Posts Tagged ‘David Dafoe’

Written on February 24, 2022.

Flavorman Celebrates 30 Years

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (January 14, 2022) — Flavorman, a leading beverage development company headquartered in Louisville, Ky., is celebrating 30 years of creating flavors for beverage brands worldwide, ranging from large companies like Ocean Spray, Sunsweet Growers, and Kellogg to independent companies just getting a start in the beverage industry.

Flavorman was founded in January 1992 by David Dafoe — one of the foremost authorities on flavor who got his start as a lab assistant at a Cincinnati-based flavor company, then as manager of flavor development at Brown-Forman, where he developed some of the global spirits giant’s biggest new brands. He left Brown Forman and branched out on his own to start Flavorman to help assist beverage clients in creating new flavors. Flavorman’s first big customer was Chiquita Brands International.

“We’ve come a long way from where we first started, and I couldn’t be prouder of the team of experts we have in place and the work we’ve done over the years,” said David Dafoe, CEO and Founder of Flavorman. “We have worked with hundreds of well-known and up-and-coming brands to help build new flavors and beverages to offer to consumers. We saw the need for technical innovation in the beverage industry, jumped in, and haven’t looked back, and I’m looking forward to another 30 years of working with clients to create trendsetting flavors and innovative beverages.”

Flavorman has helped many companies get their start in the beverage industry. Louisville resident, Joe Heron, used Flavorman to create his soda company Nutrisoda, which he later sold to PepsiAmericas. Two years later, with the help of Flavorman, he created a craft cider, Crispin Hard Cider, which was later sold to MillerCoors. Heron went on to further make a splash in the spirits industry after he founded Copper & Kings American Brandy Company with the help of Dafoe and Flavorman.

“Because of our work with Flavorman, beverages that began as simple ideas from novices in the beverage industry have successfully been sold to major corporations,” said Heron. “Flavorman was the engine behind the beverage formulations, and we would not be where we are today without them.”

Located at 809 South 8th Street in Louisville, Ky., Flavorman is currently expanding its 24,000-square-foot facility, which will bring 30 new jobs to the area and serve as a catalyst for attracting global business to the heart of Kentucky’s largest city. The addition will cover 27,000 square feet and connect to the company’s main laboratory. Once complete, it will boost production capacity, expanding Flavorman’s blending, bottling/canning, processing and bulk storage operations.

The $8.5 million expansion, set to be complete in the fall of 2022, is the latest in a series of developments in the last several years as the company continues to experience exponential growth — 28 of its 59 employees were hired in the last two years. In 2006, Flavorman rehabbed the existing building, and a few years later, purchased a neighboring building to create the nation’s premier educational distillery, Moonshine University.

“We joke that we started Moonshine University when Flavorman was 21-years-old and of legal age,” said Dafoe. “It has been a great investment for us and allows us to offer distillers, or even newbies, the opportunity to learn more about how to own and operate their own distillery. We’re helping so many people learn about the art of distilling, and believe we are truly leaving an impression on the bourbon and beverage industries.”

Together, Flavorman and Moonshine University make up a world-class “Beverage Campus” that houses a fully equipped educational distillery, state-of-the-art classroom, production facility with a custom bottling line, extensive sensory library and a beverage innovation laboratory. Flavorman has developed more than 74,000 beverage formulations for brands worldwide, while Moonshine University has hosted hands-on classes for students from all 50 states and 44 countries, with attendees opening over 186 distilleries.

ABOUT FLAVORMAN: Founded by David Dafoe in 1992, Flavorman is a custom beverage development company located in the heart of Bourbon country. Flavorman works with companies and entrepreneurs– big and small –to develop everything from energy drinks to flavored spirits and more. With 30 years in the industry and almost 75,000 beverage formulations, Flavorman has helped create thousands of household staples and iconic brands that have defined generations — and changed what the world is drinking. For more information, visit www.flavorman.com

Written on August 26, 2021.

David Dafoe presented with 2021 Lifetime Achievement Award by American Distilling Institute

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (August 26, 2021) — Flavorman, a leading beverage development company, is pleased to announce that its Founder and CEO David Dafoe has been honored with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award by the American Distilling Institute (ADI).

Dafoe received the award for his “outstanding contribution to distilling.” The award celebrates his multiple businesses for their role in supporting and promoting continued innovation and formalized, hands-on education in the beverage alcohol and distilled spirits sectors. ADI President Erik Owens presented the award to Dafoe during the 2021 ADI Conference & Vendor Expo’s closing Gala Luncheon held in Louisville, KY on Wednesday, August 25.

The creator behind iconic products like the original California Cooler brand, Jack Daniel’s Country Cocktails and Lynchburg Lemonade, Dafoe started Pro-Liquitech (now Flavorman) in 1992 with Chiquita Brands as his first client.

“David Dafoe is the Flavorman,” said Owens during the ceremony. “He has spent his whole career creating flavors and launching brands. We may be in this RTD explosion right now, but in 1983 David was already there doing it–and he didn’t stop there.”

“In 2010, David recognized that there was no single location where someone could receive hands-on, formalized training in distilling, so he created Moonshine University,” said Owens. “A few years later, Dave got a call from the Mayor of Louisville about starting a Bourbon Certification program. In 2014, he founded The Stave & Thief Society in Louisville, where the promotion and preservation of Bourbon knowledge and culture remains a key initiative for the city.”

The serial entrepreneur’s achievements are many. Today, Flavorman develops beverage formulations for national and global beverage brands like Crispin Hard Cider, Formula O2, Jones Soda, Joia Spirit Craft Cocktails, Go Fast Energy, and more. Meanwhile, Moonshine University has helped students from all 50 states, 3 US territories, and 49 countries launch nearly 200 distilleries worldwide in addition to certifying more than 4,000 bourbon ambassadors.

“Receiving this award allowed me reflect humbly on how I got here,” said Dafoe. “I landed on three explanations: First, I had great teachers; second, I found an opportunity; and third, I took action to build something. Now, I am grateful for the opportunity to pay it forward. Flavorman and Moonshine University are designed to equip others with the tools they need to identify their own opportunities to build something–and be successful doing it.”

For more information, contact our team.

About Flavorman:

Founded by David Dafoe in 1992, Flavorman is an industry leading custom beverage development company based out of Louisville, KY. In contrast to “flavor houses” that manufacture ready-made, “stock” formulations, Flavorman helps clients–big and small–bring custom products to market from concept to production planning and quality control. As of 2021, Flavorman has created 70k unique beverage formulations for brands like Crispin Hard Cider, Formula O2, Jones Soda, Chiquita, Joia Spirit Craft Cocktails, Go Fast Energy, and more. Visit flavorman.com.

Have a great idea for a new beverage? Flavorman’s team of experts can help you bring it to life! Get started by filling out this webform or by giving us a call at (502) 273-5214.

 

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Written on January 10, 2017.

From its humble beginnings in a small Louisville, Kentucky condo, Flavorman is now celebrating its 25th anniversary. The company has since evolved into an international custom beverage developer with worldwide brands in energy drinks, flavored spirits, ready-to-drink beverages, juices, mixers, and more. The vision of David Dafoe and Flavorman’s beverage architects was to create a beverage incubator where entrepreneurs from across the country and around the world can send their ideas to the beverage campus with a plan to develop a new flavor or brand and  develop the idea from concept, to production, to a store shelf. The concept has resulted in thousands of household staples, iconic brands and drinks that have defined generations.
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