Whole Foods Market: Beyond The Board

Whole Foods Market
  • 4.4 (26)
  • Food
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Beyond the Board is a podcast storytelling series that spotlights different guests – from founders of major brands to up-and-coming suppliers as well as community leaders and policy makers – all working to nourish people and the planet. New episodes are released regularly, featuring conversations about innovation, perseverance and meaningful impact on food and agriculture. The podcast features a rotating cast of hosts from Whole Foods Market's leadership team, including CEO Jason Buechel and Chief Merchandising and Marketing Officer Sonya Gafsi Oblisk.

  1. Jul 9

    Beyond the Board - Jay Shetty of Juni Tea

    Jay Shetty – bestselling author, award-winning host of the On Purpose podcast, and co-founder of Juni adaptogenic sparkling tea – joins host Jason Buechel, Whole Foods Market CEO, for a special live episode. Jay shares the unlikely path from stocking grocery shelves in London to living as a monk for three years – and why he believes the cure for burnout isn't slowing down, it's reconnecting with purpose. From a practical framework for staying grounded to the childhood memory of sharing tea with his mom that inspired Juni, this conversation unpacks what it means to build a brand rooted in presence and connection. Enjoyed this episode? Follow Beyond the Board for conversations with the founders, innovators, and thought leaders shaping the future of food – and the stories behind the brands you love. At a Glance: 1:20 – From grocery store shelves to monk life 5:09 – Three years as a monk: what Jay learned about the mind-body connection 8:00 – Ancient wisdom meets modern science 18:00 – The role of purpose at work (and the Yale study that proves it) 24:00 – TIME: A four-part framework for well-being 30:33 – How food became central to Jay's wellness journey 33:00 – The origin story of Juni: a mother-son tea tradition 35:41 – Building a brand with his wife (and being her guinea pig) 40:50 – Why Whole Foods Market was always the dream 45:51 – Lightning Round

  2. Jun 11

    Beyond The Board with Momofuku

    Whole Foods Market CEO Jason Buechel sits with, David Chang, chef and founder of Momofuku Goods, who shares his hacks to making home cooking easy. We also discuss: Despite being a successful chef, David's kids remain his toughest critics. David's personal journey becoming a home chef in the pandemic helping to influence Momofuku Goods. David's life as a young chef in New York. Did you enjoy listening to this episode? Don't forget to like and subscribe to hear more conversations spotlighting innovation, perseverance, and meaningful impact.

  3. May 28

    Beyond The Board with Wild Wonder

    In this episode of Beyond the Board, host Sonya Gafsi Oblisk sits down with Rosa Li, founder of wildwonder, to explore how her grandmother's healing tonics — rooted in centuries of traditional Chinese herbal wisdom — inspired her to create one of the fastest-growing functional beverage brands in the country. Rosa shares the deeply personal story of growing up in her grandmother's kitchen in Beijing, where simmering herbs and handcrafted remedies were the answer to everything from digestive health to glowing skin, and how that heritage became the foundation for a brand that bridges two worlds: Eastern herbal wisdom and California's vibrant produce stand culture. From launching at the height of COVID to landing on Whole Foods Market shelves and appearing on Shark Tank, Rosa opens up about the grit it took to build wildwonder from the ground up. She shares why she refuses to give up taste for health, how she's putting a modern twist on ancient wisdom with flavors like Raspberry Lychee and Pink Pomelo Limeade, and the emotional moment her dad started volunteering to stock wildwonder on Whole Foods shelves in Indiana, proudly telling store managers it was his daughter's product.

  4. May 14

    Beyond The Board with Bobbie

    In this episode, we're sitting down with Laura Modi, co-founder, CEO, and mother of four, who left a career at Airbnb to revolutionize the infant formula industry with Bobbie. In this deeply personal conversation, Laura shares the late-night pharmacy run that changed everything, why she built a formula that meets European nutritional standards with domestically sourced organic ingredients, and what it means to finally see her "baby" on Whole Foods Market shelves. From navigating the 2022 formula shortage to launching at Whole Foods Market, Laura's story is one of grit, gut instinct, and an unwavering commitment to feeding the next generation better. She opens up about the stigma surrounding formula feeding, pitching investors while pregnant and why motherhood and founding a company aren't all that different.

