Not Too Sweet: Building a Better-For-You Beverage Brand on Vancouver Island

Elaine and Cam, the founders behind Not Too Sweet Drinks, join Phil and Kenny to share their journey of creating a sparkling beverage brand that's actually not too sweet. Recording from Phil's car during CHFA prep with special guests Lara and Christine from Munching on Molecules, this episode captures the authentic story of Vancouver Island entrepreneurs who are redefining the sparkling drink category.From their backgrounds in engineering and graphic design to launching a beverage company during a pandemic, Elaine and Cam discuss the challenges of building distribution across BC, managing cash flow with direct store delivery, and staying focused on sustainable growth. They open up about their mentorship with industry veteran Greg Tolazzi, the decision to stay local rather than rush into broader retail expansion, and why they're committed to keeping manufacturing on the island.With products ranging from lychee to ginger beer, Not Too Sweet has built a loyal following through farmers markets, independent retailers, and word-of-mouth. This conversation covers the realities of beverage entrepreneurship, the importance of community support, and why sometimes the best growth strategy is knowing when not to scale too fast.Find Not Too Sweet at @not2sweetdrinks on Instagram or visit www.not2sweetdrinks.cathank you to Field Agent Canada for supporting the podcast https://www.fieldagentcanada.com/