HUNGRY. Espresso: The Truth Behind The History of Supermarkets - Franco Fubini, Natoora
Nov 6, 2025
In this discussion, Franco Fubini, the founder of Natoora and a fresh produce expert, dives into the compelling history of supermarkets. He reveals how Piggly Wiggly revolutionized grocery shopping by introducing self-service. Franco explores how postwar changes shaped consumer habits, emphasizing time-saving convenience and the shift towards ultra-processed foods. He also discusses Walmart's rapid growth and the business incentives driving mass retailing while linking these trends to our evolutionary preferences for calorie-dense foods. A fascinating look at how our shopping habits evolved!
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How Supermarkets Rewired Shopping Habits
- Supermarkets emerged by offering self-service, range, price and convenience that reshaped shopping habits.
- This created a weekly, car-centric shopping ritual that prioritized non-fresh center-store goods over perimeter produce.
Piggly Wiggly: The First Self-Service Store
- Piggly Wiggly, founded around 1913–1916, was the first to introduce self-service shopping.
- Franco Fubini mentions the brand still exists on the US East Coast as the origin of modern supermarket practice.
Convenience And Industrial Food Converged
- Post-WWII social shifts (women working) and industrial food production drove demand for convenience.
- Supermarkets and food manufacturers reinforced each other, accelerating processed and ultra-processed food consumption.
