River-sea Llc

What River-sea Llc does

River-Sea LLC, operating as River-Sea Chocolates, is a craft bean-to-bar chocolate producer founded in 2017 by Krissee and Mariano D'Aguiar and headquartered in Chantilly, Virginia. The company sources cacao directly from farming communities across more than a dozen origins — including Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Tanzania, Guatemala, Vietnam, Peru, Bolivia, Nicaragua, Fiji, India, Thailand, and Colombia — paying above fair-trade prices and importing via wind-powered sail cargo vessels (Tres Hombres in 2019, Avontuur in 2022) to reduce carbon emissions by up to 99% versus conventional shipping. Production relies on in-house engineered roasting profiles tailored to each bean's flavor profile, small-batch processing, and a newly installed (2025) wear-resistant ball mill designed to limit heavy-metal contamination from equipment abrasion. The company operates a 3,000-square-foot factory and shop in Reston, Virginia (the main production facility since 2025), a hot chocolate café and tasting room in Chantilly, Virginia, and a new café at Union Market in Washington DC.

The company sells through a Square-powered e-commerce store shipping across the United States, three physical retail locations in the DC/Northern Virginia region, a wholesale channel for retailers (inquiries handled directly), and a monthly subscription called the Exotic Chocolate Lover Club priced at $25 (factory pickup) or $29.99 (shipping) per month, with gift tiers at $120 for four months and $300 annually. Product offerings span single-origin chocolate bars at 60%–72% cacao, truffles (including vegan options), craft hot chocolate beverages, curated gift boxes and samplers, limited-edition bars such as the Wild Cacao Bolivia Tranquilidad 72% and the 2024 Certified Heirloom Guatemala Micro-Lot 72%, and paid guided tasting experiences booked through FareHarbor. Independent heavy-metal lab testing on ingredients and gluten-free, soy-free formulations with select vegan options round out the product positioning.

The customer base is composed primarily of individual craft-chocolate enthusiasts and gift purchasers in the DC/Northern Virginia metro area, supplemented by local wholesale accounts, community organizations receiving donations, and a small number of corporate/event buyers. The company is founder-owned, with no disclosed institutional investment, private equity, or parent company. Operating geography is concentrated in the DMV region with US-wide shipping for e-commerce and subscription orders.

Name

River-sea Llc

Legal name

River-Sea LLC

Website

https://riverseachocolates.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

River-Sea LLC (River-Sea Chocolates) is a founder-owned, bean-to-bar craft chocolate producer founded in 2017 in Northern Virginia, selling direct-to-consumer through three retail locations, US e-commerce, and a monthly chocolate subscription.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Chocolate

NAICS

Chocolate and Confectionery Manufacturing from Cacao Beans (311351), Chocolate and Confectionery Manufacturing (31135), Confectionery Manufacturing from Purchased Chocolate (311352)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYCRADABAA

Chocolate & Chocolate Confectionery

Consumer Products & Retail/Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) Manufacturing & Brands/Snacks & Confectionery

SECONDARYAFAKAIAM

Chocolate & Candy Snacks Manufacturing

Agriculture & Food Production/Food Processing & Manufacturing/Snack Foods Manufacturing (Chips, Nuts, Popcorn)

SECONDARYTHAFAGAD

Chocolate & Confectionery Shops

Travel & Hospitality/Foodservice & Beverage (Restaurants, Cafes, Bars)/Dessert, Ice Cream & Specialty Sweets Shops

SECONDARYAFAGACAI

Coffee & Cacao Plantations (Coffee, Cocoa)

Agriculture & Food Production/Crop Farming/Fruit & Tree Nut Orchards (Citrus, Apples, Berries, Almonds, Walnuts)

Keywords

• Craft chocolate production
• Bean-to-bar chocolate
• Single-origin chocolate
• Direct trade cacao
• Chocolate subscription service

Headquarters

HQ city

Chantilly

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Direct Chocolate Product Sales: Sale of chocolate bars, truffles, and hot chocolate beverages through retail locations and e-commerce. Products include single-origin bars (64%, 70%, 72%), flavored bars, white chocolate, and seasonal varieties.
2. Exotic Chocolate Lover Club Subscription: Monthly subscription delivering 4 seasonal, experimental, or new chocolate bars. Members receive 25% discount on all purchases. Options include in-factory pickup ($25/month), shipping ($29.99/month), 4-month gift membership ($120), and annual membership ($300).
3. Wholesale Distribution: Wholesale inquiries handled through direct contact with [email protected] for retailers interested in carrying their products.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

River-Sea Chocolates makes bean-to-bar craft chocolate from single-origin cacao sourced via direct trade with farming communities across Latin America, Africa, and Asia. It sells chocolate bars (60%-72% cacao), truffles, hot chocolate beverages, gift boxes and samplers, a monthly Exotic Chocolate Lover Club subscription, and guided tasting experiences through its Reston factory, Chantilly cafe, Union Market DC location, e-commerce store, and wholesale channels.

Product overview

River-Sea Chocolates is a bean-to-bar craft chocolate company offering single-origin chocolate products including chocolate bars (60%-72% cacao from various origins), truffles, hot chocolate beverages, and gift collections. The company operates an Exotic Chocolate Lover Club subscription service delivering monthly experimental flavors, and provides guided chocolate tasting experiences at their Chantilly cafe. They have two physical locations in Northern Virginia (Reston factory and Chantilly shop/cafe). Products are characterized by simple ingredients, small-batch roasting, and direct trade sourcing from countries including Brazil, Guatemala, Tanzania, Vietnam, Peru, Bolivia, Nicaragua, Fiji, India, Thailand, Colombia, and Dominican Republic.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Exotic Chocolate Lover Club: Monthly subscription club featuring seasonal, experimental, and new chocolate flavors. Members receive 4 exotic chocolate bars per month with discounts on purchases.