  5. May 7

    Beyond The Board with Kimono Mom

    In this episode of Beyond the Board, host Sonya Gafsi Oblisk sits down with Kimono Mom founder Moe to explore her remarkable journey, from her early career as a geisha to becoming a global content creator, and how her passion for Japanese home cooking ultimately led to a product on Whole Foods Market shelves. After experiencing postpartum depression following the birth of her daughter, Moe turned to YouTube as a way to share her story and reconnect with her love of cooking. Since then, she has built a community of more than 2 million followers across 190 countries and has traveled throughout the U.S., visiting over 100 Whole Foods Market stores and sharing her Umami sauce. This inspiring conversation on entrepreneurship and motherhood is one you won't want to miss. At a glance: 1:03 – Art of Geisha 3:35 – The start of content creation 5:00 – Beginning of Kimono Mom Umami Sauce 6:09 – Cooking with umami sauce 7:02 – Discovering Whole Foods Market 9:15 – One road trip to 100 WFM stores 12:09 – Redefining success as a mother 13:00 – Lightning Round

  6. Apr 30

    Beyond The Board with Gotham Greens

    In this episode of Beyond the Board, host Sonya Gafsi Oblisk sits down with Viraj Puri, co-founder and CEO of Gotham Greens, inside one of the company's original rooftop greenhouses — perched right on top of the Whole Foods Market store in Brooklyn. Surrounded by fresh basil and rows of leafy greens, Viraj shares how a fascination with the farm-to-table movement and a background in environmental engineering sparked this idea: leverage climate-controlled greenhouses to grow fresh produce year-round in the heart of New York City. From a small demonstration-scale greenhouse in Brooklyn to 13 facilities across nine states and nearly 700 employees, Gotham Greens has redefined what it means to be a local grower on a national scale. Viraj opens up about the "three-legged stool" that built the business: brand storytelling, proven greenhouse technology, and a supply chain rooted in proximity to consumers, and how the relationship with Whole Foods Market helped fuel that growth. He also dives into the staggering environmental impact of their model, including saving 300 million gallons of water annually and producing 30 times more per acre than traditional farming, all while delivering pesticide-free greens to stores within 24 hours of harvest. Whether you're in the food industry or simply someone who cares about where your salad comes from, this episode is a fresh take on innovation, sustainability, and the future of food. At a glance:  1:20: Inspiration for Gotham Greens 2:35: The Business of Food 4:00: "Aha Moment" and Conscience Capitalism 6:00: Balancing Innovation and Quality 8:25: The relationship with Whole Foods Market 12:05: Year-long growing techniques 13:58: The importance of water efficiency 15:09: Addressing food insecurity 16:30: Lightning round

  7. Apr 16

    Beyond The Board - Mill

    From starting his career developing the iPhone to revolutionizing home technology with Nest, Matt Rogers has always been driven by a mission to bring beautiful design and intelligence to everyday problems. In this episode of Beyond the Board, Mill co-founder Matt Rogers sits down with Whole Foods Market CEO Jason Buechel to discuss his latest venture: food waste. Inspired by his own observations during COVID and trained by Steve Jobs to see details in everyday life, Matt recognized that food waste, responsible for 10% of global emissions and $400 billion in wasted food annually, was a problem worth solving. Now, Mill is bringing the same design excellence and customer obsession he learned at Apple to create an easy-to-use, sleek solution that makes reducing food waste as simple as using a trash can. This conversation explores how two mission-driven companies – Mill and Whole Foods Market – are working together to combat food waste. Matt shares insights on building missionary teams, the importance of starting with the hardest problem (the home), and the impact of bringing Mill Commercial into Whole Foods Market stores in 2027. From Apple's culture of customer obsession to Mill's vision of a world without waste, this episode reveals how great mission combined with great people creates transformative change. At a glance:  1:11 – The impact of Steve Jobs and Apple  3:45 – Entrepreneurial spirit 6:30 – Being customer obsessed   8:15 – Inspiration behind Nest 12:34 – Early days of Mill 16:28 – Tackling the challenges of composting 19:07 – The importance and ease of design 20:58 – The mobile app 21:41 – Mill x Whole Foods Market 2027 25:00 – The future of food waste 30:00 – Secret Sauce of Mill 32:30 – Lightning round

  8. Apr 2

    Beyond The Board with Graza

    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

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About

Beyond the Board is a podcast storytelling series that spotlights different guests – from founders of major brands to up-and-coming suppliers as well as community leaders and policy makers – all working to nourish people and the planet. New episodes are released regularly, featuring conversations about innovation, perseverance and meaningful impact on food and agriculture. The podcast features a rotating cast of hosts from Whole Foods Market's leadership team, including CEO Jason Buechel and Chief Merchandising and Marketing Officer Sonya Gafsi Oblisk.

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