Grocery: The Buying and Selling of Food in America
In Grocery, bestselling author Michael Ruhlman offers incisive commentary on America’s relationship with its food and investigates the overlooked source of so much of it—the grocery store.
In a culture obsessed with food—how it looks, what it tastes like, where it comes from, what is good for us—there are often more questions than answers. Ruhlman proposes that the best practices for consuming wisely could be hiding in plain sight—in the aisles of your local supermarket. Using the human story of the family-run Midwestern chain Heinen’s as an anchor to this journalistic narrative, he dives into the mysterious world of supermarkets and the ways in which we produce, consume, and distribute food. Grocery examines how rapidly supermarkets—and our food and culture—have changed since the days of your friendly neighborhood grocer. But rather than waxing nostalgic for the age of mom-and-pop shops, Ruhlman seeks to understand how our food needs have shifted since the mid-twentieth century, and how these needs mirror our cultural ones.
A mix of reportage and rant, personal history and social commentary, Grocery is a landmark book from one of our most insightful food writers.
$0.00
In Grocery, bestselling author Michael Ruhlman offers incisive commentary on America’s relationship with its food and investigates the overlooked source of so much of it—the grocery store.
In a culture obsessed with food—how it looks, what it tastes like, where it comes from, what is good for us—there are often more questions than answers. Ruhlman proposes that the best practices for consuming wisely could be hiding in plain sight—in the aisles of your local supermarket. Using the human story of the family-run Midwestern chain Heinen’s as an anchor to this journalistic narrative, he dives into the mysterious world of supermarkets and the ways in which we produce, consume, and distribute food. Grocery examines how rapidly supermarkets—and our food and culture—have changed since the days of your friendly neighborhood grocer. But rather than waxing nostalgic for the age of mom-and-pop shops, Ruhlman seeks to understand how our food needs have shifted since the mid-twentieth century, and how these needs mirror our cultural ones.
A mix of reportage and rant, personal history and social commentary, Grocery is a landmark book from one of our most insightful food writers.
O. A. –
Written with passion and love. Book has great energy. Homely and comfortable❤️
This book is a talented mix of history, statistics, personal memories, and reflections about food and how we shop it. Michael Ruhlman sure knows how to write! If you’re looking for a dry, purely business-focused book, this isn’t it. But if you want to learn a lot about supermarkets, it’s a great choice.My favorite part? The author’s story about his late father—the man who kept a carrot in the inner pocket of his suit and would take a bite during business meetings. It was both adorable and touching. The nostalgia and love for his dad is felt throughout the book…All in all, this is a passionate account of food, the love of food, and the systems that bring it to us. Great read!!!
Ohio guy –
Irresistible – if flawed – look under the hood
I adored this book because I live a short walk from Heinens store #04, so I got the scoop on a place I spend an hour a week. (And on the creation of the amazing downtown store, the site of a million Instagram posts.)However, it reads like something of a hastily edited pastiche. To get to the good stuff, you must navigate a few chapters’ worth of undergraduate term paper on the food manufacturing industry. This is clumsily pulled together from sources, and while he quotes the best sources, they are already thoroughly quoted in a thousand Web and magazine pieces.The “scoop” on how the Heinens chain is run is fascinating and well presented. It is anecdotal — based on a smallish chain with a middle and upper class clientele — but an irresistible, and privileged, inside look at a secretive industry. And when Ruhlmann does let his writing flow, masterfully working in a memoir, it’s wonderful.Overall highly recommended to anyone who would like to learn about this fascinating business which is so much a part of our lives.
Eric Mayforth –
Superb Examination of the Grocery Business
In the United States grocery stores are so commonplace that we generally take them for granted and rarely think about them and just how important they are. Michael Ruhlman grew up in Cleveland with a father who loved grocery stores, and eventually took such an interest in them himself that he wrote “Grocery,” this volume that looks at these important places from just about every angle.Ruhlman discusses some of the history of the retail food business going back more than a century. Twentieth-century giant A&P rose and eventually fell, and change in the industry has been constant—Walmart and Whole Foods have been drivers of change in recent decades. The author focuses on Heinen’s, a Cleveland-area chain, and recalls their history in Northeast Ohio. “Grocery” notes how competition between stores and chains of stores affect decisions of individual grocers.Healthy eating is en vogue in some quarters in America today, and the author describes how chains such as Heinen’s make room for healthier products on their shelves to compete with other retailers. Ruhlman talks with the consultant physician for Heinen’s on a trip through the store, discussing the poor eating habits of many in the last forty or so years and how they contribute to food-related illnesses, focusing much attention on the detrimental effects of excess sugar.Ruhlman has chapters in the book about the meat, produce, and frozen foods departments, looking at the operations of each. The author also notes how food producers get their products on grocery store shelves and looks at the forces likely to change grocery stores in the near future, including the rising market for prepared foods, hydroponic farming, and the impact of Amazon.com.The book closes by discussing the opening of a new Heinen’s location in downtown Cleveland and just what the opening of a sizable grocery store can do for such an urban area. This volume even goes over how groceries should be properly bagged and debunks some of the myths about how grocers supposedly try to trick customers. “Grocery” is a thorough look at a topic some might wrongly think mundane, and those of us who worked in a grocery store at some point during high school or college would find the book an especially good read.
OutdoorMike –
Life Changing
I purchased this book to understand how grocery stores and the supply chain operate. It was not a textbook but rather a very entertaining book for understanding what drives people to work in the industry and the many challenges they face. The author’s stories about his father’s love for food made me appreciate food at a much higher level. His father seemed like a “remarkable” man and I wish I could have met him. My biggest takeaway from the book is a new appreciation for the produce section of the grocery store. With a better understanding of the supply chain, it had the unintended consequence of making me rethink my diet, now I’m eating healthier and I already lost 6 lbs in a few weeks.
Metu –
Lovely ending
As a non-Cleveland native but avid shopper at downtown Heinens, I was intrigued to learn more about where I shop. I mostly shop at Heinens because of my “bougie” taste, but it was good to know there was more to the draw I have to the grocery store.The architectural description of the store itself but to words the feeling I have shopping at the downtown store. I plan to stop by at the end of office hours today to stare at the glass beams.I enjoyed to note to the author’s father at the end – I almost got emotional and believe it was a perfect touch.
Alice Calvy –
Ce livre resume d’une manière assez synthétique et facile à lire, le parcours de notre nourriture et son évolution dans le marché.
Rachelle Lafreniere –
great book
John Maher –
vg
David Monkhouse –
I have read almost all of his books and this one is probably the least interesting. The research seems pretty anecdotal. Spend your money on his charcuterie book instead.
Mr Peter Auksi –
Very fine book – informative and down-to-earth.