Before she became an olive oil sommelier and Co-Founder of Citizens of Soil, Sarah Vachon learned about olive oil through family friends, who were olive farmers in Greece. "Their oil was organic, produced from olives grown with regenerative farming methods and harvested early to capture anti-oxidant goodness," Vachon explains. "But they struggled to market their oil beyond the local community." Citizens of Soil bottles this small batch extra virgin olive oil along with that of other farmers who uphold the brand's priorities of people and the planet: all farmers engage in sustainable, regenerative practice and are at least 50% women-led. "I'm so proud to work with some of the most bad-ass women in farming," Vacheron laughs.
Vachon candidly admits that, when it first launched in 2020, she hesitated to take steps towards growing the business, such as pitching to national retailers. "As entrepreneurs, we need to have the confidence to take risks," she advises. And such risks have reaped reward for Citizens of Soil, whose bottles are now available in Fortnum & Mason, Selfridges and Waitrose, as well as through the Olive Oil Club – Citizens of Soil's seasonal oil subscription.
Watch the complete interview with Sarah Vachon, Citizens of Soil's Co-Founder, and Walpole's Head of Content, Nick Carvell, below – and follow Walpole on Instagram to be notified when we go live with the next Brand of Tomorrow founder. You can also see our interview schedule over the coming weeks here.
> Discover more about Citizens of Soil via the brand's website and Instagram
