Grocery
The Buying and Selling of Food in America
Book •
Michael Ruhlman's Grocery: The Buying and Selling of Food in America investigates the modern American food system by chronicling the retail, distribution, and supply-chain forces shaping what ends up on consumers' plates.
Drawing on reporting, history, and interviews across the industry, Ruhlman traces developments from small grocers to national supermarket chains and the corporate decisions that influenced production and consumption.
The book examines technological changes, regulatory shifts, and the economic incentives that drove consolidation and altered food quality and availability.
Ruhlman highlights how historical trends and business strategies have affected regional foodways, food prices, and consumers’ choices.
The work aims to inform readers about the hidden infrastructure and market dynamics that determine everyday food access.
Drawing on reporting, history, and interviews across the industry, Ruhlman traces developments from small grocers to national supermarket chains and the corporate decisions that influenced production and consumption.
The book examines technological changes, regulatory shifts, and the economic incentives that drove consolidation and altered food quality and availability.
Ruhlman highlights how historical trends and business strategies have affected regional foodways, food prices, and consumers’ choices.
The work aims to inform readers about the hidden infrastructure and market dynamics that determine everyday food access.
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