The Secret Life of Groceries

Five years inside American grocery: Trader Joe’s history, a long-haul trucking school, a Whole Foods buyer’s office, an SKU’s route from a slave-fished Thai shrimp boat to a shelf.

Why it’s on the list: Named in the “explains an entire industry” thread. Lorr reports the supermarket as a supply chain rather than a store, which is what makes it an industry book and not a consumer one.

Where I saw it: In Kyle’s “Books To Read” Apple Note, recovered from the reply thread to @WillManidis asking “what is the single best book you can read that will explain an entire industry?” (June 2, 2025). The full recovered list lives on what is the single best book… (tweet).

Connections

• what is the single best book… (tweet) — the thread this came out of; the full recovered list lives there.
• Retail — the industry.
• Supply Chain — the actual subject.