Four Generations of Grocery: How Plum Market Redefined Specialty Retail: What Marc Jonna, President of Plum Market, Taught Us About Purpose-Driven Grocery

Written By George Goodwin

Published by Innovar Marketing Agency | GroceryPulse Podcast, hosted by George Goodwin

🎙️ Coming soon [Listen to the full episode here → PODCAST LINK ]

‍ Overview

What does it take to build one of America's most respected independent grocery chains — without private equity, without going public, and without compromising a single guiding principle along the way?‍ ‍

In this episode of GroceryPulse, host and fourth-generation grocer George Goodwin sits down with Marc Jonna, co-founder and president of Plum Market, for one of the most honest, wide-ranging conversations about independent grocery we've ever had on the show.

Marc's story is remarkable. His father, Ed Jonna, founded Merchant of Vino in Michigan — a beloved natural and gourmet grocery chain that was eventually acquired by Whole Foods in 1998. Marc stayed on, became the national wine buyer for Whole Foods, and then walked away to build something entirely his own with his brother Matt. Today, Plum Market operates 35+ locations across Michigan, Florida, and Nebraska, and is rapidly expanding into airports, office buildings, schools, and sports arenas — including serving the Detroit Pistons.

This conversation covers family legacy, fearless leadership, purpose over profit, and what it really takes to grow a grocery brand without losing your soul.

The Moment That Started Everything‍ ‍

Most great grocery stores begin with food. Plum Market's begins with a liquor license that fell through. When Ed Jonna opened a new Merchant of Vino location, he'd planned on liquor sales as a major revenue driver — but a half-mile radius restriction blocked the license. He had extra floor space and no plan. So at the opening party, his wife, Juliet, brought homemade food. Pasta, grilled herb chicken, spinach pies, cocktail sauce. Guests were raving.‍ ‍

"Before my mom would say, no, it was just for tonight, my dad said, yes — in fact, it's called Juliet's Cuisine. And my wife made it. He went out the next day and bought ovens and converted the space into a prepared foods department." — Marc Jonna

That one decision — born out of a licensing setback — became the soul of everything Plum Market would later build. Today, every Plum Market location, including airports and office buildings, cooks food entirely from scratch. No commissaries. No bags. No exceptions.

"My mom said, only one requirement if you want to use my recipes: never have a commissary. Food cooked from scratch, because it's never going to taste the same, son."‍ ‍

Be Fearless. Even When They Tell You No.

When Marc joined Whole Foods as wine buyer after the Merchant of Vino acquisition, he didn't wait to be told what to do. He visited all 100 stores, wrote detailed reports, and then started redesigning wine departments — including moving the wine section in a new Seattle store away from the cheese department entirely, without anyone's explicit permission. The call from Walter Robb, who later became co-CEO of Whole Foods, was not exactly a congratulatory call.

"Who told you to do that? Nobody told me. John told me he wanted me to increase wine sales and I can't do it unless I change where it is. He said, are you kidding me? I'll give you one store to test it — but if you don't get it right, remember this."

The store opened to five times the projected wine and beer sales. Overnight, every regional president was calling. The lesson Marc draws from this moment applies far beyond wine:

"If you're passionate about something, you actually know it, someone's doing it wrong, and you were hired to do something — then just do it. You gotta be fearless."

Purpose First. Private Equity Second (Maybe Never).

One of the most refreshing parts of this conversation is Marc's candor about private equity — not bitter, not preachy, just honest.

"It's almost like someone's dating you and it looks great at first and they make you feel so special. But when you go down the altar, you realize they're going to change you."

Plum Market has grown to 35+ locations entirely on its own terms. Marc is careful not to say "never" about outside capital, but the philosophy is clear: the moment you bring in a partner with a return requirement tied to shareholders who aren't in the business, your purpose starts to bend.‍ He points to John Mackey and Whole Foods as a cautionary tale — not as criticism, but as a case study in what happens when growth outpaces purpose.

"If you ask John Mackey today if he wishes he stayed private, he would probably say yes. He lost his company. The board forced him out."

For small and mid-size independent grocers, this is worth sitting with. Growth funded by purpose and operational discipline looks slower on paper. It compounds differently over time.

The No Private Label Commitment — And Why It's Actually Good for CPG Brands

Plum Market carries zero private labels. This isn't an accident — it's a philosophy.

"We want brands that are passionate with purpose. We don't want them to have to cut corners, because the minute you go to private label, they're going to squeeze you on margin and quality."

For CPG founders listening, this is one of the most important things Marc says in the entire episode. Plum Market isn't just a retail partner — they actively help brands figure out placement, merchandising, demos, signage, and what won't work before you try to scale to bigger retailers.

"If you want to launch your brand, come to Plum Market first. Not only are we going to teach you where to put it in the store and how to merchandise it — we're going to show you what won't work if you want to scale it to other retailers eventually. Who does that?"

He calls it being a founding partner for brands — and it's a genuine differentiator in an industry where most large retailers will trade you out the moment a cheaper private label option appears. For any CPG brand looking at retail strategy, this section of the episode is essential listening.

🎙️ [Listen to the full episode → PODCAST LINK PLACEHOLDER]

Speedboats vs. Steamships: The Independent Advantage

One of the sharpest frameworks in this conversation is Marc's distinction between how independents and large chains operate.

‍ "We're a speedboat versus a steamship. A larger corporation takes a long time to turn. A speedboat can weave in and out quickly — you can make decisions faster."

