Beyond The Board - Mill

Chris Kirby, founder and chef behind Ithaca Hummus, joins Whole Foods Market CMMO Sonya Gafsi Oblisk to talk about how a fine-dining chef set out to make hummus exciting again. We cover: How Chris went from French fine-dining kitchens to a farmers market hummus stand in Ithaca Why he led with bold flavors like lemon garlic instead of classic and turned it into the brand's edge The Ithaca x Graza collab and the "taste outside your comfort zone" philosophy behind everything from flavor to the square white tub Trend Spotlight: The Bean Boom Beans, legumes, and chickpeas are having a moment and they're one of Whole Foods Market's 2027 food trends. Ithaca is proof the humble chickpea can be anything but boring.

Simu Liu – actor and chief content officer at MiLa Soup Dumplings – and co-founder Jen Liao join Whole Foods Market CEO Jason Buechel for a special live episode. We cover: How Simu got involved and the story of his parents eating an entire shipment of nearly 100 dumplings How MiLa went from Ziploc bags on doorsteps to 1.7 million dumplings per day without losing the restaurant quality Why the top 5 Chinese food SKUs in grocery stores haven't changed in 25 years and how MiLa is changing that Best advice from Jen and Simu, whether you're starting something new or feeling stuck Trend Spotlight: Freezer Fine Dining Find MiLa Dumplings in the frozen aisle at Whole Foods Market and enjoy for National Dumpling Day on September 26. Enjoyed this episode? Follow Beyond the Board for conversations with the founders, innovators, and thought leaders shaping how we eat – and the stories behind the brands you love. At a Glance: 4:30 – Making a frozen dumpling that tastes like it came from a restaurant 7:15 – Simu's parents eat an entire shipment of nearly 100 dumplings claiming better than Din Tai Fung 17:30 – The top 5 Chinese food SKUs haven't changed in 25 years 23:00 – Best advice from Jen and Simu 27:30 – Simu's dream: a MiLa Super Bowl commercial 30:00 – Jen's dad gives feedback on her Dan Dan Noodle recipe to make it even better 31:20 – Why the brand is called MiLa: sweet and spicy, carve your own space 32:15 – Lightning round: favorite MiLa product, Marvel vs. Barbie, and more

Alysa Seeland, founder and CEO of FOND Regenerative, joins Whole Foods Market CEO Jason Buechel for a special episode filmed at Expo West. We cover: How a health crisis at 23 and a bone broth diet led to selling out at a farmer's market on day one Fun ways to work nutrient-dense bone broth into everyday cooking (yes, even hot chocolate) The tallow trend and why Alysa wanted to launch it since 2019 (originally wanting to call it "flavored meat butter" ha!) FOND's regenerative sourcing journey – from 17 farmers to 581 Trend Spotlight: Tallow Takeover Enjoyed this episode? Follow Beyond the Board for conversations with the founders, innovators, and thought leaders shaping the future of food – and the stories behind the brands you love. Find FOND Regenerative bone broth and tallow on shelves at Whole Foods Market. At a Glance: 2:30 – A health crisis at 23 and the bone broth diet that changed everything 5:00 – Selling out at the farmer's market on day one 9:00 – From 17 regenerative farmers to 581 with Whole Foods 14:00 – What "regenerative verified" actually means – and why it matters 21:00 – The journey to getting on Whole Foods shelves (and hearing "no" first) 25:00 – Surviving a warehouse fire and choosing to self-fund growth 40:00 – Fun ways to use bone broth, tallow, and duck fat at home

Becca Millstein, co-founder and CEO of Fishwife, joins Whole Foods Market CMMO Sonya Gafsi Oblisk on how she disrupted the tin fish aisle. We cover: How tapas bars in Spain and a pandemic-era light bulb moment led to the fastest-growing premium tinned fish brand in America The story behind the name "Fishwife" and the iconic illustrated packaging Sardine girl summer, Kitchen Couture, and how Fishwife breathed new life into the category Enjoyed this episode? Follow Beyond the Board for conversations with the founders, innovators, and thought leaders shaping the future of food – and the stories behind the brands you love. At a Glance: 0:08 – What is Fishwife? 1:30 – From tapas bars in Spain to a pandemic light bulb moment 9:40 – The name "Fishwife" and reclaiming brash 11:10 – Building the brand with illustrator Danny Miller 14:30 – Sardine girl summer and the tin fish trend cycle 18:50 – Sourcing standards: building a supply chain with Whole Foods 27:00 – Innovation, collabs, and doing two brand partnerships a month 33:00 – The Whole Foods x Fishwife tote bags – designed in 24 hours 39:50 – Lightning Round

Jay Shetty – bestselling author, award-winning host of the On Purpose podcast, and co-founder of Juni adaptogenic sparkling tea – joins host Jason Buechel, Whole Foods Market CEO, for a special live episode. Jay shares the unlikely path from stocking grocery shelves in London to living as a monk for three years – and why he believes the cure for burnout isn't slowing down, it's reconnecting with purpose. From a practical framework for staying grounded to the childhood memory of sharing tea with his mom that inspired Juni, this conversation unpacks what it means to build a brand rooted in presence and connection. Enjoyed this episode? Follow Beyond the Board for conversations with the founders, innovators, and thought leaders shaping the future of food – and the stories behind the brands you love. At a Glance: 1:20 – From grocery store shelves to monk life 5:09 – Three years as a monk: what Jay learned about the mind-body connection 8:00 – Ancient wisdom meets modern science 18:00 – The role of purpose at work (and the Yale study that proves it) 24:00 – TIME: A four-part framework for well-being 30:33 – How food became central to Jay's wellness journey 33:00 – The origin story of Juni: a mother-son tea tradition 35:41 – Building a brand with his wife (and being her guinea pig) 40:50 – Why Whole Foods Market was always the dream 45:51 – Lightning Round