Tavernier Chocolates

What Tavernier Chocolates does

Tavernier Chocolates LLC is a privately held, bootstrapped artisan chocolate maker founded in 2014 by Dar Tavernier-Singer and John Singer in Brattleboro, Vermont. The company handcrafts small-batch bonbons, single-origin bars, drinking chocolates, and an award-winning savory chocolate charcuterie line (pâté-style ganache bricks and saucisson-style logs) using traditional European confectionery techniques combined with locally foraged and sourced Vermont ingredients. Coverages are sourced as direct-trade, single-origin chocolate from Republica del Cacao in Ecuador, and finished products are packaged in compostable, recyclable materials with a 100% biodegradable approach. The company employs a four-person core team (the two founders plus chocolatiers Kestrel Peavy and Rikki Tatkovsky) and collaborates with a network of 50+ local farmers, foragers, herbalists, and producers.

The business operates a hybrid go-to-market model: direct-to-consumer e-commerce with nationwide shipping (paused mid-May through mid-September due to heat sensitivity), a brick-and-mortar factory shop at 128 Main Street in the historic Brooks House in downtown Brattleboro, wholesale distribution through two regional specialty food distributors (Provisions International for the Northeast; Produits Artisanaux for the Mid-Atlantic/Southeast), and a 40+ partner retail network across New England, New York, and beyond. Revenue streams include direct e-commerce, the $75/month Chocolate VIP Club subscription (local pickup only), corporate gifting (bulk orders of 12+ gifts, customers include Equinix and Four Seasons), wedding and celebration chocolates, and wholesale orders with a $100 minimum.

Tavernier serves gift-givers, food enthusiasts, B2B corporate clients, wedding and event planners, and wholesale specialty retailers. Its differentiator is a terroir-driven, locavore identity that pairs Latin American single-origin chocolate with Vermont ingredients (spruce, mushrooms, herbs, cheeses, maple, honey). The company is recognized by Forbes, USA Today, Travel + Leisure, Serious Eats, The Pioneer Woman, VegNews, and Yankee Magazine, and has won a Yankee Food Award and been a Good Food Awards finalist. There is no external funding and no AI/ML technology stack; the entire operation is run on handcraft, traditional confectionery processes, and a tight community distribution network.

Name

Tavernier Chocolates

Legal name

Tavernier Chocolates LLC

Website

https://tavernierchocolates.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Tavernier Chocolates is a Brattleboro, Vermont-based artisan chocolate maker founded in 2014. It handcrafts small-batch bonbons, single-origin bars, drinking chocolate, and award-winning savory chocolate charcuterie using locally foraged Vermont ingredients for gifting, corporate, and wholesale customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Artisan Confectionery

NAICS

Chocolate and Confectionery Manufacturing (31135), Confectionery Manufacturing from Purchased Chocolate (311352)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Chocolate & Chocolate Confectionery (CRADABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Chocolate & Confectionery Patisseries (Bonbons, Truffles, Macarons) (THAFAFAL), Patisseries & Dessert Boutiques (CRAHAGAB)

Keywords

• Artisan chocolate
• Single origin chocolate
• Handcrafted confections
• Chocolate subscription
• Specialty chocolate retail

Headquarters

HQ city

Brattleboro

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Direct E-commerce Sales: Online shop selling chocolates directly to consumers nationwide with shipping (paused during summer months). Products include bars, bonbons, truffles, drinking chocolate, charcuterie, gift boxes, and gift cards.
2. Chocolate VIP Club Subscription: Monthly subscription at $75 charged on the 8th of each month. Includes chef's selection of bars, bonbons, drinking chocolate, exclusive/limited editions, priority event access, and behind-the-scenes descriptions. Local pickup only.
3. Corporate Gifting: B2B corporate gift orders for bonbon collections, bar collections and gift boxes shipped to employees, colleagues and clients. Orders of 12+ gifts handled through inquiry form. National shipping available.
4. Wedding & Celebration Chocolates: Custom chocolate solutions for weddings, anniversaries, galas and birthdays. Products include 1oz chocolate bars and bonbon duo packets for place settings, favors, or gifts. LGBTQ+ affirming business.
5. Wholesale Distribution: Wholesale chocolates to specialty food shops, lifestyle shops, restaurants, and cafés. Minimum order $100. Works with regional distributors: Provisions International (VT, MA, NH, ME, NY) and Produits Artisanaux (DE, NC, PA, SC, MD, NJ, VA, DC).
6. Brick-and-Mortar Retail: Factory shop at 128 Main Street, Brooks House, Brattleboro, VT. Open Wed-Sat 11am-5pm (Fri until 7pm for First Fridays). Offers full product line plus curated pottery, candles, spice blends, and baked goods.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Tavernier Chocolates handcrafts artisan chocolates in southern Vermont using traditional European confectionery techniques combined with locally sourced and foraged Vermont ingredients (fruits, herbs, mushrooms, dairy, cheeses) and ethically sourced single-origin chocolate from Republica del Cacao. The core product portfolio includes chocolate bars and tablets, bonbons and truffles, an award-winning savory Chocolate Charcuterie line (pâté-style ganache bricks and sliceable saucisson-style logs), and gourmet drinking chocolate mixes. Supporting offerings include gift cards, holiday and curated gift boxes, vegan/dairy-free options, limited-edition seasonal micro-batches, corporate gifts, and a custom Wedding & Celebration program.

