Zingerman's

Zingerman's is an upscale food retailer headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The original business and current flagship operation, Zingerman's Delicatessen, has long been a local favorite; [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/03/business/smallbusiness/03zingerman.html?_r=1&oref=slogin] the introduction of their award-winning [http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/show_aw/text/0,3151,FOOD_28456_61089,00.html] web and mail-order offerings have attracted international acclaim.

Founded in March 1982 by Paul Saginaw, Michael Monahan, and Ari Weinzweig, Zingerman's began as a deli serving traditional European-Jewish delicatessen dishes and sandwiches. In 1997, Monahan sold his share of the company to Saginaw to focus on his original business venture, Monahan's Seafood Market. As Zingerman's grew, it expanded its offerings to gourmet foods from around the world, making their own bread at Zingerman's Bakehouse, and creating dairy products at Zingerman's Creamery. They recently opened a second restaurant, Zingerman's Roadhouse, which focuses on regional American cuisine. The enterprise now owns several brand names that make up the Zingerman's Community of Businesses, including the aforementioned enterprises in addition to Zingerman's Mail Order, Zingerman's Coffee Company, Zingerman's Training, Inc., and Zingerman's Catering. Zingerman's sponsors several mail-order food clubs and occasional culinary study tours. Ari Weinzweig writes a bimonthly newsletter on food and has published books on olive oil, vinegar, and Parmigiano-Reggiano, as well as the more broadly focused "Zingerman's Guide to Good Eating".

Zingerman's Delicatessen is located in an area of Ann Arbor, informally known as Kerrytown because of its proximity to the Kerrytown Shops. The original brick building, which echoes the brick lined streets of the neighborhood, houses the deli and sells a sampling of cheeses from Zingerman's Creamery and bread from Zingerman's Bakehouse in addition to premium meats, olive oil, vinegar, and other prepared and unprepared foods. Adjacent to the deli, Zingerman's Next Door houses dine-in seating and sells Zingerman's Coffee Company coffee, Zingerman's Creamery gelato, and Zingerman's Bakehouse cakes and pastries. A courtyard, with picnic tables, separates the two buildings.

On Saturday mornings, especially during the University of Michigan football season, the line of people waiting to place their orders often extends out the door, around the corner, and down Kingsley St.

Zingerman's draw is not limited to the quality of its food. The blossoming community of businesses is also known for its customer friendliness, [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/03/business/smallbusiness/03zingerman.html?_r=1&oref=slogin] creating an experience that draws first-timers in and keeps the faithful returning again and again.

Zingerman's is also the parent of Food Gatherers, an organization that fights hunger in the Washtenaw County area. The purpose of Food Gatherers is to fight hunger by reducing food waste and by building relationships between hunger relief organizations. It also focuses on public education, food recycling and redistribution, and the development of new food resources. [http://www.foodgatherers.org/about.htm] Zingerman's Delicatessen was the first for-profit business to support a program of this type, and in 1997, Food Gatherers took over the organization and responsibility of the Washtenaw County Food Bank, and is now the major distributor of food in Washtenaw county. Now the 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization can redistribute an average of 5.75 tons of recovered and donated food per day.

References

External links

* [http://www.zingermans.com/ Zingerman's Mail Order website]
* [http://www.zingermansdeli.com/ Zingerman's Deli website]
* [http://www.zingermanscatering.com/ Zingerman's Catering website]
* [http://www.zingermansbakehouse.com/ Zingerman's Bakehouse website]
* [http://www.zingermansroadhouse.com/ Zingerman's Roadhouse website]
* [http://www.zingermanscreamery.com/ Zingerman's Creamery website]
* [http://www.zingermanscoffee.com/ Zingerman's Coffee website]
* [http://www.zingtrain.com/ Zingerman's Training website]
* [http://www.bakewithzing.com/ Zingerman's Baking Classes website]
* [http://www.inc.com/magazine/20030101/25036.html Inc.com article focusing on the Deli's business side]
* [http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/Zingermans-Community-of-Businesses-Company-History.html Zingerman's history]
* [http://www.foodgatherers.org/ Food Gatherers]