Getting To Why
I don’t know whether you’re ever ready to be a parent — or to own a business. The barriers to entry are much lower for the former, but no less terrifying.
I wish I had something more dramatic for my official entry to our storied paper. An opus that would make Jeff and our team proud.
Charles Dickens began one of his most famous novels with “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” A Tale of Two Cities isn’t considered his greatest work, yet that opening line endures.
The sentence – like the book – is about contrast, upheaval, and change. It’s an appropriate analogy for the market we find ourselves in today.
Who I Am
I thought I might take a few words to share a bit about myself and my thoughts for the future here. Many of our loyal readers may not yet know the new guy.
My name is Alexander Wissel – my friends call me Alex. I write like I talk, believe firmly in the em dash (long before LLMs and AIs tried to steal it), and am prone to the occasional digression for a good story. Where were we again?
I’m not a grocery industry native. I didn’t grow up in the CPG world or around grocery royalty. I haven’t “put in the time” bagging or checking, as many second-, third-, and fourth-generation scions of grocery dynasties seem to have.
But I do most of the shopping and cooking in my family (because if my wife had her way, I’d eat nothing but salads). I’ve always appreciated the French approach to shopping every few days. I like being in the field – now more than ever.
Here in the Northeast, we’re fortunate to have an incredibly robust and competitive grocery landscape.
When I sat down with Ira Kress and his team at Giant Food recently, he told us his stores face an average of 12 competitors within a three-mile radius. Large or small, every player has to bring their A-game – anything less is flirting with obsolescence.
And even when you bring your best, external forces will likely test you even more. Grocery is hard, and getting harder. That was probably the first thing Jeff Metzger taught me — followed quickly by this: without good operators, a store doesn’t last long.
Our industry rewards endurance. It’s filled with long-term employees because grocery work demands constant attention. It self-selects for hard workers and institutional knowledge as a feature, not a bug.
What Brought Me Here
At the youthful age of almost 50 (it’s the new 30, right?) I’ve built a career across financial services, insurance, publishing, market research, and real estate to name a few.
But to understand me, you have to go back further. Beneath my fluffy frat-boy exterior hides the soul of an art snob… one who loves the stock market. I was probably the only art student in the country with a subscription to Investor’s Business Daily.
Art and analysis, I’ve found, are remarkably similar. Artists observe, analyze, and form contrarian conclusions not easily seen by others – and sometimes, if they’re lucky, they make something. If they’re really lucky, someone else might like it.
I’ve studied markets since I was seven. Markets reveal the mechanisms that move the world. Know the markets, and you’ll begin to understand why things happen.
Lately, I’ve been asking that same question – why – about our new business and the grocery industry as a whole. The answer is both simpler and more complex than I expected.
The Industry We Serve
One of my first major events was Bozzuto’s Big Expo this August. I’d thought the real estate industry knew how to throw a party – I was very, very wrong. Grocery has everyone else beat.
But amid the fanfare, in the middle of the Expo, a conversation with Michael Bozzuto stood out. (He was gracious enough to humor the new kid on the block) He explained that independent retailers are like incubators for the industry. They are the places where the next Whole Foods, the next Sprouts, and the next big CPG ideas are born. He’s absolutely right.
These creative proving grounds are also dangerous. Competing against scale and margin pressure is exhausting and often existential. Since the 1990s, the number of independent grocery stores has steadily declined as consolidation grows.
Our incubators are in peril. Add tariffs, regulations, and potentially even AI – not a lot of it inspires optimism for small, independent retailers.
At the NGA Legislative Conference last month, we heard about rising uncertainty around food safety, additives, labelling, and artificial colors. There are a lot of headwinds. Yet the scariest threats may still be ahead, and unfortunately this isn’t a clever lead-in for a Halloween joke. The threat is real. Our current status quo won’t last.
From the national chains to single-store operators, change is coming.
Change Is Here
We officially took ownership of Best-Met Publishing, Food World, and Food Trade News on August 1. But we’ve been working with Jeff, Terri, Maria, and Kevin for many months longer. I couldn’t ask for a more gracious group of mentors.
Many of you have known my team longer than I’ve been alive – that’s a fact not lost on me. We have great continuity from our staff and expect to keep everyone as long as they want to contribute. I recognize that most everyone here could retire at any time they want.
They continue because they love what they do… You know their dedication.
I love their passion and commitment to the industry. We can’t say enough about them.
Outside of a brief mention of the purchase, you’ll notice little has changed – that’s intentional. I believe in measured iteration, not upheaval. Change is happening, but gradually. We’re expanding features, upgrading offerings, and bringing new expert voices aboard.
You’ll see contributions from Phil Lempert starting this month – his experience will be a tremendous asset to our readers.
Our pledge is simple: real insights from real humans. No AI-generated filler, no empty trend-chasing.
As an aside: When we attended GroceryShop 2025 in Las Vegas, we saw firsthand how deeply technology and AI are intertwining themselves into the future of grocery. The short version? Incremental growth is the new CPG mantra, and loyalty programs may finally deliver on their promise with AI.
Before year-end, we’ll launch a new website and e-letter for faster, sharper coverage – but rest assured, the physical paper isn’t going anywhere. We’re proud to continue the legacy of in-depth journalism and industry insight that Jeff and his team built.
I’ll make another confession – I’m not always easy to reach. My schedule is packed, and I rarely get a chance to answer the phone. But I want to hear from you and you can always reach me at [email protected].
If you have something to share or contribute, drop me a line. Tell me what you’d like to see from us. We’re excited to roll out some new features for you, and we welcome input of any sort.
Why We’re Here
During Covid, grocery stores and access to food became a pillar of daily life. Signs with ‘Heroes work here’ abounded in both hospitals and grocery stores alike. But how quickly many forget?
After the water utility, there’s arguably no industry more essential to public health and national stability than grocery. Society quite literally cannot function without affordable, nutritious food.
That’s why we’re here.
We’re committed to being the standard-bearer for the industry – by providing the intelligence, context, and clarity you need to not just survive the changes, but to thrive.
Because this industry isn’t just important. It’s vital.
It’s the ultimate answer to why… And why we do what we do at Best-Met Publishing.
It’s a reminder that what you do is important to our country.
I hope you have a better sense of what we’re trying to achieve here ~ and a little more insight into why. Thanks in advance for all of your trust, help, and support!
