The Checkout: Grocery Nerds

Hosted by Errol Schweizer

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196

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Sep 2026

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About the show

Formerly The Checkout, Grocery Nerds is the leading source for insider commentary and analysis on the $1.1 trillion U.S. grocery industry. Founded by 30 year industry veteran operator, analyst and O.G. Grocery Nerd Errol Schweizer, Grocery Nerds has four priorities: to demystify the grocery business, including pricing, market segmentation and business operations in the real world-not via academia or public relations B.S.; to platform and hear from essential, front-line grocery workers; to engage with emerging brand innovators and trend leaders; and to hear from independent and cooperative grocery operators on how they are surviving and thriving in this competitive, complex and cutthroat industry. So, are you a Grocery Nerd too? ]]>

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September 9, 202636 min

#14: Kara Rubin's Grocery Journey From Whole Foods to Brand Building

In this episode, Kara Rubin shares her extensive experience in the grocery industry, from her start at Whole Foods to her work supporting emerging brands and developing supply chains. She discusses the evolution of food retail, category management, talent development, and the importance of community and mutual support in the industry. Kara is driven by a fascination with food and how it is grown, raised and distributed; a deeply held desire to bring better, cleaner food to more and more people; and nearly 15 years of strategic and operational food retail experience. Kara has deep roots guiding retail strategy and working with brands ranging across the category spectrum. Kara is a food and retail industry veteran who is the Vice President of Brand & Product Strategy at JUST Goods, Inc., producer of sustainably packaged and responsibly sourced consumer products, including JUST water . Prior to joining JUST, she spent a decade leading one of the largest regional business units for Whole Foods Market in the United States. Kara has also done independent strategic advisory work with clean-label brands and natural-channel retailers. Holding degrees from both Duke University and the University of Michigan Business School (now the Stephen M. Ross School of Business),Kara serves on the Corporate Advisory Council of Just Capital, a nonprofit that measures corporate performance based on the public’s definition of just behavior. She’s been an advisor to the Rockefeller Foundation on the topic of food waste and she is a guest lecturer at the NYU College of Food, Nutrition and Public Health and the Institute for Culinary Education. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

September 1, 202634 min

#13 Andrea Abel's Fight to Improve Food Justice in Texas

In this episode, Andrea Abel, Executive Director of Farm Share Austin, discusses the organization's efforts to improve food justice in Austin, Texas. She highlights the challenges of funding cuts, the importance of local farming, and innovative programs to increase food access for underserved communities. Andrea joined Farmshare Austin as executive director in January 2017, but her hands have been in the soil and her heart in food and agriculture for most of her life. Throughout Andrea’s career, she has focused on creating community sustainability in a variety of nonprofit and government positions. Farmshare unites Andrea’s passions for ensuring that food is a human right by implementing community-driven, collaborative problem-solving and leveraging collective impact. In addition to her role at Farmshare, Andrea currently is an appointee to the Austin Travis County Food Policy Board and has been deeply involved in the creation and implementation of the 2024 Austin-Travis County Food Plan. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

August 25, 202633 min

#12: From Cashier to Author: Ann Larson's Industry Insights

Ann Larson shares her journey from grocery store worker to author, revealing the hidden realities of the grocery industry, labor struggles, and potential reforms. Discover insights on corporate power, worker solidarity, and how consumers can support change. Ann Larson’s writing on education, debt, and low-wage work has appeared in The New Republic, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Fast Company, and The Nation, among other publications. She is author of Cleanup on Aisle Five: Essential Work, Poverty Wages, and the View from Behind the Supermarket Register, and coauthor of Can’t Pay Won’t Pay: The Case for Economic Disobedience and Debt Abolition and is a fellow with the Economic Hardship Reporting Project. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

August 18, 202630 min

#11: Alicia Kennedy's Journey: From Vegan Bakery to Food Critic

Alicia Kennedy, a food writer with a background in food production, discusses her journey from running a vegan bakery to becoming a renowned food critic and author. The conversation explores food systems, veganism, cultural history, and her latest book, offering deep insights into food politics and personal stories. Alicia Kennedy publishes a twice-weekly food and culture newsletter called From the Desk of Alicia Kennedy ()aliciakennedy.news), as well as the digital magazine Tomato Tomato ( tomatotomato.xyz ). She’s the author most recently of On Eating: The Making and Unmaking of My Appetites , a memoir of food and place. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

August 11, 202629 min

#10: The Future of Natural Sweeteners with CEO Aaron Henderson

In this in-depth interview, Aaron Henderson, CEO of Sweetleaf Stevia, shares his extensive experience in the grocery and CPG industry, focusing on natural sweeteners, supply chain intricacies, and evolving consumer trends like GLP-1. Discover insights on sourcing, product innovation, industry challenges, and the future of natural sweeteners in a rapidly changing market. Aaron Henderson is the current CEO of Wisdom Natural Brands, makers of SweetLeaf Stevia, with 25+ years of leadership experience driving growth across marketing, sales and brand strategy. As former CEO of The Touch Agency, Aaron worked on 200+ brands and saw 38 acquisitions. Co-founder of Midnight Venture Partners, a leading early stage venture capital fund focused on better-for-you brands. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

August 4, 202623 min

#9 Exploring Mamdani's Grocery Plan and the History Behind It.