Product overview

Tavernier Chocolates is an artisan Vermont chocolate company handcrafting elegant, seasonally-inspired chocolates in southern Vermont using traditional European confectionery techniques. Their product portfolio centers on four core offerings: Chocolate Tablets & Bars (single origin bars from Ecuador, Peru and Dominican Republic with local inclusions), Bonbons & Truffles (filled chocolates in diverse sweet and savory flavors), Chocolate Charcuterie (award-winning pâté-style and saucisson-style ganache products), and Gourmet Drinking Chocolate (single-origin cocoa mixes). The company also offers specialty products including Vegan/Dairy-Free options and Limited Edition seasonal micro-batches. Supporting offerings include Gift Cards, the Chocolate VIP Club Subscription service, and custom Corporate and Wedding/Celebration chocolate programs. All products emphasize locally sourced and foraged Vermont ingredients combined with ethically-sourced, direct trade single-origin chocolates.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Chocolate Tablets & Bars

Quantifiable outcome

• Started at local Farmer's Market in 2014, built following over years, opened factory shop, moved to prominent downtown Brattleboro location in historic Brooks House in 2024
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Republica del CacaocoreTechnology or IntegrationPrimary supplier of direct trade, single-origin, origin-made chocolate couverture. Based in Ecuador with operations in Latin America. Follows fair trade precepts and works with farmer-owned cooperatives. This partnership is fundamental to Tavernier's supply chain and product quality.
• Provisions InternationalcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional specialty food distributor covering Vermont, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, and New York (except NYC). Delivers year-round with refrigerated trucks during summer months. Primary wholesale distribution partner for Northeast region.
• Produits ArtisanauxcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional specialty food distributor covering Delaware, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Maryland, New Jersey, Virginia, and Washington DC. Secondary wholesale distribution partner extending East Coast reach beyond direct sales territory.
• Retreat FarmminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization preserving 13+ miles of trails through forests, farmland and meadows. Works with the Atowi Project and programs supporting land equity for BIPOC farmers. Provides inspiration for Tavernier's recipes and a reminder of regional history and responsibility. Source of foraging inspiration.
• Atowi ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization working on programs supporting land equity for BIPOC farmers. Partnership aligns with Tavernier's commitment to sourcing from diverse local producers and supporting their community.
• Vermont Farmers & Foragers NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of 50+ local farmers, foragers, herbalists, and artisanal producers supplying ingredients. Includes partners like Blue Ledge Farm, Jasper Hill Cellars, Grafton Village Cheese, Vermont Creamery, Runamok Maple, Scott Farm Orchards, and many others. Essential for unique local ingredient sourcing.
• Scott Farm OrchardminorStrategic or Co-development Partner707 Kipling Road, Dummerston, VT. Hosts Chocolate & Fruit Workshop events with Tavernier. Historical farm with stone wall by The Stone Trust. Source of inspiration and event venue partnership.
• Quiet North CandlesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVermont candle maker producing signature candles for Tavernier shop featuring bittersweet cacao and spruce in soy wax. Co-branded product collaboration sold in Tavernier's shop.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights10 records

Direct peers

• Raaka Chocolate: Small-batch Brooklyn chocolate maker producing unroasted, single-origin bars with strong flavor innovation. Comparable scale, DTC-led model, and emphasis on unconventional flavor profiles.
• Taza Chocolate: Somerville, MA-based stone-ground bean-to-bar chocolate maker with strong DTC and wholesale presence. Comparable New England origin, direct-trade sourcing, and small-batch craft model.
• Askinosie Chocolate: Small-batch Springfield, MO bean-to-bar chocolate maker with direct-trade sourcing and strong storytelling. Comparable scale, single-origin craft focus, and DTC-led distribution.
• Lake Champlain Chocolates: Vermont-based artisan chocolate maker producing premium truffles, bars, and gift chocolates for retail and wholesale. Closely comparable in geography, product format (bonbons, bars, gift boxes), and premium positioning to Tavernier.
• Dandelion Chocolate: San Francisco single-origin bean-to-bar chocolate maker with flagship cafés and nationwide shipping. Comparable in craft focus, single-origin sourcing, and experiential retail.
• Compartés Chocolatier: Los Angeles-based artisan chocolatier producing premium bonbons, bars, and seasonal collections with strong gifting positioning. Comparable in artisanal bonbon focus, premium pricing, and gifting-led go-to-market.
• Vosges Haut-Chocolat: Chicago-based artisan chocolatier blending global flavors (chiles, spices, flowers) into premium truffles and bars. Highly comparable in adventurous flavor experimentation, premium positioning, and chocolate-as-gourmet-experience positioning.
• L.A. Burdick Chocolates: New England artisan chocolatier known for handcrafted bonbons, drinking chocolate, and mice (signature dark chocolate figurines). Comparable small-batch craft model with flagship retail and nationwide shipping.
• Mast Brothers: Brooklyn-based craft chocolate maker specializing in small-batch bean-to-bar artisan bars with strong brand storytelling and premium positioning. Comparable in DTC-direct artisan model and emphasis on origin sourcing and craftsmanship.

Broad incumbents

• Jacques Torres Chocolate: Established Brooklyn-based artisan chocolatier with retail shops, nationwide shipping, and wholesale distribution. Comparable premium craft chocolate positioning but at meaningfully larger scale and brand recognition than Tavernier.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/tavernierchocolates
• Xx.com/TavernierChoco
• Facebookfacebook.com/TavernierChocolates
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tavernier-chocolates-llc

Compliance2 records

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 Tavernier Chocolates