As co-owner and CEO of Eli’s Coffee Shop, Rachel Berchtold leads a team of managers, bakers and baristas at locations in Morton, Tremont and Metamora. She works closely with Eli’s management team to oversee the shops and new hires, with vendors through ever-changing supply issues, and with organizations throughout the community as donation recipients. From accounting and marketing to product and menu development, she is a self-taught entrepreneur who seizes challenges as opportunities for growth.
Berchtold got her start at Eli’s when she was just 18, and within a few years she was head baker. After helping to open and manage its new Tremont location, she took the reins of the business with her husband Weston and opened its third location in Metamora. In addition to its handcrafted drinks, baked goods, sandwiches and more, Eli’s is well-known as a supporter of local community-based organizations and nonprofits. Berchtold oversees Eli’s Donation Creations, selecting a different organization or charity to receive a portion of sales of a new specialty drink each month.
Active in her hometown of Tremont, Berchtold sits on the Tremont Commerce Association board and serves as secretary on the Tremont Winning Communities board, most recently working on the Sampson Street revitalization project. She has served on the Morton Chamber of Commerce board for the past two years, and chaired the Pumpkin Recipe Challenge for the Morton Pumpkin Festival for five years.
Berchtold previously served as vice president of the Tremont Museum and Historical Society for six years, planning and marketing its events and co-chairing the last two Tremont Holiday House Walks. She also served two terms as an ambassador for the Morton Chamber of Commerce. She won the Pekin YWCA’s 2019 Impact Award and is the 2021 recipient of the Jeff Muehlich Servant Leadership Award, honoring Tremont residents who exemplify leadership through community service. PM
