General Info

Fifteen years ago, Dan and Jael Rattigan dropped out of grad school and bought an abandoned cacao plantation in Costa Rica. After opening a cafe (which is still going strong), they gave in to the lure of Asheville, set up a new home base, and opened French Broad Chocolates. The tiny chocolate empire, which includes a lounge, boutique, and chocolate factory, imports cacao from small farms and refines it into bonbons, chocolate bars, brownies, and more. Local ingredients like fresh berries, lavender, and wildflower honey take center stage in several creations.Fifteen years ago, Dan and Jael Rattigan dropped out of grad school and bought an abandoned cacao plantation in Costa Rica. After opening a cafe (which is still going strong), they gave in to the lure of Asheville, set up a new home base, and opened French Broad Chocolates. The tiny chocolate empire, which includes a lounge, boutique, and chocolate factory, imports cacao from small farms and refines it into bonbons, chocolate bars, brownies, and more. Local ingredients like fresh berries, lavender, and wildflower honey take center stage in several creations.