St. Croix Chocolate Company made a buzz at the International Chocolate Salon with The Stinger, a hot honey caramel bee design.
The recognition comes during Jason Moldan’s first year as owner and continues to build on the company’s legacy.
St. Croix Chocolate Company (SCCC) is back to making a buzz in the international chocolate scene. The Marine on St. Croix shop received a silver medal in the white chocolate category at the International Chocolate Salon for The Stinger, a hot honey caramel bee design. The award marks the company’s first time entering an international chocolate competition since Jason Moldan took over ownership in 2025.
The Stinger was created through collaboration between Moldan and the company’s veteran chocolatiers, who worked together from the initial concept through the final stages of development. “Brainstorming and planning the entry for international competition for the first time was a team effort, start to finish,” Moldan says.
While competitions can spark new ideas and challenge the team artistically, Moldan believes personal interactions with customers are what matter most. “The awards and competitions are a great way to stretch our creativity, but the real joy comes from meeting customers face-to-face here in front of our cases,” he says. “That’s how we really know how we’re doing.”
St. Croix Chocolate Company thinks outside the box with creative seasonal confections like this chocolate bird nest.
Moldan continues the work established by founder Robyn Dochterman and credits her guidance during the ownership transition for the shop’s continued success. “Her precedent, skills and mentorship from 15 years of experience as a top Minnesota, national and international chocolate leader elevated me and this operation organically. Quality and culinary innovation are in SCCC’s DNA,” Moldan says.
Sourcing chocolate and ingredients from around the world, SCCC makes handmade chocolates and specialty pieces, including seasonal designs such as edible tackle boxes and chrome-colored wrenches for Father’s Day. The chocolatiers continue to experiment in the candy kitchen with flavors and designs while producing imaginative confections for fans in Marine on St. Croix and beyond.
The first year of ownership has been a learning process for Moldan, but he says the SCCC’s chocolatiers are a reason for its ongoing success. Their experience and knowledge of the chocolate-making process have allowed the team to continue developing new products while building on the foundation established by Dochterman. “We have very high standards,” Moldan says. “We’re out there doing some crazy stuff because it’s fun, our customers love that, and that’s who we are.”
St. Croix Chocolate Company
Facebook: St. Croix Chocolate Co
