Josh Gondelman talks with food retail consultant Jonathan Raduns about zucchini blossoms, garlic scape pesto, and the density test for picking the perfect watermelon.

What You'll Hear

From Farm Kid to Food Retail Whisperer: Jonathan traces his path from selling produce on his family's farm in Western New York to starting his own consulting company twelve years ago, all in the name of making grocery stores feel less like warehouses and more like places worth lingering in.

The Zucchini Blossoms and the Garlic Scape Pesto: Josh gets the story behind one of Jonathan's favorite projects, a one-day event built around a mystery ingredient and a local farm that turned an ordinary produce aisle into a full-blown event.

Grocery Stores as Community, One Staff Pick at a Time: From Trader Joe's staff pick stickers to the quiet art of small talk in the checkout line, Jonathan explains what actually makes a store feel like part of the neighborhood.

CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro & welcome Jonathan!
01:08 How Jonathan got into food retail consulting
03:16 The zucchini blossoms & garlic scape pesto story
04:59 What grocery stores get right that farms don't
08:14 The design details shoppers never notice
14:19 The secret to picking a good watermelon

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