasizes direct-trade cacao with regional flavor profiles. Highly comparable process and craft positioning.
• Mast Brothers Chocolate: Brooklyn-based bean-to-bar craft chocolate maker selling single-origin bars through DTC, wholesale, and own retail shop. Direct competitor in the craft bean-to-bar category with similar premium pricing and award-driven marketing approach.
• Theo Chocolate: Seattle-based craft chocolate maker producing organic, fair-trade bean-to-bar chocolate with a factory store and wholesale distribution. Similar DTC + wholesale + factory-tour model, with a comparable product/category overlap.
• Dandelion Chocolate: San Francisco-based bean-to-bar craft chocolate maker producing single-origin bars from-satchel sourcing with factory tours and DTC e-commerce. Closest model match to Olive & Sinclair in production method, scale, and direct-to-consumer gifting strategy.
• Askinosie Chocolate: Springfield, MO small-batch bean-to-bar chocolate maker with single-origin bars, direct-trade sourcing, and a strong provenance story. Comparable scale, founder-led model, and Midwest/Southern regional positioning.
• Vosges Haut-Chocolat: Chicago-based artisan chocolate maker known for unusual flavor combinations (chocolate + exotic spices, bourbon, etc.) sold via DTC, retail stores, and wholesale. Direct overlap with Olive & Sinclair's flavor-driven, premium artisan positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Ghirardelli Chocolate Company: Established premium chocolate manufacturer with broad retail presence in bars, caramels, and gift sets. Competes with Olive & Sinclair in the chocolate gifting and caramel categories through far wider distribution and brand recognition.
• Lake Champlain Chocolates: Vermont-based specialty chocolate manufacturer producing premium bars, caramels and truffles across a broader product portfolio. Overlaps with Olive & Sinclair in caramels and confections but operates at a larger scale with broader retail distribution.
• Lindt & Sprüngli: Global premium chocolate incumbent whose Excellence and artisan lines compete at the high end of chocolate retail and gifting. Broad competitive pressure on Olive & Sinclair's price points and shelf space, though at vastly larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/oliveandsinclair
• Instagraminstagram.com/oliveandsinclair

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Olive & Sinclair Chocolate Co.