The Whole Foods Buyer Who Decides What We Eat

"At the time, Lawson managed three Whole Foods Market stores, including the one in Tribeca. After sampling the ice creams and "nerding out" on "a very specific Italian pistachio," he recalls begging Van Leeuwen to expand his new venture into grocery retail. Though it was early days, Lawson could see the potential beyond scoops. Three months later, Van Leeuwen pints appeared on a shelf. Today you can find them in more than a quarter of all supermarkets across the country."

"As a 20-year veteran of the industry, he's amassed an encyclopedic knowledge of what ingredients, product names, package design, and price points appeal to consumers. Grocery buyers like Lawson can wield outsized influence over what we eat. They decide what millions of consumers add to their carts at more than 45,500 supermarkets across the US-and their choices can turn an unknown brand into a household name overnight. I spent one fall afternoon trailing Lawson to see what makes an item shelf-worthy in his eyes."

John Lawson identifies and promotes emerging packaged-food brands for Whole Foods, converting local products into widespread retail offerings. He first persuaded Ben Van Leeuwen to move Van Leeuwen Ice Cream into grocery after sampling a standout Italian pistachio flavor; pints reached shelves within three months and now appear in over a quarter of U.S. supermarkets. Lawson is one of nine buyers overseeing brand scouting for more than 500 Whole Foods locations across the US, Canada, and the UK. He relies on deep product knowledge—ingredients, names, packaging, and pricing—to judge shelf-worthiness and exerts significant influence over national consumer purchases.

Read at Bon Appetit