Interview with Ella McKay from FATSO

This week we caught up with Ella McKay, co-founder of FATSO to talk about the inspiration behind the brand, her flavour of the week and much more.

Tell us how FATSO came about, what was the inspiration behind the brand?

As dark chocolate lovers (and foodies in general), me and my fellow co-creators were excited by the increasing attention it was getting, with more brands launching dark chocolate options within their range. But our excitement was quickly curbed as we failed to find anything that really hit the spot. It was all the same-old boring, serious, chef hats & whisks and frankly, ungenerous portions of dark chocolate. So after endless disappointments, we decided to side hustle a business, bringing to market (one of?) the first dark-chocolate led brand, packed full of flavour, personality and wit.

We love how fun and playful the brand is, can you tell us how this came about?

Thank you! Well, as I say, we knew we wanted to take the seriousness out of dark chocolate (it’s still chocolate after all!). So when we came together to ideate around flavours, brand name, and design it all came from a place of “unserious” though not “silly” or “childish.” We gave ourselves permission to be brave and bold with our ideas, and we could do this because we sourced the very best, ethical chocolate we could find, so we could eat, enjoy and play without a guilty conscience.

What is your favourite flavour combination?

It’s like asking a mother who their favourite child is! So I’ll give you my flavour of the week -Morn’n Glory: Cornflake, Toast & Marmalade!

Are you working on any new flavours or anything you can share with us?

We are indeed, due to launch very soon… I don’t want to spoil the surprise

but I can tell you it’s full of love, love & more loveeee.

What has been the biggest challenge in running your business so far?

Oh there is more than one big challenge. We’re a new, small business that’s entirely independent, so big challenges include: cutting through and convincing buyers to take a punt on us when there are many other choices out there who have already proven themselves; navigating a cost of living crisis and trying to be mindful of people’s tighter pockets whilst growing a sustainable business that puts integrity and fair pay to its farmers at the heart. A steep rise in the cost of cocoa (80% in 12 months) and quite simply keeping the lights on by getting the sales to aid the growth and support cash flow so we can still keep doing what we do best- getting more chocolate in mouths!

What has been the highlight of your business journey to date?

The high of actually launching to market still gives me a buzz. We poured so much time (nearly 2 years), love, (and eating) into this new business that really was born from an unproven idea that surely dark chocolate can have just as much fun as milk chocolate. So when we launched and started to get the feedback and traction, including orders from the likes of Anthropologie and Harvey Nichols within the first year, it made us think YES! We really may be onto something.

What would your ideal day in London be like?

Showing my age here by not ending this day with a boogie into the small hours, but ce la vie….

A blue sky day is a must, accompanied by: a morning run along the river (we’re Twickenham/Richmond based, so we are spoiled for that), a big old brunch (I am a full english kinda gal), a wonder round an exhibition or gallery, a stroll through Regents Park (I was a born a Camden gal, so this was my local park growing up), a drink at a pub, a cosy night in with yummy food, wine & a movie (all accompanied by my other half, old pals and a big bar of fatso of course!).

For more information on FATSO visit https://sofatso.com

Photo courtesy of FATSO