About Crio

For thousands of years, the Maya of Central America prepared a chocolaty drink called ka'kao – the drink of the gods. Served to kings in golden cups, the ancients knew of its power to rejuvenate and restore. The original recipe was simple – ground cocoa beans and water. Ka’kao was passed down from generation to generation until Cortes landed in the New World…and it was lost.

Three centuries later, a Quaker family named Cadbury tried to reinvent the drink. Cocoa was an amazing, new commodity and they thought they could make it into a nutritious chocolaty drink, one that would be an alternative to alchohol. In the end, they were unsuccessful and the Cadbury family eventually turned to making “eating chocolate”.

Recently, the son of a chocolate maker decided to try a new approach to this most ancient chocolate drink.                                                                           

Eric Durtschi grew up in a tiny town in rural Tennessee. His father worked for Russell Stover, America’s largest producer of boxed chocolates. Eric demonstrated a knack for inventing his own recipes at an early age, experimenting with the properties of cocoa powder and baking powder, investigated the differences between shortening and butter, seeing what role they played in making the finished product.

As he grew, his love for science took him to chiropractic school, where he learned about chemistry, physiology, nutrition and biology. One day, his passion for chocolate and science collided. "What if cocoa beans could be brewed just like coffee beans?" His investigation began immediately.

Eric began speaking with cocoa growers from all over the world, searching for the beans with the most complex and intense flavors. He tested all sorts of methods to roast and grind these cocoa beans until he came upon the perfect combination. It worked! The intense, complex flavors of the finest cocoa beans can be enjoyed when brewed into a healthy, delicious, chocolaty drink.

On 10/10/10, Crio Inc. was officially launched. Named after the finest and rarest cocoa bean – the Criollo – Crio Brü let’s you experience the drink of the gods. And then, like the kings and peoples of the great American civilizations, you too will find yourself enchanted by its unbelievable taste and energizing effect.

	Gordon Steward C.E.O Bio coming soon...
	VP Sales & Marketing Bio coming soon...

	Cassandra Durtschi Chair and VP of Public Relations After running a successful event planning company in the Bay Area, Cassandra loves to celebrate life. She's excited to honor the long line of her Spanish and Mexican heritage by overseeing the success of this new venture with cacao. Cassandra's authentic passion for Crio's product line is just one her key leadership ingredients.
	Jon Fotheringham C.E.O. Jon is an entrepreneurial spirit with a passion for developing startups. Throughout his 10+ year entrepreneurial and corporate career, Jon has held various business development, sales, project management, marketing and leadership positions. Jon has launched several ventures of his own and is excited to work with the Crio Crew in taking Crio Brü and Crio products worldwide.
	Lori Funk Founder Known for finding a needle in a haystack and shining a light on areas that might otherwise have been missed, Lori is the perfect fit for running operations at Crio.
	Eric Fotheringham VP of Sales Eric has a keen mind for developing and engineering new product ideas. He takes care of sales and distribution at Crio. Eric F. (as to not get confused with Eric D.) is also a pilot, our go-to-guy for on-the-spot weather reports.
	Eric Durtschi C.O.O. With an intense passion for and knowledge of everything chocolate, Dr. Eric oversees product development for Crio. His chiropractic degree informs both his scientific approach to making the best brews as well as ensuring their incredible nutritional value. If Eric D. were an equation, it would look something like - Willy Wonka + Doctor = Genius Chocolatier.