Rick Gusmano and Christine Cusano are 2006 graduates of Miller Place High School who recently started a business called Eating Evolved.
The two began the organic food company earlier this year and have been taking their truffles to food fairs and festivals around the New York area. Patch recently spoke with Rick and Christine about their new venture.
How did you begin eating evolved?
Christine: Rick and I are both passionate about nutrition and the effects of food on our health. We were experimenting in the kitchen for gluten-free and nutrient-dense desserts and ended up creating these truffles for our own enjoyment. When we realized there was nothing else quite like them on the market we decided to start Eating Evolved and share the deliciousness with the masses.
What has been the biggest challenge?
Rick: Owning a small business means becoming a jack of all trades. One minute we are chocolatiers, the next webmasters, graphic designers, accountants, or food law experts. Juggling all these roles is definitely challenging, but it's also empowering to create a business from the ground up.
What are some of the things that are unique about your company and its products?
Christine: They're healthy and seriously delicious. Each of our handmade truffles are gluten, dairy, and soy free with no added sugar. We source only the highest quality, organic ingredients and use Fair-Trade Certified organic dark chocolate. All of our flavors contain no more than four simple ingredients.
What do you enjoy most about your line of work?
Rick: We both enjoy working together towards a common goal. We have a unique opportunity to create a thriving business through hard work and dedication. Having unlimited amounts of truffles is an added bonus.
What are your plans for both the immediate future and long-term as well?
Christine: We are proud to announce that our truffles are going to be in the nominee giftbaskets for the MTV VMA awards on September 6th! It's exciting that our little chocolates are making their way to Hollywood.
Rick: For the near term we are looking to place our truffles in coffee shops or food stores that value locally-produced, healthy, and high quality products. We will also be making appearances at craft fairs, festivals, and farmers markets. For the long term, we would love to see our truffles on the shelves of Whole Foods.
For more on Eating Evolved, visit www.eatingevolved.com and www.facebook.com/eatingevolved and look for them at the East End GreenFest Sept. 14-17 in Mattituck.
