dre & ry’s story starts in 2015 in a random surf hostel in canggu, bali. both on a trail of independent travels, somehow life brought dre and i together over a couple of bintangs at gita homestay. finding common ground with other backpackers is typically pretty simple and much of the same; sharing stories of other places you’ve been because you at least share the common interest of travel. but for dre and me, it was something different. i saw the books that he was traveling with and had read many of the same - most focused on business and personal growth. conversation quickly turned and we found that we had more in common than we thought possible. both business-minded with dreams of starting businesses, building empires, and challenging the status quo. we each had degrees in marketing from top universities. we each dabbled in good corporate jobs before entrepreneurship. many small coincidences adding up to a solid foundation of a friendship and eventual partnership. i went to new zealand to work for dre as a cherry salesman after the bali trip. dre came back to the US to live with me and experience summer on the outer banks the following season. as each year passed, we found ourselves linking up along the way in all parts of the world. as time passed and our paths were made clear, we had a chance to go into business together and start something that combined our expertises. dre had a fruit business already, and i had an ice cream business. why not blend the two? dre & ry’s fresh fruit ice cream launched in 2018 with two trailers operating around the north island of new zealand. we worked hard to get our business through its first year and worked to perfect the system. before the second season, i made a decision to focus fully on the chill spot, which was entering its fourth season at that point. so dre bought me out of my shares of dre & ry’s, and i bought my other business partner out of his shares of the chill spot. dre & ry’s still operates its two trailers from december through march each year on the north island of new zealand. if you find yourself on that side of the world be sure to check it out!