About Us

From Aviation Engineer to Chocolate Maker: Our Family's Chocolate Journey

Maverick Chocolate is a family-owned and operated bean-to-bar craft chocolate company. We make chocolate the old-fashioned way from ethically sourced cocoa beans to finished chocolate bars, truffles, and beverages.

Our Family

Paul Picton (Dad) Co-Owner, President, Chocolate Maker

Marlene Picton (Mom) Co-Owner, Chocolate Maker, Chocolatier

Ben Picton (Son) Co-Owner, Chocolate Maker, Sales & Marketing

Scott Picton (Son) Chocolate Maker and Equipment Maintenance

Why Maverick?

Maverick: a person who takes a stand independent of others in a group. Adj. unorthodox, unconventional, nonconformist

We dreamt of opening a family business for years. The adventure, the risk, and the freedom called to all of us. Not to mention our maverick mindset of questioning the status quo and standing up for what we believe in. Entrepreneurship was right for us, but we needed a common focus.

Insider scoop: The crazy flying machines on our packages are a nod to the Mavericks of flight, the people so bold they took gravity head on, and to our family's background in aviation. 

Over the years, we’ve started a variety of businesses, but the subject was always in one person’s interest. One day in the Spring of 2013, we had an epiphany– the perfect business to fit our family.

Why Chocolate?

I, Paul, traveled around the world as an aviation engineer for many years, always returning home to Marlene with new and interesting chocolate. The more chocolate we tried, the more interested we became in how chocolate was grown and made.

When my travel stopped in early 2013, Marlene and I soon finished our supply of chocolate. We were sitting at the kitchen island when the idea struck–let’s make our own world-class chocolate right here in Cincinnati.

After transforming our kitchen into a chocolate factory, we invited our friends over for a number of chocolate tastings. Everyone was impressed, and the demand for our chocolate grew.

We decided to take the leap and started Maverick Chocolate Company!

Our Journey

From Kitchen Experiments to Award-Winning Chocolate

• 2014 – Opened our first chocolate factory and shop at Findlay Market, Cincinnati.

• 2015 – Won our first Good Food Award (Fahrenheit 513) and a *Silver Medal at the International Chocolate Awards (Prohibition Milk).

• 2017–2019 – Continued to grow with multiple Good Food Awards and international recognition for our Belize, Espresso, and Dark Milk bars.

• 2018–2024 – Operated our second shop at Rookwood Commons in Cincinnati.

• 2021–2024 – Earned four more Good Food Awards, including our Tanzania, Vietnam, Prohibition Milk, and Madagascar bars.

• 2024 – Expanded to Covington, Kentucky, opening a new retail shop at 623 Madison Ave. (with gelato!).

• 2025 – Opened our dedicated chocolate factory in Covington, KY, cementing our place as local makers with national recognition.

We couldn’t have done it without you. Thanks to your support, Maverick Chocolate has earned 9 Good Food Awards and multiple International Chocolate Awards.

What Sets Us Apart

Enjoy good chocolate made the way it should be: Delicious, Pure, & Ethical.

• Bean-to-Bar Excellence – Every bar is handcrafted from ethically sourced cacao beans, roasted and refined in our own factory. No shortcuts, no fillers—just pure chocolate made from scratch.

• Award-Winning Flavors You Can Trust – Ordering chocolate online can be tricky—you want to be sure it’s worth the hype. Our bars have been honored with national and international awards—so you don’t have to take our word for it: the experts agree, it’s love at first bite.

• Ethical & Transparent – We partner directly with cacao farmers and pay a premium to source only the finest beans with respect for people and planet.

• Family-Owned & Operated – What started as chocolate for our family and shared with friends is now made with the same care for you.

• Made to Be Savored – From the first bite to the last, our chocolate is made for slowing down, enjoying the finer details, and sharing with others.

Choose Your Adventure

Ready to taste the difference? Here’s how you can be part of the Maverick story:

👉 Shop Online – Get our award-winning bars delivered straight to your door.
👉 Visit a Store – In-store exclusive items like our hand-painted truffles, browned butter cookies, drinks, and only at our Covington store, gelato!
👉 See How We Make Chocolate – Step inside our factory and explore the craft behind every bar.

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