(Left to right) Jason Moldan, Deidre Pope and Robyn Dochterman. Photo: Susie Eaton Hopper
The shop will continue making artisan chocolate under a new owner.
The St. Croix Chocolate Company is turning over a new leaf this fall with a change in ownership. St. Paul’s Jason Moldan, a retired sergeant major and creator of The Minnesota Chocolate Lab, took over the award-winning Marine on St. Croix chocolate shop this September.
Former owners Robyn Dochterman and Deidre Pope are confident in Moldan’s abilities as a chocolatier. “He has skills. He has vision,” Dochterman says. “He has the right combination of genuine care for people, craft and energy. In short, he’s a great match for the chocolate shop and our amazing community.”
Moldan took what started as a COVID-19 hobby into a full-blown career, making small-batch chocolates and teaching courses at Cooks of Crocus Hill. “I immersed myself in mastering techniques, sourcing the best ingredients and experimenting with flavors,” Moldan says. “I’m honored to carry forward the tradition Robyn and Deidre built, while bringing my own creativity to the shop.”
Dochterman was in her mid-40s when St. Croix Chocolate Company opened its doors in 2010, and although she is ready for a new adventure, it is a bittersweet goodbye. “It’s where I filled my soul with the love of constantly learning and the energy of creativity,” she says. “It’s home.”
The St. Croix Chocolate Company will remain in downtown Marine on St. Croix through this change in leadership. Pope and Dochterman have an online memory book for customers to share stories and experiences, with more information to come on their website and social media.
St. Croix Chocolate Company
Facebook: St. Croix Chocolate Co
