Meet Corey Crespi of Corey’s Chocolate in Estes Park

Today we’d like to introduce you to Corey Crespi.

Corey, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I started making chocolate creations as a hobby in 2016, shortly after I moved to Estes Park. I developed a passion for creating truffles and molded chocolates using unconventional ingredients like maple syrup, goji berries, and wild harvested lavender. I spent hours in my kitchen coming up with new recipes and then sharing my creations with my friends and family. I love the feeling of joy people feel when I share with them something I make and I feel a deep sense of connection with them as well.

In 2017, I started Corey’s Chocolate and started selling my chocolate at the Estes Park Farmer’s Market every Thursday from June through September. I had many things to learn in those first months; what people wanted, how to package my products, and how to sell my chocolate. I developed my best selling products like Corey’s Epic Peanut Butter Cups with Colorado Honey and Belgian Chocolate and my Cacao Nib and Coconut Bark. I started to develop many regular customers and figured out how to run a successful market.

Next, I went on a chocolate tour of Europe to continue to hone my craft and took classes with chocolatiers in Paris and Brussels. I learned new chocolate techniques and how chocolatiers operate in Belgium and France. This training helped me develop more confidence and I came back to Colorado and expanded my operations to Breckenridge. I now do live events all over Colorado and my chocolate can be purchased at coreyschocolate.com.

Has it been a smooth road?
Some of the challenges this year have been directly related to new rules due to COVID-19. This year we have not been able to offer samples as we had done in previous years. We have improved our signage to include images of the chocolate and we describe in detail our products to new customers. Another challenge has been that many of the live events that we had done in years past have been canceled due to Covid-19. We are working on becoming vendors for markets that have not been canceled and that offer essential goods. Thankfully, Farmers Markets are considered an essential part of the food supply chain are still functioning.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Corey’s Chocolate – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
Corey’s Chocolate focuses on handcrafted chocolate using high-quality chocolate and ingredients. Everything is handcrafted in small batches with a high attention to detail and quality.

One of my most popular products are Corey’s Epic Peanut Butter Cups with Belgian Chocolate. I handcraft each Peanut Butter Cup with 60% Cacao Belgian Chocolate, peanut butter, and Colorado honey. These Peanut Butter Cups have a nice floral taste with the honey and a rich but balanced flavor with the dark chocolate. I have a hard time making them fast enough!

Earlier this year, Corey’s Chocolate won the People’s Choice award for Best Chocolate at the Estes Park Wine and Chocolate Festival. I made Raspberry Chambord Truffles that were a huge hit amongst the attendees. Winning this award was very affirming for me as a chocolatier and has inspired me even more to continue to hone my craft. There were many other much larger chocolate companies at the Festival, and winning the award was a wonderful and unexpected surprise.

I believe a big part of my success has had to do with my desire to connect with people. I want everyone that tries my chocolate to feel connected and to be happier when they interact with me and my business. My business motto is “Spreading Joy Through Chocolate”. At every event I do, I strive to be joyful and authentic in my interactions with people. Sometimes this is a challenge when working long hours and facing the many challenges and stressors of live events. I have developed many tools of self-care, meditation, and other practices to reset and continue to have high quality encounters with people.

Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I have done several Christmas Markets in Denver and am looking forward to doing many more in the future. I have loved how many people come to the same Christmas market year after year and know many of the vendors personally. Many of the people I have encountered at Denver Events have been very encouraging and eager to try my chocolate and support my business.

Contact Info:

• Website: coreyschocolate.com
• Email: corey@coreyschocolate.com
• Instagram: @coreyschocolate

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