In this episode we look at the history of recycling in America and discuss the good, the bad and the ugly about sorting your trash. While recycling is inherently good its effectiveness is another thing. In other words, recycling was never meant to work. An add on to a linear economic system designed to maximize…

ITS BEEN a year since we published our homage to the addictively sweet and garishly bright Easter Peeps . Some might the episode the grocery world’s answer to David Sedaris’ Santaland Dairies. We just call it GROCERY HELL. The Easter with no Peeps. Twenty-five years ago phones were connected to the wall, gasoline cost an…

Twenty-five years ago phones were connected to the wall, gasoline cost an average of a $1.23 a gallon and in San Francisco a small grocery chain had no peeps at Easter because its distributor was no good. Matt Levine recalls his time working as a sales representative for this incompetent distributor in this funny tale…

Bottled water sold today is a new phenomena, not much older than quarterback Tom Brady. Back in the 19th century there were lots and lots of bottled water companies in America. But the advent of municipal waters system in the early 20th century meant nearly of all these early brands disappeared. When Evian arrived in…

In this episode we’ll talk about John Harvey Kellogg and bacon, oat bran and coconut water as well as ask whether the Paleo diet makes sense. Spoiler alert- logic never matters when it comes to diet and food trends. We’ll examine a variety of food trends, how the grow and how they die, as well…

This is the first episode in our new series, Cornucopia Express: Ten Items or Less (aka: A Podcast in a Hurry). In these four minute-ish episodes we will expand your understanding of the grocery and consumer packaged goods business as well leave you lots of time to beg your spouse for a foot rub, tell…

Twenty-five years ago phones were connected to the wall, gasoline cost an average of a $1.23 a gallon and in San Francisco a small grocery chain had no peeps at Easter because its distributor was no good. Matt Levine recalls his time working as a sales representative for this incompetent distributor in this funny tale…