In this episode of The Bottom Line, Naki Soyturk sits down with Jessie and Ed Kileen, the husband-and-wife duo behind Grassburger, a growing fast casual brand that fuses sustainability, values-driven leadership, and operational discipline. The Kileen’s share their journey building a burger concept with a conscience.
They source 100% grass-fed, U.S.-raised beef from regenerative, humane ranches—never grain-fed, no antibiotics or synthetic hormones. Their philosophy: “grass-fed cattle live a happy and active life on pasture (as nature intended)”—and the ranch practices are kinder to animals and better for the planet.
They’ve earned acclaim as serving award-winning burgers and fries. The concept began with Jessie and Ed’s desire to feed their family allergy-friendly, nutritious food—an ethic eflected in their family- and allergy-friendly menu
They unpack the challenges of staying true to their mission while scaling a business in a competitive space. We cover everything from team culture, cost controls, and sourcing integrity, to why owning your brand narrative matters more than ever in today’s market.
Jessie & Ed’s Links:
Website: https://www.eatgrassburger.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grassburger
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/grassburger
What You’ll Learn
• How to build a mission-driven brand in fast casual
• Why sourcing integrity can be a competitive advantage
• How to manage costs without compromising values
• How to build company culture in a multi-unit setting
• The realities of expanding in small markets
• Why it’s hard—but necessary—to lead with authenticity
• How the Kileens used purpose to weather tough seasons
• 00:00 – Intro & Meet the Kileens
• 03:30 – Grassburger’s Origin Story
• 07:00 – Building a Values-Driven Fast Casual Brand
• 11:00 – The Role of Supply Chain & Sourcing
• 15:30 – Leading a Team with Purpose
• 19:00 – Managing Growth Without Compromising Integrity
• 23:30 – Culture, Turnover, and Hiring with Heart
• 27:00 – Operational Discipline with Soul
• 31:00 – Scaling Infrastructure & Expansion Hurdles
• 35:00 – What’s Next for Grassburger
• 39:00 – Final Advice for Operators
Welcome to The Bottom Line – the real talk podcast about restaurant profit and growth. Each episode, we explore the decisions, systems, and stories behind the most successful food businesses out there in the market. No fluff. No hype. Just real operators, real challenges, and real advice from people who know how to get results. Let's get to The Bottom Line.
Have a question or need a professional opinion? Reach out!
Web: https://consultingaccross.com
Get a Free Profitability Audit
Connect with Naki on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ufuksoyturk/
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Male Room with Dr. Jesse Mills
As Director of The Men’s Clinic at UCLA, Dr. Jesse Mills has spent his career helping men understand their bodies, their hormones, and their health. Now he’s bringing that expertise to The Male Room — a podcast where data-driven medicine meets common sense. Each episode separates fact from hype, science from snake oil, and gives men the tools to live longer, stronger, and happier lives. With candor, humor, and real-world experience from the exam room and the operating room, Dr. Mills breaks down the latest health headlines, dissects trends, and explains what actually works — and what doesn’t. Smart, straightforward, and entertaining, The Male Room is the show that helps men take charge of their health without the jargon.