Gastronomics – Details, episodes & analysis

You are probably familiar with the Domino's pizza tracker. What you may not know is that it is one of the most influential design innovations of all time. Its subtle brilliance has inspired apps and websites ranging from Uber to TurboTax. There are pizza trackers everywhere for those with eyes to see.

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Gastronomics is about the business of food. In each episode, host Alex Mayyasi talks to chefs, economists, and people with insights and stories about how economics shapes the modern menu.

Meet a trend forecaster who tracks thousands of menus to know exactly when restaurants should start serving yuzu lemonade or ube pancakes. Discover how Best Restaurant lists get made. And learn why billionaires like Bill Gates buy lots and lots of farmland.

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Aldi, the cheap and quirky grocery store chain, is opening so many stores in the U.S. that it's on track to become the 2nd largest grocery chain within a few years.

How is Aldi matching or beating Walmart and Costco's low prices without the huge stores, warehouses, and economies of scale those chains have used to drive down prices?

And how has a chain best known for ultra-budget, bare-bones stores also become beloved, inspiring a cult-like following?

In the interview, we say that Karl Albrecht is the younger brother, but he's actually the older brother.

"The Curious Cult of Aldi" by Deena Shanker and Tim Loh https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2026-01-06/german-grocer-aldi-built-an-american-empire-on-discounts-and-deals 

"How to Succeed in Business by Bundling – and Unbundling" by Justin Fox https://hbr.org/2014/06/how-to-succeed-in-business-by-bundling-and-unbundling 

"Retail Markups and Discount-Store Entry" by Lauren Chenarides, Miguel I. Gómez, Timothy J. Richards & Koichi Yonezawa https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11151-023-09926-w#Sec16

"Meet the Proud Shoppers of Aldi's 'Aisle of Shame'" by Sara Murphy https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/aisle-of-shame-aldi 

"Inside Quince's Quest to Sell Luxury Goods for Less," WSJ https://www.wsj.com/podcasts/the-journal/inside-quinces-quest-to-sell-luxury-goods-for-less/7dab529b-1767-4d45-bd14-671663455b1c 

"Is Trader Joe's the 'Quince' of food?" Eating Patterns https://lesleysykes.substack.com/p/is-trader-joes-the-quince-of-food 

"Snack Maker Sues Aldi Grocery Chain Over Look-Alike Product Packaging," NYT https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/01/business/mondelez-aldi-packaging-lawsuit.html  

"We Need to Talk About Trader Joe's," Adam Reiner https://tastecooking.com/we-need-to-talk-about-trader-joes/ 

Music by Jay Cowit. Artwork by Jared Bartman.