LAUNE x Not That Sweet
1. Tell me about yourself and Not That Sweet. How was it created?
Not That Sweet was born during one of the hardest chapters of my life. In 2022, everything changed when I became severely ill from mold and arsenic poisoning in my London apartment. The two years that followed were a long and intense health journey. I was on a very limited, mostly liquid diet, and in an effort to spark joy, I started melting 100 percent cacao into coconut milk. It was incredibly bitter, but it felt like a treat. I began experimenting with flavors using extracts and essential oils to make it more palatable. At one point, I even combined bone broth with solid cacao and to my surprise, it actually worked.
As I slowly began to heal and reintroduce more foods, I started playing with different cacao percentages and plant-based milks. When I moved back to New York, I noticed every drink had carved out its own space. Coffee, tea, matcha, smoothies, juices, bubble tea, but hot chocolate had never been given the spotlight. There was no café dedicated to it, and certainly no option to customize it the way you could with everything else. That is where Not That Sweet comes in.
Each cup is made fresh to order using only solid chocolate and milk, with no syrups, no powders, and no unnecessary additives. It is fully customizable to your preferred richness, sweetness level, dietary needs, and flavor. And to make it a year-round ritual, I created iced chocolate too. We've been doing pop-ups and events across the city and have a cafe residency at First Rounds on Me in Chelsea, open on Wednesdays in the evenings.
2. What is the LAUNE (mood) of Not That Sweet?
Indulgent. Think soft shadows and slow pours. While our tagline is rich n bitter, the brand is meant to feel warm, inviting, and inclusive. Rich is just a mindset, and we’re not actually that bitter, just bold.
3. What’s your favorite chocolate drink and why?
Dark Chocolate Orange with Almond Milk. It’s a classic combo in London, and the citrus cuts through the richness perfectly. In the winter, though, I always go for Dark Chocolate Peppermint. It’s nostalgic and comforting.
4. What do you love about New York?
The energy, the contrasts, the chaos. I love the quiet of early mornings before the city fully wakes up, and I love that there’s something here for every version of myself. Comedy shows, museums, ballet, live music, symphonies.
5. What inspires you?
My mom. She’s ultimate goals. Kind, caring, deeply empathetic, funny and able to find lightness in even the hardest moments. She’s the kind of person everyone feels lucky to know. I wouldn’t have made it through my illness without her and I’m just so overwhelmingly grateful for her.
6. What’s next for you and Not That Sweet?
Right now, I’m focused on our cafe residency, which I’m loving. I’m also hoping to be part of a few Christmas markets this winter because while healthy, customizable hot chocolate might not sound groundbreaking, it somehow still doesn’t really exist. And I can’t think of anything more perfect for winter.
Rapid Fire:
1. Sweet or savory?
Sweet….but not that sweet
2. Hot or iced?
Iced unless it’s bone broth hot chocolate
3. Early mornings or sleeping in?
Early mornings (reluctantly)
4. Dream collab?
OddMuse. I own almost everything she creates
5. Favorite place?
London although not sure it feels the same way about me
6. Favorite restaurant in NYC?
Divya's Kitchen….super nourishing menu, cozy vibes, best drinks
7. Favorite drinks spot in NYC?
Not That Sweet Cafe..I swear I’m my biggest customer
8. Favorite movie?
Devil Wears Prada.
9. What are you loving right now?
Contrast therapy. Nothing like starting your morning with 30 minute infrared sauna + 6 min cold plunge
