Whole Foods Market: Beyond The Board

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 

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

In the countdown to this year's Expo West, we're beyond excited to take it back to where it all began — our very firstBeyond the Board Podcast conversation, recorded live at last year's Expo with none other than Cloud 23 founder, Brooklyn Peltz Beckham. The energy, the insight, the moment that started it all… and now we get to relive it. Stay tuned as this re-release is one you won't want to miss! In this episode, we connect over: How a late night in the kitchen with his wife led to the inspiration and first recipe for Cloud23. Brooklyn's secret sauce to level up his dad's famous Bolognese recipe. Plus, we dive into how Gen Z consumers are shaping a better future food system.