Zingerman's
Encyclopedia
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...
, USA. The original business and current flagship operation, Zingerman's Delicatessen, has long been a local favorite; the introduction of their award-winning web and mail-order offerings have attracted international acclaim.
History
Founded on March 15, 1982, by Paul Saginaw, Michael Monahan and Ari Weinzweig, Zingerman's began as a delicatessenDelicatessen
Delicatessen is a term meaning "delicacies" or "fine foods". The word entered English via German,with the old German spelling , plural of Delikatesse "delicacy", ultimately from Latin delicatus....
serving non-kosher traditional European-Jewish delicatessen dishes and sandwich
Sandwich
A sandwich is a food item, typically consisting of two or more slices of :bread with one or more fillings between them, or one slice of bread with a topping or toppings, commonly called an open sandwich. Sandwiches are a widely popular type of lunch food, typically taken to work or school, or...
es. 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 its own bread at Zingerman's Bakehouse and creating dairy products at Zingerman's Creamery. It 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.
Books
Ari Weinzweig writes a bimonthly newsletter on food and has published books on olive oilOlive oil
Olive oil is an oil obtained from the olive , a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin. It is commonly used in cooking, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and soaps and as a fuel for traditional oil lamps...
, vinegar
Vinegar
Vinegar is a liquid substance consisting mainly of acetic acid and water, the acetic acid being produced through the fermentation of ethanol by acetic acid bacteria. Commercial vinegar is produced either by fast or slow fermentation processes. Slow methods generally are used with traditional...
and Parmigiano-Reggiano, as well as the more broadly focused Zingerman's Guide to Good Eating. He has also published a book detailing the unique way in which the Zingerman's Community of Businesses handle customer service
Customer service
Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase.According to Turban et al. , “Customer service is a series of activities designed to enhance the level of customer satisfaction – that is, the feeling that a product or service has met the customer...
, entitled Zingerman's Guide to Giving Great Service. In 2009, he published a book covering the history and usage of bacon
Bacon
Bacon is a cured meat prepared from a pig. It is first cured using large quantities of salt, either in a brine or in a dry packing; the result is fresh bacon . Fresh bacon may then be further dried for weeks or months in cold air, boiled, or smoked. Fresh and dried bacon must be cooked before eating...
entitled Zingerman's Guide to Better Bacon. Unlike the Guide to Good Eating, the Guide to Better Bacon covers the wide variety of artisanal bacons found throughout the United States and how those products differ from mass market versions.
Location
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
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
football season
Michigan Wolverines football
The Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history...
, the queue of people waiting to place their orders often extends out the door, around the corner, and down Kingsley St.
Zingerman's popularity is not limited to the quality of its food. The blossoming community of businesses is also known for its customer friendliness, creating an experience that draws first-timers in and keeps the faithful returning again and again. For example, it is not uncommon for staff to open a brand new bottle of olive oil for a customer to try.
Causes
Zingerman's is also the parent of Food Gatherers, an organization that fights hunger in the Washtenaw CountyWashtenaw County, Michigan
Washtenaw County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the population was 344,791. Its county seat is Ann Arbor. The United States Office of Management and Budget defines the county as part of the Detroit–Warren–Flint Combined Statistical Area...
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. 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.