‍He gives a concrete example: when he discovered Miracle Noodles at a store in LA and wanted to carry them, he couldn't source the larger bags through standard distribution. So he called the company directly, ordered pallets, and started selling them. They went from pallets to truckloads because of the volume Plum was moving.

‍ ‍"You have to be crafty in this business. But again, if it were easy, everybody would do it."

This isn't just a feel-good anecdote — it's a real operational edge that independent grocers underutilize. The ability to move fast, test quickly, and source creatively is a structural advantage that no amount of capital can fully replicate.

The Future of Specialty Grocery

When George asks Marc where specialty grocery is headed in the next five to ten years, the answer is clear: experience.

"You don't want to make the grocery store a chore. It's got to be an experience. People see their friends, it becomes a gathering spot. You go to a restaurant or a bar for the experience — why not a grocery store?"

Marc sees the rise of pickup and delivery as something that actually benefits well-run independent stores, because it strips the commodity shopping experience away from brick-and-mortar and leaves behind only what a physical store can offer that an app cannot: discovery, community, and trust. He also points to the convergence of wellness and food as the defining consumer trend of the next decade:

"People are eating for wellness now. If you can get that taste and wellness together — where the health conscious meet the foodies — that's lightning in a bottle."

For brands like Kōbu Kombucha Powder operating in the gut health and functional hydration space, this is exactly the tailwind Marc is describing. Consumers are no longer choosing between taste and health. They want both, and they're willing to pay for it.

On Family Business: Keep It Private, Keep It Unified

Both George and Marc are fourth-generation grocers running family businesses alongside siblings. The conversation on this topic is one of the most practical and human parts of the episode. Marc's rule:

‍ ‍"If you disagree, don't do it in public. Do it in private, one-on-one. That way you stay unified, and you don't put somebody in a corner."

He credits his father with the philosophy and says it's been the foundation of his working relationship with his brother Matt for over 30 years across two companies.

"We're passionately different sometimes about ideas, but we do it in the right way. I couldn't have a better business partner than my brother."

He also shares a practice from his Whole Foods years that he still uses: appreciations at the end of every meeting — a simple ritual that ensures people leave feeling connected rather than defeated, regardless of how hard the conversation was.

Rapid Fire Highlights

  • Favorite grocery department: Wine, specialty cheese, and charcuterie

  • Advice to younger self: Find mentors, listen, and if someone thinks your idea is stupid but you believe in it — do it anyway. Don't be scared to fail.

  • Favorite store format: Airports — "I never thought it would ever be an airport like we're doing. It's one of the legacies I hope we're known for."

  • Trend he's most excited about: Health-conscious meets foodies — preventative wellness through food

  • Most underrated grocery category: Prepared foods — "I hate even calling it prepared foods. It's Plum Kitchen."

  • One thing every retailer should focus on: Find your purpose. Stay true to it. If you drift from your guiding principles, your team won't follow and neither will your customers.

‍ Why This Episode Matters

The grocery industry is at an inflection point. Pickup and delivery are commoditizing the transactional side of the business. Big box retailers are being undercut from below and squeezed from above. Private equity is reshaping who owns what and what they stand for. Against all of that, Marc Jonna has spent 20 years proving that a clear purpose, a commitment to real food, and a refusal to compromise on culture can build something that 35+ locations, airports, sports arenas, schools, and an entire loyal consumer base keep coming back to. As Marc puts it:

"People can copy who you are, but they can't copy what you do. I want people to chase our shadows."

Overview

What does it take to build one of America's most respected independent grocery chains — without private equity, without going public, and without compromising a single guiding principle along the way?

In this episode of GroceryPulse, host and fourth-generation grocer George Goodwin sits down with Marc Jonna, co-founder and president of Plum Market, for one of the most honest, wide-ranging conversations about independent grocery we've ever had on the show.

Marc's story is remarkable. His father, Ed Jonna, founded Merchant of Vino in Michigan — a beloved natural and gourmet grocery chain that was eventually acquired by Whole Foods in 1998. Marc stayed on, became the national wine buyer for Whole Foods, and then walked away to build something entirely his own with his brother Matt. Today, Plum Market operates 35+ locations across Michigan, Florida, and Nebraska, and is rapidly expanding into airports, office buildings, schools, and sports arenas — including serving the Detroit Pistons.

This conversation covers family legacy, fearless leadership, purpose over profit, and what it really takes to grow a grocery brand without losing your soul.

Key Takeaways

  • Purpose over profit is not just a slogan at Plum Market — it's an operational decision made every single day

  • No private labels, ever — and why that decision actually protects your brand and your vendors

  • Cooking from scratch in every location, including airports and schools, is the single biggest differentiator Plum Market has

  • Independent grocers are speedboats, not steamships — and that agility is a genuine competitive advantage

  • The future of grocery is experiential — brick-and-mortar stores that feel like destinations, not chores

  • Family business succession depends on defined lanes, mutual trust, and keeping disagreements private

Listen to the Full Episode

‍🎙️ GroceryPulse | Episode: Marc Jonna, Co-Founder & President, Plum Market

About GroceryPulse

About Innovar Marketing Agency

Innovar is a full-service marketing agency specializing in grocery, CPG, and independent retail. We help brands and retailers tell better stories, reach more customers, and grow with purpose. Tags: independent grocery, Plum Market, Marc Jonna, GroceryPulse, George Goodwin, CPG brands, family business, specialty grocery, purpose-driven retail, kombucha, gut health, functional beverages, retail strategy

George Goodwin
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