Ari Weinzweig | |
---|---|
![]() Ari speaking at ZingPosium 2018 | |
Born | Chicago, Illinois, U.S. | November 3, 1956
Nationality | American |
Alma mater | University of Michigan |
Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, Author, Speaker |
Known for | Co-founding Zingerman's Community of Businesses |
Notable work | Zingerman's Guide to Good Leading series |
Website | Zingerman's Community of Businesses |
Ari Weinzweig is an American entrepreneur, author, speaker, and co-founding partner of Zingerman's Community of Businesses, a group of food-related enterprises based in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Early Life and Education
[edit]Weinzweig was raised in Chicago, Illinois.[1] He pursued a degree in Russian History from the University of Michigan.[2] His early career included various roles in the restaurant industry, where he initially washed dishes, eventually progressing to roles in cooking and managing kitchens.[3]
Career
[edit]Weinzweig founded Zingerman's Delicatessen in Ann Arbor, Michigan in 1982 with his business partner, Paul Saginaw.[4] Originally a singular deli, Zingerman's has since expanded into what he terms a "community of businesses", including a bakehouse, coffee company, creamery, and candy manufactory, among others.[5] As of July 2024, Zingerman’s Community of Businesses encompasses 11 separate entities, employs over 750 people, and generates over $80 million in annual revenue.[6][7]
Weinzweig is a writer and literature collector, having authored several books, business pamphlets, and contributions to Zingerman’s newsletters and blogs.[8][9] His "Zingerman's Guide to Good Leading" series explores his personal approach to business management and leadership.[10] Several of his published works explore business principles from the lens of Anarchist philosophy.[11][12][13]
Awards and Recognition
[edit]- 1995: Recipient of the Jewish Federation of Washtenaw County’s first Humanitarian Award.[14]
- 2006: Winner of the "Who's Who of Food & Beverage in America" award by the James Beard Foundation.[15]
- 2007: Recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from Bon Appetit magazine.[16]
- 2014: Recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Cheese Society.[17]
- 2017: Named in Inc. Magazine’s article "The World's 10 Top CEOs (They Lead in a Totally Unique Way)".[18]
References
[edit]- ^ Bareuther, Carol (2023). "The Big Cheese: Ari Weinzwieg, CEO and Co-founding Partner of Zingerman's Community of Businesses". Cheese Connoisseur.
- ^ Maynard, Micheline (2007). "A Corner Deli With International Appeal". The New York Times.
- ^ "Interview with Ari Weinzweig". Eater. 19 October 2018.
- ^ "Zingerman's: Not Your Grandfather's Deli". NPR.
- ^ Burlingham, Bo (2003). "The Coolest Small Company in America". Inc. Magazine. Archived from the original on 2019-02-19.
- ^ "Keeping Zingerman's Zingerman's". Ann Arbor Observerr. 27 August 2023.
- ^ "Ari Weinzweig Co-founding Partner, Zingerman's Community of Businesses". Detroit Regional Chamber.
- ^ "Ari Weinzweig, Writer, Teacher, and Zingerman's Co-founder". Edible Wow.
- ^ Paterniti, Michael (2013). The Telling Room: A Tale of Love, Betrayal, Revenge, and the World's Greatest Piece of Cheese. Random House Publishing. p. 8. ISBN 9780812994544.
- ^ Maynard, Micheline (2022). Satisfaction Guaranteed: How Zingerman's Built a Corner Deli into a Global Food Community. Scribner. pp. 18–19. ISBN 9781982164614.
- ^ Veidlinger, Jeffrey (2014). "The Philosophy Behind Zingerman's Deli". Tablet Magazine.
- ^ Mesure, Susie (2019). "An anarchist's guide to doing good business". Financial Times.
- ^ Magan, Manchán (2019). "Anarchy at the cheese counter: how a US deli overturned the business model". The Irish Times.
- ^ "Ari Weinzweig". ZingTrain.
- ^ "Who's Who of Food & Beverage in America Members". James Beard Foundation.
- ^ "Zingerman's Founders Get Bon Appetit Lifetime Achievement Award". MLive. 13 September 2007.
- ^ "Industry Honors". American Cheese Society. 14 November 2023.
- ^ "The World's Best CEOs". Inc. Magazine.