Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
On this episode of Beyond the Board, Whole Foods Market CEO Jason Buechel sits down with Andrew Benin, co-founder and CEO of Graza, live from Expo West. Together, they explore how Andrew has disrupted the olive oil industry through unique packaging, product obsession, and authenticity.
From a sensory experience while visiting his wife’s family in Spain to becoming the fourth-largest extra virgin olive oil brand in America, Andrew opens up about the challenges of convincing traditional olive oil producers to embrace unconventional packaging, the shower moment that sparked the squeeze bottle idea, and how he saw opportunity when others saw difficulty.
The conversation explores the risks and rewards of rapid growth, being discovered early on by Whole Foods Market and why Graza waited two years to expand beyond olive oil – hello, mayo! Don’t miss this candid conversation about innovation, intuition and building something different in a crowded category.
At a glance:
0:55 – Expo West
1:58 – The beginning of Graza
6:30 – The squeeze bottle shower moment
12:26 - Sizzle vs Drizzle
18:29 – Scaling through meaning
20:34 – Expanding the supply chain
22:06 – “Aha Moment”
23:27 – First time seeing the product on shelf
25:22 - Lessons learned
27:10 – Secret sauce of Graza
30:50 – The Whole Foods Market Experience
32:42 – Exploring Graza Mayo
37:50 – Customer Feedback
39:47 – Brand collaborations
41:46 – What’s next?
43:52 – Defining success
45:45 – Lightning Round
SUBSCRIBE: bit.ly/1n1JkzT
About Whole Foods:
Who are we? Well, we seek out the finest natural and organic foods available, maintain the strictest quality standards in the industry, and have an unshakeable commitment to sustainable agriculture. Add to that the excitement and fun we bring to shopping for groceries, and you start to get a sense of what we're all about. Oh yeah, we're a mission-driven company too.
Connect with Whole Foods Market Online:
Visit the Whole Foods Market WEBSITE: wholefoodsmarket.com
Like Whole Foods Market on FACEBOOK: facebook.com/wholefoods
Follow Whole Foods Market on TWITTER: twitter.com/wholefoods
Follow Whole Foods Market on INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/wholefoods
Check Whole Foods Market out on PINTEREST: pinterest.com/wholefoods
[TITLE]
youtube.com/WholeFoodsMarket
On this episode of Beyond the Board, Whole Foods Market CEO Jason Buechel sits down with Andrew Benin, co-founder and CEO of Graza, live from Expo West. Together, they explore how Andrew has disrupted the olive oil industry through unique packaging, product obsession, and authenticity.
From a sensory experience while visiting his wife’s family in Spain to becoming the fourth-largest extra virgin olive oil brand in America, Andrew opens up about the challenges of convincing traditional olive oil producers to embrace unconventional packaging, the shower moment that sparked the squeeze bottle idea, and how he saw opportunity when others saw difficulty.
The conversation explores the risks and rewards of rapid growth, being discovered early on by Whole Foods Market and why Graza waited two years to expand beyond olive oil – hello, mayo! Don’t miss this candid conversation about innovation, intuition and building something different in a crowded category.
At a glance:
0:55 – Expo West
1:58 – The beginning of Graza
6:30 – The squeeze bottle shower moment
12:26 - Sizzle vs Drizzle
18:29 – Scaling through meaning
20:34 – Expanding the supply chain
22:06 – “Aha Moment”
23:27 – First time seeing the product on shelf
25:22 - Lessons learned
27:10 – Secret sauce of Graza
30:50 – The Whole Foods Market Experience
32:42 – Exploring Graza Mayo
37:50 – Customer Feedback
39:47 – Brand collaborations
41:46 – What’s next?
43:52 – Defining success
45:45 – Lightning Round
SUBSCRIBE: bit.ly/1n1JkzT
About Whole Foods:
Who are we? Well, we seek out the finest natural and organic foods available, maintain the strictest quality standards in the industry, and have an unshakeable commitment to sustainable agriculture. Add to that the excitement and fun we bring to shopping for groceries, and you start to get a sense of what we're all about. Oh yeah, we're a mission-driven company too.
Connect with Whole Foods Market Online:
Visit the Whole Foods Market WEBSITE: wholefoodsmarket.com
Like Whole Foods Market on FACEBOOK: facebook.com/wholefoods
Follow Whole Foods Market on TWITTER: twitter.com/wholefoods
Follow Whole Foods Market on INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/wholefoods
Check Whole Foods Market out on PINTEREST: pinterest.com/wholefoods
[TITLE]
youtube.com/WholeFoodsMarket
