ABOUT US
Founded in 2007, Olive & Sinclair is Tennessee's first bean-to-bar chocolate company. Our Southern Artisan Chocolate® is made in small batches with select single-origin cacao beans, slow roasted, and sweetened with pure brown sugar for a robust flavor. All of our bars and confections are handmade in the heart of Nashville. We do it by combining the traditional method of stone grinding with modern European techniques because that’s just what works best. Come on over for a visit soon and get a taste for yourself!
OUR NASHVILLE CHOCOLATE FACTORY
In the fall of 2014, Olive & Sinclair found its home at 1628 Fatherland Street in Nashville, TN.
When presented with the idea of relocating the factory, we knew that we wanted a building that told a story. Prior to being the home for Olive & Sinclair, 1628 Fatherland Street began in 1890 as an H.G Hill Grocery Store, serving Nashville & the neighborhood for many decades. The building later continued its life in the food business when it was occupied by Archway Cookie Company. After a hiatus from the food industry, Olive & Sinclair was excited to begin returning this corner of Nashville history back to its roots, where we knew our Melanguer (stone grinder) from the same era would feel right at home.
Today, as you walk the front door of our factory and storefront, you’re greeted by relics peppered throughout the factory reinforcing the antiquated methods used in making Southern Artisan Chocolate®. Look up and see 200-year-old heart pine support beams and antique pendant factory lighting, rescued from an old army barrack outside of Atlanta. A vintage glass candy cabinet houses our new line of Chocuterie, lit by the glow of the vintage EAT neon diner sign we scored out in Virginia. This is only a nibble of the rarities and antique musings you will find in and around the Olive & Sinclair Factory but you'll have to come for a tour to find out more!
HOW WE MAKE THE GOOD STUFF
Taking sackfulls of cocoa beans and turning them into chocolate bars might sound like hard work but that’s only because it kind of is! But it’s also a ton of fun! Since we started making our bars and confections, we’ve always tried to let our curiosity guide us and create processes that result in the best flavors. Small batch, slow roasted - that’s just how we do things around here.
Curious? Learn more about our process by clicking below.
MEET THE MAKERS
Our chocolate is made by more than ingredients and old-fashioned processes. It's made by people who take pride in creating something that brings a little sweetness to the world. Say hello to the Olive & Sinclair crew!
SCOTT WITHEROW
Owner, Maker
Working in restaurants and the food industry since the age of 14, Founder/Owner/Maker Scott Witherow has always been obsessed with food, food culture, and of course chocolate. After obtaining a Bachelors of Science from MTSU and a few years later, Le Grande diplome from Le Cordon Bleu London, Witherow knew he wanted to do something with chocolate.
In late 2007, the seed was planted and the ideas started forming for Olive & Sinclair. Unaware of what he was getting himself into, Witherow purchased small table top machines and started making 3-5 pounds at a time. Oven roasting and hand cracking the beans, with something resembling your grandmothers old sausage grinder that clamps to the side of the kitchen counter, Witherow would separate the nibs from the shell using a hair dryer and an old french “chinois” he had brought home from Culinary School.
Two years later while continuing in the food industry, Witherow created Southern Artisan Chocolate®. He continued experimenting making & testing small batches on family and friends, designing packaging, perfecting his bean-to-bar process before finally building a factory.
JASON THOMPSON
General Manager, Maker
Jason and Scott are long time friends and can tell some pretty funny stories about the early days. In fact Jason actually tried pretty darn hard to convince Scott not to hire him. These days Jason leads the Olive & Sinclair ship beginning before the sun comes up on most days, making sure everything is running smoothly and efficiently, and quite honestly can be seen wearing just about any hat at the Olive & Sinclair factory, even if the sun ain't up yet.