Products and services

• Chocolate Bars Single-origin bean-to-bar chocolate bars in various cacao percentages (60%-72%) sourced from Brazil, Guatemala, Tanzania, Vietnam, Peru, Bolivia, Nicaragua, Fiji, India, Thailand, Colombia, and the Dominican Republic. Sold direct to consumers via the Square online store and retail locations.
• Truffles Handcrafted chocolate truffles in multiple flavors, including vegan options made with coconut oil. Sold through the online store and retail locations.
• Hot Chocolate & Cafe Drinks
• Exotic Chocolate Lover Club
• Gift Boxes & Samplers
• Chocolate Tastings & Experiences
• Wholesale Chocolate Supply

Quantifiable outcome

• Carbon emissions reduced by up to 99% compared to conventional cargo transport through sail shipping
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 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

Integration6 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Saraca Community (Brazil)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDirect trade relationship with the Saraca community in Brazil since 2020. River-Sea pays above fair trade prices and purchased their entire spring harvest. Mariano has visited and placed deposits on subsequent harvests. Long-term plan to help establish them as an origin in craft chocolate space.
• Kokoa Kamili Cooperative (Tanzania)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTanzanian cocoa supplier that won the 2017 Cacao of Excellence award. Works with approximately 1,500 small shareholder farmers. Farmers receive above market rate compensation and are paid immediately after cooperative receives wet beans.
• La Colonia Community (Nicaragua)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity of farmers in mountainous rainforests who were earning only about $1.66/day. With help of volunteer cacao specialists, now able to ferment and dry cacao beans and access buyers paying commensurate with quality.
• Tres Hombres (Sail Cargo)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDutch-flagged sailboat that completed the first sail cargo shipment to the USA in over a century in April 2019. River-Sea used it to import cacao beans, reducing carbon emissions by 99% compared to conventional cargo.
• Avontuur (Sail Cargo)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSail cargo vessel that delivered 2 tons of Zorzal cacao from Dominican Republic and 1500lbs of coffee beans from Colombia in December 2022, resuming sail cargo shipments after pandemic interruption.
• Zorzal Cacao (Dominican Republic)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner1,019 acre bird sanctuary and organic cacao farm. First cacao farm in the world to receive Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center's 'Bird Friendly' Certificate. Ships via sail cargo.
• Super Acao Standup (Brazil)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit organization running Project SUP that cleans Amazon River tributaries using paddleboard volunteers. River-Sea's contributions fund supplies, lunches, boat rentals, and create jobs in the Amazon Delta region where owner Mariano grew up.
• Community Partners NetworkminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNetwork of local businesses that value community and local/global impact. These locations carry River-Sea chocolates along with their own products and services.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Taza Chocolate: Stone-ground, bean-to-bar craft chocolate maker based in Somerville, MA, emphasizing direct trade and minimal processing. Comparable to River-Sea in bean-to-bar process, ethical sourcing, and single-origin bars.
• Askinosie Chocolate: Springfield, MO-based bean-to-bar chocolate maker known for direct trade, single-origin bars, and supply chain transparency. Comparable to River-Sea in direct-trade model, single-origin depth, and small-batch craft positioning.
• Mast Brothers: Iconic American bean-to-bar craft chocolate maker with direct-trade sourcing, single-origin bars, and a strong DTC and wholesale presence. Highly comparable to River-Sea in production process, single-origin focus, and premium positioning.
• Vosges Haut-Chocolat: Chicago-based premium chocolate maker with exotic ingredient sourcing, truffles, and a strong DTC and retail presence. Comparable to River-Sea in premium positioning, single-origin/exotic flavor profiles, and cafe/retail experience.
• Vosges Haut-Chocolat: Chicago-based premium chocolate maker with exotic ingredient sourcing, truffles, and a strong DTC and retail presence. Comparable to River-Sea in premium positioning, single-origin/exotic flavor profiles, and cafe/retail experience.
• Dandelion Chocolate: San Francisco bean-to-bar craft chocolate maker with single-origin bars, factory tours, and cafes. Comparable to River-Sea in bean-to-bar production, single-origin assortment, and experiential retail model.

Emerging players

• Tony's Chocolonely: Mission-driven chocolate brand focused on slave-free, traceable cacao supply chains. Comparable to River-Sea in ethical-sourcing narrative and direct-trade positioning, but operates at significantly larger scale with broader retail distribution.
• Hu Kitchen: Premium chocolate and paleo-focused confectionery brand with strong DTC and natural-foods wholesale presence. Comparable to River-Sea in premium positioning and clean-ingredient ethos, though focused on chocolate bars and confections rather than bean-to-bar production.
• Lake Champlain Chocolates: Vermont-based premium chocolate maker offering truffles, bars, and gift collections with strong DTC and food-service presence. Comparable to River-Sea in premium craft positioning, gift-box assortment, and small-batch production ethos.

Broad incumbents

• Endangered Species Chocolate: Established premium chocolate bar brand in natural and mainstream grocery, focused on ethical sourcing and conservation. Comparable to River-Sea in ethical-sourcing messaging and single-origin messaging, but at much larger scale and broader distribution.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/playlist?list=PLJhx9wYQslOZ3EfaXyD09__NU7rQ82H0w
• Facebookfacebook.com/RiverSeaChocolates
• Instagraminstagram.com/riverseachocolates
• TikToktiktok.com/@riverseachocolates
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/riverseachocolates

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 River-sea Llc