I had the opportunity to sit down with Marc Jonna, Co-Founder & President of Plum Market, and this was a really special conversation for me as a fourth-generation grocer. Marc's grocery story goes back generations.His father, Ed Jonna, founded Merchant of Vino in Michigan, which was later acquired by Whole Foods. Marc went on to become a National Wine Buyer for Whole Foods before leaving with his brother Matt to start Plum Market in 2007. Today, Plum Market has grown to 35+ locations while remaining family-owned and independent. One of the things Marc says that really stuck with me is that he thinks of Plum Market as the “Disneyland of grocery.” Not just somewhere you go to buy groceries—but somewhere you actually want to spend time.
Episode Chapters
00:00 — Introduction & WelcomeGeorge introduces Mark Jona, co-founder and president of Plum Market.
03:45 — Scaling Category Growth at Whole FoodsMark shares how fearlessly shaking up department layouts drove early success at Whole Foods.
07:50 — Family Legacy & Launching Plum MarketTransitioning from Merchant of Vino to launching a modern, independent grocery chain.
11:20 — Foundational Values & Daily MentorshipOperational habits, early morning drive, and lessons passed down through generations.
15:10 — Building a Purpose-First Grocery ModelWhy Plum Market skips private label products to focus on scratch kitchens and independent CPG brands.
19:05 — Managing Family Business DynamicsStrategies for navigating sibling partnerships, resolving conflicts privately, and staying aligned.
23:15 — Empowering Store Teams & Frontline FeedbackSupporting store leaders, listening to frontline staff, and building an empowered culture.
27:30 — Juliet’s Cuisine: Scratch Cooking at ScaleHow family recipes inspired Plum Market’s commitment to real, in-house kitchen prep.
32:10 — Expanding to Airports, Schools & Sports VenuesTaking scratch-made dining into non-traditional venues, from airport terminals to the Detroit Pistons.
37:40 — Wellness, Portions & Functional NutritionMeeting the consumer shift toward preventative health, clean ingredients, and portion balance.
42:15 — Growing to 35+ Locations Without Private EquityWhy Plum Market chose to stay family-owned rather than take outside capital or go public.
47:00 — The Independent Advantage: Speedboat vs. SteamshipHow agile independents outpace large corporate chains on innovation and sourcing.
51:15 — Advice for CPG Founders Pitching RetailersHow emerging brands can partner with retailers to test, optimize, and scale placement.
55:30 — The Future of Specialty GroceryWhy brick-and-mortar stores must prioritize in-store experience to thrive alongside delivery apps.
59:20 — Rapid Fire Round & ClosingQuick-hit questions on favorite departments, career advice, and final takeaways.
We talked about:
🥬 Creating stores around experience
👨🍳 Making prepared foods from scratch
🌱 What “local” actually means
🤝 Building community through grocery
👨👩👦 Multi-generational family business
📈 Growing without private equity
🛒 The future of specialty grocery
As someone who grew up in grocery, these are the conversations I love having.Thanks to Marc for sharing his story and perspective on where grocery is headed.
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Innovar Marketing Agency (grocery/CPG marketing insights): www.innovaragency.com
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Oct 6 202652 min
49 min