The Squeeze Bottle That Changed Everything
Review #3 - Graza 🫒
Good morning peeps,
Today I’m talking about Graza, the olive oil that DiSrUpTeD the CPG industry with its squeeze bottle. Also, it goes without saying that olive oil is a wellness essential. Let the review commence…
Review #3 - Graza 🫒
What Is It
Graza makes “high quality olive oil that’s meant to be squeezed, not saved”. In other words, it’s olive oil in a squeeze bottle. Graza makes two types of olive oil: drizzle (a heat-sensitive, finishing oil) and sizzle (a mellow, cooking oil).
Aesthetic
I’ll let their bottles speak for themselves.
They’re gorge.
Obviously, olive oil itself is not a novel product, so Graza’s brilliances in their differentiation strategy of good design. This article sums up the intentionality and nuance behind their visual identity. So simple, yet so complex — kind of like a high-quality, single-origin, extra virgin olive oil, one might say.
Clearly, the brands that get it right know how to make the product itself beautiful enough to be its own marketing. Graza (and Seed) so expertly made their packaging worthy of counter (or shelf) real estate; an item that blurs the line between utility and decor, therefore becoming a status symbol of sorts.
Brand / Marketing
I appreciate how dedicated the brand is to their playful approach to olive oil, even though something about it makes me feel a little weird inside. Maybe that’s just because I can’t get their founder’s ~LinkedIn controversy~ out of my head. I guess a founder who speaks their mind freely is the trade off you get for the unhinged comedy happening on their socials.
A lot of olive oil brands take themselves quite seriously, or on the contrary, have no brand presence whatsoever, so I’m all for the out-of-the-box (or bottle?) content strategy they’ve got going on.
Same thoughts apply to their partnerships, and the use cases they offer for olive oil in general. Like this wellness shot collab with Kreation Juice for instance. I can’t say I’m interested in tossing it back on its own, but it’s probably a great salad dressing?
Other past partner highlights include Aura Bora, Funny Face Bakery, and Partners Coffee — all of which have expanded my perception of how olive oil can be used, so mission accomplished. *If any of you have tried these, I’m dying to know thoughts.*
They’re also frequently working with a lot of recipe developers and food creators which is genius to me for so many reasons: more high qual content, increasing brand awareness, building longterm relationships, yada yada yada.
Last point I’ll touch on here is community (if you’re in marketing, feel free to roll your eyes). From IRL meetups like their Brooklyn pizza parties and their foray into running to nationwide initiatives like their rewards program or their Souper Bowl, the brains behind the brand are making Graza less of a purchase-centric company and more of an experience that people want to join in on. The best customers are the loyal ones as we know, and they’ve done a great job of encouraging them to not only buy their olive oils, but to really want to be part of the Graza Universe.
Efficacy
Yes, Graza is effective at being olive oil. Probably not the most applicable benchmark for this product, but whatever. Also, with this being a wellness-forward newsletter, I should state that olive oil is objectively healthy, but if you need more convincing, I’ll let the brand do the talking.
And while I know that olive oil flavors are intricate and artistic, similar to wine, if you’re a run-of-the-mill home cook like I am, Graza’s oils are exactly what you want for your roasting your vegetables and drizzling on top of your avocado toast.
Overall Thoughts
I’ll give it to them, they know who they are and they do it well. Their product is honestly great quality at a great price point, and like any good startup, they offer something to consumers that wasn’t already available in the unique way they’re doing it.
Are they slightly cringe in a tech-bro-meets-TikToker way? Yes. Are they also a pretty good bang for their buck that’s fun to keep on your counter? Also yes.
And at the risk of giving them too much unpaid publicity, I’ll let you know they’re on sale at Whole Foods now.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
In Other News…
Whole Foods is getting the Shoppy Shop treatment
Adios body positivity, welcome back weight loss snacks
Maybe vertical farming stands a chance in the form of designer strawberries
Fishwife and Fly by Jing are back for round 2
That’s all for now. If there’s a product you want reviewed or just want to chat, reply to this email. :)
confused about why I need olive oil in a juice shot but go off I guess! ahaha great review, I have the same thoughts on marketing -- it's everywhere but a little tough to watch sometimes