Today I’m chatting to Katina Mountanos, the founder of Kosterina Olive oil.

We’re talking about the gap she saw in the market that also happened to be in her backyard, literally. Why she thinks you shouldn’t quit your day job. And some pointers when it comes to building the DTC side of the business shipping heavy, glass products.

Kosterina is the pioneering Greek Extra Virgin Olive Oil Brand dedicated to delivering the highest possible quality Extra virgin olive oil to the market. Kosterina’s olive oil is created from single origin, early harvest Koroneiki olives from founder Katina native home of Southern Greece. In addition to the Original Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Kosterina also offers flavored varieties in Greek Herb & Lemon, and Garlic; a line of Balsamic Vinegars from Modena, Italy and Dark Chocolate and olive oil cakes

The Kosterina Story: Olive Oil, Reinvented

Kosterina isn't just another olive oil brand; it’s a dedication to quality. The olive oil comes from single-origin, early harvest Koroneiki olives, grown in Katina's native Southern Greece. The lineup includes the Original Extra Virgin Olive Oil, alongside flavored varieties like Greek Herb & Lemon, and Garlic. They’ve even expanded into balsamic vinegars from Modena, Italy, and indulgent dark chocolate olive oil cakes. Kosterina’s mission is to deliver the highest-quality olive oil and make this ancient staple a daily ritual for modern households.

The Omni-Channel Approach: Why Brick and Mortar Still Matters

Katina is all about an omni-channel approach. She emphasizes the importance of not solely relying on direct-to-consumer sales, because as she says, “Going to the consumer alone can be very timely and expensive.” Retail locations, like Whole Foods, act as a billboard for the brand, providing invaluable marketing exposure and raising consumer awareness. The key takeaway? Be where your customers are shopping, whether it’s online or in-store.

When Whole Foods Came Knocking

Believe it or not, when Whole Foods reached out, Katina didn’t feel entirely prepared. Yet, she took the leap, launching in three regions despite the brand’s marketing plan relying heavily on demos, which were abruptly halted due to COVID-19. She quickly pivoted, doubling down on digital strategies to make up for the loss of in-store tastings.

If you're eyeing the shelves of a retailer like Whole Foods, here's what to know:

• Navigating Distribution: Whole Foods works with distributors, so you’ll need to figure out whether you’ll be shipping directly to stores or having a distributor handle that for you.
• Pricing Challenges: Consult with experts on pricing to ensure you’ve got the margins needed for promotions while accounting for distributor fees. It's a bit of a balancing act, but a crucial one.

Shipping Heavy, Glass Products: What You Need to Know

Shipping glass bottles is no joke. Here are Katina's tips to keep in mind:

1. Understand Your Unit Economics: Shipping costs are significant when it comes to heavy items. Calculate costs for shipping one bottle versus multiple bottles. You'll often find that shipping costs don’t increase much when adding additional bottles, allowing you to spread costs over more units.
2. Set Customer Rules: Consider offering options like selling products in bundles of three or six, rather than individual bottles.
3. Fine-Tune Your Policies: Don’t be afraid to adjust your shipping policies based on what you learn. Offering free shipping? Figure out at what purchase threshold it makes sense.

Katina also learned this the hard way: In the brand’s early days, around 10% of bottles broke during shipment. Can you imagine olive oil seeping onto customers’ porches? After some trial and error, Kosterina eventually partnered with a packaging designer to create boxes that brought the breakage rate down to less than 0.5%.

Don’t Quit Your Day Job (Yet)

Product development takes time—sometimes longer than you’d expect. Katina advises keeping your day job while working on your side hustle. It removes some pressure and gives you space to perfect your product. Plus, it allows you to pivot or iterate without financial stress. For instance, Kosterina went through multiple packaging iterations before landing on a solution that minimized breakage during shipping.

Building a Community: Your Subscribers Are Your True Ambassadors

Katina's approach to building a brand goes beyond products; it’s about creating a community. She’s a big believer in the power of word-of-mouth and even recommends DMing people who might help move the needle. Kosterina also emphasizes customer loyalty, with a strong focus on subscriptions. “Your subscribers are really your brand ambassadors,” she explains. Providing an exceptional experience for loyal customers keeps them coming back and spreading the word.

The Value of Being Scrappy

When you’re starting out, scrappiness is your best friend. Whether it’s reaching out to potential collaborators through DMs or relying on word-of-mouth marketing, these grassroots tactics can often have a bigger impact than fancy marketing campaigns. Katina’s advice is to keep testing and improving, even if things aren’t perfect from the start.

Key Takeaways from Katina:

• Growing Too Fast Can Be a Risk: Expansion should be approached with caution, especially in the early stages.
• Be Omni-Channel Savvy: Retail locations can act as marketing tools and provide valuable consumer exposure.
• Know Your Numbers: Get your unit economics dialed in, especially if you’re shipping heavy products.
• Community First: Your customers should feel like friends; engage with them authentically.
• Embrace the Imperfections: Sometimes, you just have to launch and iterate as you go.

Katina’s journey with Kosterina is a reminder that even if you start small, there's always room to grow—and sometimes, the opportunity arrives sooner than expected. Whether you’re shipping olive oil or selling something else, the principles remain the same: Be scrappy, stay curious, and don’t shy away from getting a little hands-on with your brand.