Today we’d like to introduce you to Casey McNeil.
Hi Casey, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
It all started with a single bite.
When our founder, Casey, first tasted a liquid-filled chocolate, he was stunned. It wasn’t just delicious—it was magic. A pure spirit center wrapped in chocolate, completely intact. How was it possible? That moment of curiosity sparked an obsession that would eventually become CASE.
At the time, Casey was running several companies in the energy and technology industries—a serial entrepreneur with a restless mind and a taste for the extraordinary. He began researching the mysterious technique behind these chocolates and finally stumbled across a grainy YouTube video of a woman in Zurich demonstrating a rare, centuries-old Swiss method called the Zuckerkruste technique. It was intricate. It was elegant. And he was hooked.
Years later, after selling one of his businesses, Casey kept the promise he made to himself: to chase the magic. He reached out to that same woman in Zurich and convinced her to train him. For six months, he flew back and forth between Switzerland and Houston, learning how to cast liquid centers in sugar and wrap them in fine chocolate—a forgotten process brought back to life through passion, precision, and innovation.
Back in Houston, he converted his home into a makeshift chocolate lab. He assembled a small team of chocolatiers and began crafting—testing recipes, playing with flavor, and dreaming up what would soon become CASE, one of the only chocolate speakeasies in the country, and the only one dedicated to this elevated, liquid-filled experience.
Opened in 2024, CASE is more than a chocolate shop. It’s an experience. Every chocolate is made by hand in Houston using the finest cacao, spirits, and ingredients we can source. From the zing of mezcal to the warmth of coffee or the vibrancy of citrus, each flavor is designed to surprise. To ignite joy. To make you stop and savor.
The CASE name is a nod to Casey himself—but it’s also a case study in curiosity, in craftsmanship, and in doing things differently. You’ll find subtle touches of his life throughout: a rocket ship on the chocolate box, honoring his mom’s work at NASA; rare earth elements representing his past ventures; hand-selected cacao sourced directly from farmers in Peru and beyond.
There’s no background in chocolate. No hospitality experience. Just a deep love for creating something exceptional—and the grit to make it happen.
At CASE, we believe in chasing wonder. In bringing back the spark. And in that rare, beautiful moment when a piece of chocolate changes everything.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Yes, there were many challenges in creating CASE. The process we use to create the chocolates is an old technique that used old tools and materials that wouldn’t allow one to create chocolates at scale. Casey spent months working with engineers to design new systems that made chocolate production more efficient and easier for his employees.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Casey is a serial entrepreneur with an insatiable thirst for curiosity. He started his first two companies, a rare Earth element recycling company and mobile device company, while attending University of Houston. His work with his rare Earth element company landed him in the Forbes 30 Under 30 in 2015. Casey is also an avid fan of yoga. He began teaching in 2023 after a 500 hour training. He recently opened a yoga studio, Yoga Hōme, in the East End as a part of his commitment to invest in the East End.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
Casey is happiest when solving problems and making life better for those around him. Whether it’s solving a complex tech issue for his mobile device company, helping a student do a headstand, or serving world-class chocolates, Casey loves to make the world a better place. He also loves spending his free time with his girlfriend and two cats: Bob and Tuna.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.casechocolates.com/shop
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/case.chocolates/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/case-chocolates-houston
- Other: https://www.opentable.com/r/case-chocolates-houston