Will it work? This episode explores New York City's innovative plan under Mamdani to open publicly subsidized grocery stores, aiming to make healthy food affordable and accessible for all. We discuss the details of the plan, its potential impact, and the broader context of grocery industry challenges that brought us here. Key Topics: Mamdani's grocery plan and its details Comparison with military commissary system Impact of industry inflation and challenges Role of subsidies and private operators Labor protections and union involvement Community and market-driven product assortment Potential flaws and criticisms of the plan Mamdani, public grocery stores, New York City, food affordability, food supply chain, grocery industry, subsidies, labor protections, community impact See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

July 28, 202629 min

#8: How Saffron Road Disrupted Frozen Food with Authenticity and Innovation

This interview with Adnan Durrani and Paul Turbeville explores the journey of Saffron Road, innovation in frozen foods, and navigating the competitive grocery landscape with a focus on health, authenticity, and strategic growth. Adnan Durrani has been a serial entrepreneur and venture capitalist for almost 30 years. He founded Vermont Pure Water Company(now part of Primo Brands , NYSE) and was a partner in Stonyfield Farms, Inc, which was sold initially to Dannon in 2001 (now part of Lactalis). He was also a principal of Delicious Brands, Inc., which he scaled, with the financial backing of Carl Icahn, to become the 5th largest cookie brand in the U.S. Adnan has been recognized as one of the entrepreneurs who engineered “20 Ideas That Changed The Way The World Does Business”. Paul Turbeville is Chief Executive Officer of Saffron Road, a leading brand of premium frozen ethnic meals and snacks. He joined the company as President in November 2024 and was named CEO in January 2025. He is responsible for overall company strategy and leadership across sales, marketing, operations, and customer relationships, with a focus on reigniting growth, strengthening the brand’s position in the marketplace, and helping the founder realize his vision for the company. Prior to Saffron Road, Paul served as Chief Commercial Officer for Village Gourmet, a premium protein and gourmet products platform with five operating companies in the charcuterie, gourmet products, and fresh sausage categories. He joined in 2021 and led commercial strategy, sales, and marketing until November 2024. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

July 21, 202629 min

#7 How Legislation Can Lower Food Prices and Support Small Grocers

Chris Jones is an attorney and founder of Center Market Strategies, a boutique law and advocacy firm that specializes in antitrust. He leads the Main Street Competition Coalition, a 501(c)(4) advocacy organization for independent business and agriculture producers harmed by monopolistic conduct. He has more than 16 years of experience in competition, food and agriculture, and supply-chain policy inside and outside of government. He recently served as Chief Government Relations Officer & Counsel at the National Grocers Association, the trade association for independent grocery stores. Errol and Chris Jones discuss the impact of market power, consolidation, and legislation on independent grocers and consumers. He explores the history of the Robinson Patman Act, current challenges faced by small businesses, and legislative efforts to promote competition. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

July 14, 202617 min

#6: How Aldi Is Winning the US Grocery War

Aldi's success is driven by operational efficiency, not market magic. In this episode, we explore Aldi's rise in the US grocery market, analyzing its low-cost, highly efficient business model rooted in post-war German austerity and modern operational excellence. Discover how Aldi's strategies are reshaping American grocery shopping amidst economic turmoil. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

July 7, 202635 min

#5 Jose Oliva: Solving Food Industry Problems with HEAL Food Alliance

Jose Oliva, Campaigns Director at Heal Food Alliance, shares insights into the food industry's labor issues, food insecurity among workers, and systemic reforms needed for a fairer food system. Jose Oliva was born in Xelaju, Guatemala. In 1985 he and his family were forced to flee the civil war and come to the US. Once in Chicago he was called to be Executive Director of Casa Guatemala where he began to organize day-laborers in Chicago’s street corners. He founded the Chicago Interfaith Workers’ Center and then became the Coordinator of Interfaith Worker Justice’s National Workers' Centers Network. Jose served in several leadership positions at the Restaurant Opportunities Centers United, the national organization of restaurant workers. Jose was the Co-Founder and Co-Director of the Food Chain Workers Alliance, a national coalition of food-worker organizations that collectively represents over 350,000 workers. Jose is a 2017 James Beard Award recipient and a 2018 American Food Hero Awardee and a 2020 Castanea Fellow. Currently he is the Campaigns Director at HEAL (Health Environment Agriculture and Labor) Food Alliance, a national multi-sector coalition representing over two million people in the food system. He also chairs the Chicago Region Food System Fund and serves on the boards of Woods Fund of Chicago and the Growing Justice Fund. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .