For Wildbranch Olive Oil co-founder Mallory Gidwitz, there is truth to the saying, “If you don’t know where you’ve come from, you don’t know where you’re going.” When the Chicago resident felt stuck in early 2021—searching for a direction and passion beyond her career in finance—she thought about her interests. The 2005 Lewis Cass High School graduate and 2009 Butler University alum loves cooking with clean and organic ingredients, fresh produce, natural wines, learning various ways to improve her overall health and wellness, and shopping the local weekly farmers markets for the bulk of her groceries.
She thought about home.
“I grew up on a farm and I have such vivid memories of having fresh produce right outside our door or walking down to a neighbor’s house to get corn,” Gidwitz says. “I love going to the farmers market every week and getting fresh, organic produce—I really believe that food can be medicine.”
Thinking about her roots—and a years-long friendship with a former coworker where the topics of conversation typically ranged from health and wellness to motherhood—Gidwitz co-founded Wildbranch, a drinking oil that comes from a family-run farm near Sparta, Greece. And the owner of the farm? Labros Vlachos, father of Gidwitz’s friend, former coworker and now co-founder, Niki McNeill.
Labros Vlachos has been farming the land organically since 1999, and what started as 1,500 trees in 1970 has grown to 12,000 meticulously cared-for trees on more than 400 acres. His passion for high-quality oil runs deep, and his farm has been producing award-winning high-phenolic olive oil since 2017. The award-winning, single-grove, organic, high-phenolic olives produce a drinking oil where you can taste the love, passion and friendship infused in each spoonful.
Polyphenols are an essential part of the Mediterranean lifestyle, and harnessing their power can be simple and pure. A daily spoonful of Wildbranch provides 10 times the polyphenols of regular olive oil, and Wildbranch is significantly higher in polyphenol compounds—specifically oleocanthal and oleacein—which are known for their antioxidant properties and potential health benefits such as anti-inflammation and heart and neuro health. This high concentration of polyphenols gives the oil a peppery punch, and consuming by the spoonful is an efficient way to reap the benefits.
“The benefits of their simple daily ritual are abundant—but most importantly, it’s a natural, pure way of being good to yourself so you can share that good with others,” Gidwitz says. “It’s a ritual the entire family can love … getting your kids started with healthy habits early is critical, and with Wildbranch, they can do it right alongside you.”
Cultivating the highest-phenolic olives for Wildbranch is Vlachos’ priority. He ensures that the polyphenols remain as high as possible by cold-pressing and bottling only a few miles away from the farm. You can taste the potency in the peppery bite of the oil—that daily dose is not just a mindful step toward a healthier lifestyle but also a cheers to the local farmers working hard to share their culture and passion with the world.
You can also cook with Wildbranch olive oil due to its high quality. It’s not refined, not mixed with other oils, and is extra virgin, so the compounds are better protected during the heating process. High-quality, extra-virgin olive oils are stable at up to 400 degrees and are much healthier than alternative cooking oils or butter. However, to capture the most health benefits from your Wildbranch daily drinking oil, it’s best to take it in its raw form by the spoonful.
“We really believe—and know—that one ingredient can give a lifetime of benefits,” Gidwitz says. “Committing to your own ritual by setting aside a moment each day to savor the benefits of Wildbranch is a simple way to cultivate healthiness and mindfulness from within.”
Wildbranch is available in select retail shops in Chicago, with the goal of expanding into the Indiana market this year. You can buy Wildbranch daily drinking oil at welcometowildbranch.com and follow along on Instagram at @welcometowildbranch.
