Sweetgreen announced it’s using Extra Virgin Olive Oil (“EVOO”) made by Bari Olive Oil as its cooking oil for all proteins, veggies and grains nationwide. Sweetgreen image

Bari Olive Oil is expanding its presence in restaurants and partnering with more farmers due to new regulations on water usage in California. 

On Oct. 18, Sweetgreen announced a partnership with Bari Olive Oil to source its ingredients nationwide. Sweetgreen, with 231 locations across the country, is the first national fast-casual restaurant chain to announce intentions to cook proteins, veggies and grains exclusively in extra virgin olive oil.

Bari Olive Oil is excited to partner with them to give consumers healthier options for their food.  

“We’re starting to see a change in the practices of restaurants, where they’re moving away from general seed oils, canola, sunflower, things like that,” said Kyle Sawatzky, the president of Bari Olive Oil. “They’re switching to olive oil and healthier fats to do all their cooking.” 

Olive oil has well-known health benefits, such as having antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, according to Howard E. LeWine from Harvard Health Publishing. 

“A lot of restaurants, even though it’s a higher cost, are looking at olive oil. The nice thing about olive oil is it’s not chemically treated. It’s not heated up,” said Sawatzky.  

Bari Olive Oil’s process doesn’t use chemical treatment. Instead, it is organic, pure and healthy for consumers. 

Sweetgreen isn’t the only one considering partnering with Bari Olive Oil.  Food distributors outside of California are taking notice in the wake of supply chain shortages.

Spain is one of the world’s largest producers of olive oil, and has faced crop damages attributed to the effects of climate change, reported The New York Times. In addition to shortages, inflation has also touched the price of olive oil. But Sawatzky sees this as a great opportunity because Bari Olive Oil is produced in the United States. 

“Most American consumers prefer to use an American product, especially when it comes to food, the whole farm-to-table movement, and the growing interest in community support for agricultural CSAs,” said Sawatzky. 

Olives are also an attractive crop to grow that doesn’t take much land or water, Sawatzky said. Given restrictions on groundwater in California, growers are taking notice of alternatives. Bari seeks to partner with more potential olive growers.

“We have a real opportunity here as California farmers to look at what best fits our portfolio within our farms,” said Sawatzky. “And it’s exciting to see new growers planting orchards that we’re going to get the chance to harvest in the next one to three to four years.”