FOMO Sapiens with Patrick J. McGinnis S14 E3 Kosterina Founder Katina Mountanos on Scaling an Olive Oil & Wellness Brand
Oct 2, 2025
Katina Mountanos, founder of Kosterina and trained olive oil sommelier, shares her journey from corporate roles to building a wellness brand. She dives into the importance of high-polyphenol olive oil, inspired by her Greek heritage, and discusses industry challenges like quality control and safe packaging. Katina reveals how she balances direct-to-consumer education with retail partnerships, including Whole Foods and Target. Plus, she shares insights on using AI for marketing and the benefits of olive oil in skincare.
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Early Whole Foods Break That Scaled Carefully
- Whole Foods contacted Katina in year one and offered a national launch when Costa Rina was still a one-person D2C operation.
- She negotiated a smaller rollout and launched in 150 stores to avoid overextending the business.
Taste Plus Science Shaped The Brand
- Katina combined taste from her Greek childhood with science about early-harvest olive oil to craft the brand's mission.
- High-polyphenol early-harvest EVOO delivers both superior flavor and proven health benefits.
Quality Problems Hide In Plain Sight
- Many olive oils on U.S. shelves lack proper testing and safe packaging, reducing their quality.
- Costa Rina tests every batch and prioritizes protected packaging to ensure clean, high-quality olive oil.