# #222 - Buyer Spotlight: Pastas, Pasta Sauces, Oils, and Vinegars, with Brooke Gil of Whole Foods Market

- Show: [The Startup CPG Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast)
- Published: 2025-11-11
- Length: 44m
- Episode: 215
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-11-11-222-buyer-spotlight-pastas-pasta-sauces-oils-and-vinegars-with-brooke-gil-of-who
- Listen: https://share.transistor.fm/s/7fe23762

## Summary

Brooke Gil, Category Merchant for Pastas, Pasta Sauces, Oils, and Vinegars at Whole Foods Market, discusses current trends and buyer expectations. She highlights the rise of functional vinegars, the 'tallow takeover' driven by beauty trends, and the 'kitchen couture' movement where packaging aesthetics drive sales. Gil emphasizes that successful brands must clearly communicate flavor profiles and usage on packaging, support their programs with promotions and demos, and maintain transparent communication regarding inventory and supply chain issues.

## Outline

1. Introduction: Brooke Gil's Background and Role at Whole Foods
2. Olive Oil Trends: Sommelier Certification and Flavor Profiles
3. Emerging Trends: Functional Vinegars and Kitchen Couture
4. The Tallow Takeover: Beauty Trends Driving Food Sales
5. Category Performance: Pastas, Sauces, and Pricing Ladders
6. Brand Partnership: Promotions, Innovation, and Exclusivity
7. Inventory Management and Supply Chain Communication
8. Quality Standards: Chemical-Free Extraction and Seed Oils
9. A Day in the Life: Analytics, Foraging, and Team Structure

## Topics

- [Retail, wholesale & distribution](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/retail-and-distribution)
- [Industrial & consumer product design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/industrial-design)
- [Sourcing & supply chain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sourcing-and-supply-chain)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)

## Most relevant to

large enterprises

## Mentioned

- Whole Foods Market (company)
- Graza (product)
- Brightland (product)
- Bragg (product)
- Carbone (product)
- Acid League (product)
- Costa Arena (product)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [222 - Alison Cayne, CEO of Havens Kitchen, from the classroom to the kitchen](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2023-10-24-222-alison-cayne-ceo-of-havens-kitchen-from-the-classroom-to-the-kitchen) (People of Packaging)
- [108 - Brodough.ca interview with Erika Rankin](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2022-02-23-108-brodough-ca-interview-with-erika-rankin) (People of Packaging)
- [7 - Interact Boulder Forum](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2019-09-16-7-interact-boulder-forum) (People of Packaging)
- [Advice Line with Sarah Kauss of S'well](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-06-20-advice-line-with-sarah-kauss-of-swell) (How I Built This)
- [Advice Line with Ben Goodwin of Olipop](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2026-09-03-advice-line-with-ben-goodwin-of-olipop) (How I Built This)

## Citing this page

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