What Xoco Gourmet does

Xoco Gourmet (legal entity SAS Xoco Gourmet) is a Paris-headquartered, privately held specialty chocolate producer founded in 2007 by Frank Homann. The company develops and sells single-variety chocolate couverture crafted from three proprietary cacao varieties — Mayan Red, Tuma Yellow, and Nica Brown — that it cultivates itself through a proprietary grafting technique across production facilities in Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. This vertical integration from cacao tree to finished chocolate, combined with world-first batch-level QR-code traceability, constitutes the company's core technical platform and primary differentiator versus commodity chocolate producers.

The business generates revenue through B2B sales of single-variety chocolate couverture to culinary professionals (pastry chefs, chocolatiers, bakers, ice-cream makers) across Europe, with quote-based pricing on professional units of 4-15 kg. A secondary DTC e-commerce channel serves individual consumers through the company website. Customer acquisition is driven by a chef ambassador program that has scaled to 1,000+ culinary professionals since late 2022, supported by content marketing through the XOCO Manifest publication and an editorial platform (Our Tribune). Named adopters include Michelin-starred restaurants (Mirazur***, L'Assiette Champenoise***, The Fat Duck), luxury hotels (Four Seasons Megève, The Peninsula London, InterContinental London Park Lane), and independent fine-dining establishments across Europe.

Xoco operates a vertically integrated production system spanning three nurseries with 1M+ trees across 1,000 hectares, a 100-hectare regenerative farm ('El Lago') targeting 2,000 kg/ha yields versus the 400 kg/ha industry average, and partnerships with 150+ farmers across Central America. The company employs 11-50 people, is founder-controlled with no disclosed external investors, and does not publicly disclose revenue or financial results.

Name

Xoco Gourmet

Legal name

SAS Xoco Gourmet

Website

https://xocogourmet.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Xoco Gourmet is a Paris-based, vertically integrated specialty chocolate producer founded in 2007 that develops three proprietary single-variety cacao strains (Mayan Red, Tuma Yellow, Nica Brown) via proprietary grafting, selling chocolate couverture to 1,000+ culinary professionals across Europe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Premium Chocolate Couverture

NAICS

Chocolate and Confectionery Manufacturing from Cacao Beans (311351)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Chocolate & Chocolate Confectionery (CRADABAA)

Keywords

• Single-variety chocolate couverture
• Culinary chocolate products
• Cacao grafting cultivation
• Professional pastry chocolate
• Regenerative cacao farming

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. B2B Chocolate Couverture Sales: Sale of single-variety chocolate couverture products to culinary professionals including pastry chefs, chocolatiers, bakers, and ice-cream makers. Products are sold in professional formats (coins, sticks, drops, cacao nibs, cacao powder, hot chocolate mixes) at quote-based pricing typically ranging from 4-15kg units.
2. Specialty White Chocolate: Sale of the world's first white chocolate crafted from single-variety, non-deodorised Mayan Red cacao butter. Targets high-end pastry professionals for ganache, ice cream, and mousse applications.
3. Direct-to-Consumer: E-commerce sales through their website, including specialty products and bundles.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Xoco Gourmet produces and sells single-variety chocolate couverture products derived from three proprietary cacao varieties (Mayan Red, Tuma Yellow, Nica Brown) developed through proprietary grafting. Products include coins, sticks, drops, cacao nibs, cacao powder, hot chocolate mixes, and white chocolate in cacao percentages ranging from 40% to 100%, sold primarily to culinary professionals (pastry chefs, chocolatiers, bakers, ice-cream makers) across Europe in 4-15kg professional formats.

