BOULDER - A trio of entrepreneurs believe organic chocolate can be just as tempting and lucrative as sweets laden with refined sugar and nonorganic ingredients.
Neil Levine and Rick Levine founded Seth Ellis Chocolatier LLC in Boulder last year and already can pump out 10,000 pieces of chocolate per week, and as Valentine's Day approaches, they could be pushed to their limit.
The hand-decorated, organic chocolates are filled with a rich blend of ganache (chocolate and cream), sweet raspberries, or imported lemons and exotic spices. The chocolates are individually wrapped and contain blends of Ecuadorian coffee beans, Paraguayan cane sugar, Dominican white chocolate, candied Australian ginger and Ugandan vanilla - all acquired through fair trade.
A blend of SBA 504 financing and private seed capital from friends and investors helped the Levine brothers open the chocolate shop. Their goal is to create organic chocolate candy that rivals the best nonorganic chocolate, has all the nuances of a fine wine and appeals to everyone. "We want people to love the last memory of our chocolate," Neil Levine said.
Research and manufacturing equipment costs became the bulk of their investment, and they were led to several master chocolatiers including Michael Recchiuti in San Francisco, Jacques Torres in New York City and La Maison du Chocolat in Paris.
Equipment vendors also took them on tours of various European chocolatiers.
Seth Ellis Chocolatier modeled its organically certified production line after award-winning chocolatiers and uses only fair-trade ingredients. The company is certified organic by CCOF and Quality Assurance International - both leading organic certifiers.
The company's entire production line is nut and gluten free. Chocolate mixing is done under sterile, vacuum conditions to inhibit bacterial growth, and the chocolates are made immediately and packaged into black boxes, reminiscent of jewel cases - 100 percent recyclable and made from post-consumer waste - complete with a designed band indicating the flavors inside.
The Levine brothers had just delivered an 18-piece package of Seth Ellis Chocolates to a gala for the Boulder Philharmonic at the St. Julien Hotel & Spa when they met David Lurie, current director of the St. Julien. Today Lurie handles sales and marketing and also works alongside Rick Levine in the plant. Rick handles day-to-day operations, and Neil is based in San Francisco and handles the company's design work - from brand identity and packaging to designing chocolate shapes and decorations.
The company's 2008 revenues are projected at $250,000 to $500,000 and $3.5 million in five years.
Flagstaff House Restaurant in Boulder was one of the first restaurants to offer the chocolates and now sells 1,000 units monthly. Seth Ellis Chocolatier wants to remain a wholesaler and will continue referring customers to local retailers, including Whole Foods Market, Pharmaca, Ozo Coffee and others as it expands.
Future plans call for adding a Web site, customer service and Internet shipping. Chocolates must maintain a temperature of 55 degrees, which may limit the company's shipping area. It has also customized labels for some businesses that wanted to give special gifts.
Seth Ellis Chocolatier has tried to capture the true flavors of the ingredients it uses. The all-natural flavors and colors include turmeric, pumpkin, cumin and mint. Levine said he can use his nose to reverse engineer and redevelop any flavor.
Seth Ellis Chocolatier LLC
5345 Arapahoe Ave., No 5
Boulder, CO 80303
720-470-3257
Rick Levine, Neil Levine, David Lurie, owners
Employees: 3
Primary service: Chocolate
manufacturing
Founded: 2007
