Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Eric & Cassandra Durtschi.
Hi Dr. Eric & Cassandra, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
We both grew up in Tennessee, Eric in Watertown and Cassandra in Cookeville. About 18 years ago, what started as a small chocolate making hobby began to shape our future in unexpected ways.
After Eric was injured in an accident that limited his ability to work full time in his medical practice, chocolate moved from hobby to calling. In 2009, Eric created Crio Bru, a roasted and ground cacao beverage brewed like coffee. Through Crio Bru, we were meeting cacao farmers around the world and sourcing exceptional beans. So it was only natural to start crafting chocolate bars ourselves.
In 2016, Durći Chocolate was born. Within our first year, our bars won several international awards, affirming that our passion and purpose were aligned.
In 2018, we moved our Crio Bru operations to Santa Barbara, California. Just two weeks after relocating all of our chocolate making equipment to our home, tragedy struck. Our house was destroyed in one of California’s devastating wildfires. We lost everything. With nothing left, we focused on rebuilding our family life and growing Crio Bru, setting aside our dream of making chocolate once again.
Two years ago, we returned home to Tennessee with renewed faith and determination. We opened our dream chocolate shop in Lebanon and began crafting bean to bar chocolate once more. As we celebrate our one-year anniversary on Nov 7, we’re filled with gratitude for the people, the farmers, and the community who believed in us and are excited for what this next chapter holds!
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We travel all over the world to source some of the world’s finest cacao beans. Every origin has a story and we’re proud to say we know the farmers behind each one. Rather than relying on third party certifications, we practice Direct Trade, which means we work personally with cacao farmers to ensure quality, sustainability, and fair compensation.
Once the beans arrive at our facility here in Tennessee, we roast, grind, and craft them into chocolate with the same care and precision as fine winemaking. Every bar, bonbon, and dessert begins with whole, honest ingredients, never artificial flavors or shortcuts. We source whole and/or local ingredients, supporting both the farmers abroad who grow our cacao and the community around us that inspires our creations.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
Most people are surprised to learn that we have six children! Family, spirituality, and education are at the heart of everything we do whether that’s traveling together to cacao farms around the world, serving people in many different ways, or learning through hands on experiences in our own chocolate shop.
We’re also avid rock climbers, runners, & love volleyball. We are lifelong learners who find inspiration in both nature and art. For us, chocolate is our creative medium, our palette for storytelling, craftsmanship, and connection. Every flavor we create reflects both our curiosity and our love of beauty, adventure, and family.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Durcichocolate.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/durcichocolate
- Facebook: @DurciChocolate
