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

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In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, Daniel Scharff sits down with Brooke Gil, Category Merchant for Pastas, Pasta Sauces, Oils, and Vinegars at Whole Foods Market. Brooke shares her career journey from fashion retail to leading some of the most dynamic grocery categories in the natural products space.

Together, they discuss the latest industry trends — including the growing popularity of extra virgin olive oil, the rise of functional vinegars, the “tallow takeover,” and the emerging concept of “kitchen couture.” Brooke also provides valuable insight into what makes a successful brand partnership with Whole Foods, how she evaluates product performance, and why packaging clarity and brand storytelling are essential for shelf success.

You will gain a deeper understanding of how Whole Foods approaches category management, brand collaboration, and evolving consumer preferences — offering practical takeaways for both emerging and established CPG brands.

Listen now to learn from one of Whole Foods Market’s category leaders and discover how to position your brand for long-term growth.

Listen in as they share about:

• Brooke Gil’s Background and Role
• Travel and Global Culinary Influences
• Category-by-Category Trends
  - Oils
  - Pastas
  - Vinegars
  - Pasta Sauces
• “Kitchen Couture” & “Tallow Takeover” Trend
• Packaging and Branding Insights
• Brand Partnership and Performance Expectations
• Inventory and Supply Chain Management
• Whole Foods Quality and Ingredient Standards
• Merchandising, Analytics, and Promo Strategy
• Support for Local and Regional Brands

Episode Links:
Website: https://media.wholefoodsmarket.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brooke-gil-88125895/ 

Don't forget to leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify if you enjoyed this episode. For potential sponsorship opportunities or to join the Startup CPG community, visit http://www.startupcpg.com.

Show Links:

• Transcripts of each episode are available on the Transistor platform that hosts our podcast here (click on the episode and toggle to “Transcript” at the top)
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• Questions or comments about the episode? Email Daniel at podcast@startupcpg.com
• Episode music by Super Fantastics