John Lawson clearly recalls the day a butter yellow ice cream truck made its debut in New York’s Tribeca district back in 2008. Ben Van Leeuwen had just introduced his namesake ice cream brand alongside his brother Pete and former wife Laura O’Neill.
At that point, Lawson was in charge of three Whole Foods Market stores, including the one situated in Tribeca. After tasting the ice creams and “nerding out” over “a very particular Italian pistachio,” he remembers pleading with Van Leeuwen to broaden his fresh venture into grocery outlets. Despite it being early in the game, Lawson recognized the potential that extended beyond just scoops. Within three months, Van Leeuwen’s pints hit the shelves. Nowadays, you can locate them in over a quarter of all supermarkets nationally.
Lawson is currently one of only nine buyers tasked with scouting local and upcoming brands for more than 500 Whole Foods locations across the US, Canada, and the UK. As a two-decade industry veteran, he has accumulated an extensive understanding of which ingredients, product names, packaging designs, and pricing resonate with consumers.
Grocery buyers like Lawson possess significant influence over our food choices. They determine what millions of shoppers fill their carts with at over 45,500 supermarkets throughout the US—and their decisions can elevate an obscure brand to a household name in an instant. I dedicated an autumn afternoon to shadowing Lawson to discover what makes a product deserving of shelf space in his perspective.
Our day commenced at the Whole Foods located in Gowanus, Brooklyn. From the moment we cross paths, Lawson overflows with insights about the coffee, condiments, tortillas, and hummus that adorn the shelves, which he instinctively tends to as we stroll past. He effortlessly mentions the launch years of each product, in which stores, and when they branched out nationally. “It feels like attending a gathering,” he remarks. “I’m eager to introduce you to all my friends.”
