JUMP TO Section Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.- The story of Graza
- Graza review: What it tastes like and what it's like to cook with
- Cons to consider
- The bottom line
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- Traditionally, olive oil has been intimidating, non transparent, and expensive.
- A new online brand called Graza is helping change that perception with its fun squeeze bottles of olive oil.
- Available as a finishing oil and cooking oil, Graza is made from Picual olives harvested just at the right times.
Graza Extra Virgin Olive Oil Variety Pack Check price at Graza Olive oil was one of those foods that I grew up thinking was "fancy," a gourmet treat reserved for dipping nice bread at nice restaurants. The fact it came in tall, impenetrably dark bottles, went by many different descriptors (EVOO? Cold-pressed?), and often had hefty price tags certainly reinforced that idea.
Today, there are many new brands cutting through the overwhelming haze of the olive oil industry. Graza, which launched at the beginning of 2022, is one of the most distinctive.
Packaged in bright green squeeze bottles and made from olives grown in the south of Spain, everything about Graza conjures a friendly freshness. And it all started, as it often does, with lots of curiosity, countless taste tests, and conversations with chefs.
The story of Graza
Graza began as a passion project for cofounders Andrew Benin and Allen Dushi. When Benin moved to Spain, he stayed with his wife's family in Cadiz, observing, "they used olive oil so liberally, so freely, so frequently in their cooking, it just stood out as the glue to all things in the kitchen."
After driving all over Andalusia trying olive oils from farms and co-ops, he brought many back for tastings in New York City. The big turning point was a meeting with Michael Anthony, executive chef at Gramercy Tavern.
"Mike, the head chef, put me in my place by reminding me that we don't really need another ultra-luxury, small-batch, and super expensive olive oil," said Benin. "They are cost-prohibitive and don't increase the likelihood of people choosing to cook with olive oil over unhealthy, highly processed cooking fats."
The idea that you shouldn't have to be precious about using and enjoying good olive oil, along with the fact that most chefs transfer their oil into squeeze bottles for ease of use, helped bring Graza to life as a physical product.
Benin told Insider, "Squeeze bottles are fun, and Graza screams 'made to be used.' Olive oil is a stodgy, heritage category, and Graza is ready to shake it up and bring the heat."
Graza review: What it tastes like and what it's like to cook with
We loved the brand's story, now what about the taste of its olive oil?
Graza is made with 100% Picual olives from Jaen, Spain. Dubbed the "world capital of olive oil," it's the biggest producer of olive oil in the world. Picual olives have high levels of polyphenols, which are what make olive oil high in antioxidants, and have a long shelf stability.
The brand's olive oil is extra virgin (meaning it's the first pressing from a batch of olives) and certified as such in Spain (meaning it has undergone testing to meet standards for odor and taste). It's non-GMO certified and never blended.
Graza makes two types of olive oil, "Drizzle" and "Sizzle."
Drizzle ($20) is a finishing oil, to be drizzled over salads, ice cream, hummus, and snacks like popcorn. Because it's made from young olives picked early in the harvest, Drizzle has a spicier, stronger flavor. I love a simple arugula salad and when I used Drizzle as my dressing, I was surprised by how flavorful, punchy, and grassy it was.
Meanwhile, Sizzle ($15) is a cooking oil. These olives are more mature and picked during peak harvest, giving Sizzle a more mellow flavor. I found it brought out the natural flavors of roasted potatoes, fried eggs, and seared proteins very well.
The biggest thing I noticed about both oils was how fresh and complex they tasted. The big bottles also made me less shy about using both oils liberally. Squeezing the oil out was, as promised, fun — plus, it was less messy than pouring it out of a bottle.
Cons to consider
I like the squeeze bottle design a lot, but the only con is that the cap can leak sometimes if you're not careful about closing it fully. Other than that, I don't have any other complaints about the olive oil. At $15 for Sizzle and $20 for Drizzle, it feels fairly priced for good olive oil.
The bottom line
Graza is the olive oil to try when you feel overwhelmed in the oils aisle. You'll feel like a chef whipping up dishes in the kitchen, and you'll realize how quickly you want to slather olive oil over everything.
Pros: Transparent sourcing, fresh taste, accessible design, two distinct products for two distinct uses
Cons: Bottle can leak if you're not careful
Check price at Graza
Connie Chen Connie Chen is a former senior reporter on the Insider Reviews team, where she led coverage of home textiles, home entertaining, and food and drink. While at Insider, she specialized in all the things that enhance life at home, from the most comfortable bed sheets and fluffy pillows to cool online wine clubs and bartender-approved cocktail shakers. She combined rigorous testing methods, conversations with professionals, and active knowledge of the home and kitchen space to help readers get the most out of their money. When she's not changing duvet covers or washing towels twice a day for articles, she loves talking about and trying the newest snacks, drinks, and food gifts. You can see more of her testing process and other behind-the-scenes of being a product journalist on her Instagram @connayreviews. Connie joined Insider Reviews as an early member in 2017 and has also reported on products and services in the style, tech, fitness, travel, and e-learning spaces, with a particular interest and expertise in emerging startups. She has represented the team at CES and moderated panels on media business and the future of retail. Connie graduated from UC Berkeley with degrees in media studies and business administration, which help inform her perspective on and coverage of industry trends, as well as the competitive e-commerce landscape at large. Read some of her work: The 4 best cocktail shakers in 2021 The 7 best women's bathrobes in 2021 The 5 best wine openers and corkscrews we tested in 2021 The 5 best bed sheets we tested in 2021 The 5 best cordless vacuums we tested in 2021 12 direct-to-consumer kitchen startups that are changing the way we shop for cookware and knives 8 tableware startups changing the way we shop for dishes Even chefs experience cooking burnout — here's how they get re-inspired in the kitchen How businesses create successful virtual experiences 50 cookbooks from famous restaurants across the US that will help you recreate their best dishes at home Learn more about how our team of experts tests and reviews products at Insider here. Learn more about how we test kitchen products. Read more Read lessYou can purchase logo and accolade licensing to this story here.
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