Product overview

Xoco Gourmet is a B2B chocolate producer offering single-variety chocolate couverture products crafted from proprietary cacao varieties developed through grafting. The product portfolio consists of three signature cacao varieties (Mayan Red, Tuma Yellow, Nica Brown) available across multiple formats (coins, sticks, drops, cacao nibs, cacao powder, hot chocolate, white chocolate) and cacao percentages ranging from 40% to 100%. Mayan Red variants span white (40%), milk (48%), and dark chocolate (62%, 70%, 80%, 100%) plus cacao nibs and powder. Tuma Yellow and Nica Brown varieties are offered in dark chocolate formats. Products are crafted for culinary professionals including pastry chefs, chocolatiers, bakers, and ice-cream makers. The company operates integrated production from grafting through fermentation, drying, roasting, and refining at facilities in Honduras, Guatemala, and Nicaragua, distributing chocolate couverture across Europe.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mayan Red 40% White Chocolate World's first white chocolate crafted from non-deodorised single-variety Mayan Red cacao butter, delivering vibrant red fruit notes with a creamy, milky profile. Designed for high-end pastry professionals for ganache, ice cream, and mousse applications. Product Code: MR401WC.
• Mayan Red 48% Coins Single-variety milk chocolate coins with charming notes of cherry, caramel, and malted milk; creamy texture from Saint-Malo milk. Product Code: MR481C.
• Mayan Red 62% Coins Single-variety dark chocolate coins with intense flavours of mature cherry, blackberry, and blueberry with a delicate nougat hint. Product Code: MR621C.
• Mayan Red 62% Sticks Single-variety dark chocolate sticks with powerful flavours of ripe cherry, blackberry, and blueberry, highlighted by a delicate note of nougat. Product Code: MR621S.
• Mayan Red 62% Drops Single-variety dark chocolate drops with intense flavours of mature cherry, blackberry, and blueberry with a delicate hint of nougat. Product Code: MR621D.
• Mayan Red 70% Coins Single-variety dark chocolate coins with complex notes of cherry, red currant, plum, and raspberry complemented by heather honey and lychee finish; juicy and mouthwatering texture. Product Code: MR701C.
• Mayan Red 70% Sticks Single-variety dark chocolate sticks with complex notes of red fruits such as cherry, red currant, plum, and raspberry complemented by heather honey and lychee finish. Product Code: MR701S.
• Mayan Red 70% Hot Chocolate Single-variety hot chocolate featuring complex notes of red fruits such as cherry, red currant, plum, and raspberry complemented by heather honey and lychee finish. Product Code: MR70HC.
• Mayan Red 80% Coins Single-variety dark chocolate with flavours of dark red fruits like berries and cherries, revealing acidity notes and a long aftertaste. Product Code: MR801C.
• Mayan Red 100% Coins Intensely full-bodied single-variety dark chocolate combining spicy red fruits with an almost-burgundy flavour, creating a powerful and intense couverture. Product Code: MR1001C.
• Mayan Red 100% Cacao Powder Single-variety 100% cacao powder revealing flavours of red currant, cherry plum, raspberry, and lychee. Product Code: MR002CP.
• Mayan Red Cacao Nibs Single-variety cacao nibs with juicy, fruity acidity and complex flavours adding perfect crunch to sweet and savory recipes. Product Code: MR001G.
• Tuma Yellow 63% Coins Single-variety dark chocolate coins with delicate flavour profile of dried apricot, peanut, and orange blossom; gentle and smooth mouthfeel ideal for enrobing. Product Code: TY631C.
• Tuma Yellow 63% Sticks Single-variety dark chocolate sticks with delicate flavour of dried apricot, peanut, and orange blossom; gentle mouthfeel ideal for pains au chocolat. Product Code: TY631S.
• Tuma Yellow 70% Coins Single-variety dark chocolate opening with delicate notes of bananas, peaches, apricots, and matured yellow fruits; reveals complexity through floral notes and fresh walnuts with soft, buttery mouthfeel. Product Code: TY701C.
• Tuma Yellow 70% Hot Chocolate Single-variety hot chocolate with complex aromatic experience featuring peach, banana, and a hint of fresh nuts. Product Code: TY70HC.
• Tuma Yellow 80% Coins Single-variety dark chocolate opening with intense aroma of matured yellow fruits, featuring banana, mango, and peach with pleasant long aftertaste. Product Code: TY801C.
• Nica Brown 65% Coins Single-variety dark chocolate blending acidity of blue fruits with sweet, woody flavour of cinnamon and nuts; creamy and silky mouthfeel ideal for enrobing. Product Code: NB651C.
• Nica Brown 70% Coins Single-variety dark chocolate blending acidity from blue fruit notes with sweet, woody flavour of cinnamon and nuts. Product Code: NB701C.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1M+ trees planted and 1,000 hectares established
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers19 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• 150+ Partner Farmers (Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Long-term partnerships with over 150 farmers across Honduras, Nicaragua, and Guatemala. These farmers were the original allies in planting single-variety cacao trees and continue as business partners. Xoco pays above-market prices for entire harvest, unlike 'fair trade' models where buyers purchase only what they can sell. Onsite technicians support farmers at every production step.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Pralus: French family-owned chocolate maker with single-origin couvertures and a strong emphasis on independent cacao plantations. Comparable vertical integration and chef-focused positioning to Xoco.
• Felchlin: Swiss premium chocolate couverture producer serving confectioners and pastry professionals. Comparable B2B premium positioning with single-origin and Grand Cru varieties, similar chef-targeted catalogue.
• Michel Cluizel: French premium chocolate producer with single-origin plantation couvertures sold to culinary professionals and fine food retail. Directly comparable in terroir-driven, single-variety approach and European B2B distribution.
• Domori: Italian premium chocolate maker specializing in single-variety and fine cacao from Latin America. Comparable to Xoco in its focus on rare cacao varieties and direct-to-chef distribution, with a similar premium positioning.
• Cacao Barry (Barry Callebaut): Major B2B chocolate producer offering single-origin and signature couvertures to culinary professionals globally. Directly competes with Xoco in the chef and artisanal channel, with a much broader product portfolio and deeper distribution.
• Bonnat: Historic French chocolate maker producing single-origin couvertures from specific cacao plantations. Comparable direct-to-chef approach with similar terroir-focused branding.
• Valrhona: French premium chocolate producer selling couverture and inspiration to pastry chefs and chocolatiers worldwide. The most direct competitor to Xoco's B2B-to-chefs model, with overlapping product formats (coins, sticks, drops) and Michelin-starred customer base.

Broad incumbents

• Belcolade (Puratos): Belgian premium chocolate brand within the Puratos bakery/patisserie group, selling couvertures to artisan bakers and pastry chefs. Comparable B2B bakery/patisserie channel and product formats, though positioned as a broader incumbent portfolio brand.
• Hotel Chocolat: UK-based premium chocolate maker with vertically integrated cocoa estate in Saint Lucia and broad retail presence. While more retail-focused, the vertically-integrated single-estate approach is comparable to Xoco's grafting and farm-to-bar model.

Emerging players

• Original Beans: Premium single-origin chocolate brand with regenerative and traceable sourcing from Latin American cacao. Comparable to Xoco in sustainability narrative and proprietary variety development, though more retail-focused than chef-led.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/XocoGourmet_
• Facebookfacebook.com/xoco.gourmet
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/xoco-gourmet

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 Xoco Gourmet