The Truth about Extra Virgin Olive Oil with Sarah Vachon, founder of Citizens of Soil

What happens when one of the world’s healthiest foods is trapped inside a broken system that’s pushing farmers out of business?For thousands of years, extra virgin olive oil has been a cornerstone of the Mediterranean diet, celebrated for its flavour, health benefits, and cultural significance. Yet behind every bottle sits a farming industry facing climate pressure, shrinking margins, labour shortages, and a generation of farmers being told to leave the profession entirely.In this episode of Getting to Grow, Zoe Fox sits down with Sarah Vachon, founder of Citizens of Soil, to explore the realities of the modern olive oil industry and how she's building a premium food brand designed to reward quality, sustainability, and the farmers behind it.Sarah shares how a career in sustainability led her to uncover major issues within agricultural supply chains, why she started paying olive growers significantly more than commodity prices, and how Citizens of Soil grew from supporting close family friends in Greece to becoming a premium olive oil brand stocked by Waitrose and loved by customers across the UK.The conversation dives into the economics of food production, the future of farming, climate challenges, startup growth, consumer education, and what really separates premium extra virgin olive oil from the products most people buy at the supermarket.Sarah opens up about:• Why farmers across the Mediterranean are leaving farming• The hidden problems inside the olive oil supply chain• Paying growers more than commodity market prices• What makes extra virgin olive oil different from regular olive oil• The health benefits of high-quality olive oil• Why the Mediterranean diet continues to outperform food trends• Climate change and its impact on farming communities• Building a premium brand in a commodity market• How Waitrose became a turning point for the business• The cash flow realities of scaling a physical product company• Why pricing too low can destroy a startup• The challenge of balancing sustainability and profitability• The emotional reality of working directly with small farmers• The business mistake that forced Citizens of Soil to fundraise• Losing an entire year's olive oil harvest due to a bottling error• The future of regenerative farming and food production• Expanding a purpose-driven brand into international marketsIf you're a founder, entrepreneur, marketer, food lover, investor, or someone interested in sustainability, consumer brands, agriculture, health, or the future of food systems, this episode offers a fascinating look into the challenges and opportunities behind one of the world's oldest industries.Zoe Fox:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gettingtogrow/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoe-fox-377033b0/Citizens of Soil:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/citizensofsoil/Sarah Fulton Vachon: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahfulton/