How We Eat: The Brave New World of Food and Drink

Praise for How We Eat: The Brave New World of Food and Drink

"Paco Underhill has passion, perception, a hunger for understanding human behavior, and eyes in the back of his head. How We Eat is a delectable feast. Devour it!"
—Michael Gross, New York Times bestselling author of 740 Park, Model, and House of Outrageous Fortune

“Paco is a visionary and a great storyteller. He has the rare ability not only to dissect the present, but also to envision what the future must be for a business to be successful. He describes the dull, lifeless stores of today, where food and beverages are sold as commodities and then imagines a future where the stores themselves must become theater and vibrant centers of experience and excitement in order to flourish. Paco’s fascination with the way we shop is infectious. His passion jumps off every page. This is a must read book for anyone in any kind of retail business.”
—Sara Miss, vice chairman of The Estée Lauder companies; Mike Gould, former chairman and CEO of Bloomingdale’s

“For years Paco Underhill has helped the world's best companies see around corners and anticipate what's next. Now with How We Eat, he lets readers see what will soon be coming to their kitchen table. Bon Appetite!”
—Adam Adamson, co-founder of Metaforce

"As with Paco’s earlier works, How We Eat is a continuing education for ethnographic practitioners and users alike.  While I’ve spent countless hours observing shoppers in supermarkets and liquor stores, I had never considered starting my observations in…the parking lot. Thus, this book adds to existing knowledge and offers totally new insights into consumers’ interactions with food—all presented in a light, entertaining style that is very easy to digest."
—Rich Boone, Retired Global Director of Consumer Insights, E & J Gallo Winery

"Tick Tock. Tick Tock. It's food o'clock! Wake up retailers, foodies and eaters of all persuasions. Time to vigilantly follow Paco Underhill's legendary recipes. Time to fire up a powerful ritual from the ashes of the boring habitual."
—Kate Newlin, Newlin Consulting

"Paco Underhill’s insights are like nouvelle cuisine at the finest restaurant: Paco sees the essence of what drives us to buy and eat, reframes the issues using his global experience, and combines them in a way that help us understand how to do it new and better."
—Matt Winn, Partner & Chief Development Officer, What If Syndicate/Former Global Retail COO at Cushman & Wakefield

"Be prepared to put on a pair of X-ray goggles and be taken on a journey of discovery that will change forever your understanding of how food is produced, consumed and enjoyed. From global supply chains to local micro-breweries,  our awareness of this ecosystem has never been more important for our palate and for our planet."
—Andrea Dorigo, senior vice president & general manager at Estée Lauder

“As one who spent his youth working in a farmers market, his adult life writing about retail, and who occasionally breaks bread and bends the elbow with Paco Underhill, I (pardon the expression) devoured this book. Paco’s observations of How We Eat are always surprising, engaging and tasty.”
—Robert Spector, author of The Nordstrom Way and The Mom & Pop Store

“How We Eat is not a technical book about food. It is a masterful adventure through the coffee shop, around the grocery store, and across the road to the farmer’s market. Paco’s power of observation comes to life through humorous and engaging stories that open your eyes to the world of food retailing and all the things we take for granted in what and how we eat. On par with Kitchen Confidential, How We Eat lays open the underbelly of what goes in our bellies! A must read for anyone curious about the food we eat and why we buy what we buy. Destined to be another classic alongside Why We Buy."
—Andy Murray, Dean at the Walton School of Business at the University of Arkansas

"How We Eat is a fascinating journey down the rabbit hole of consumerism and how evolving cultural and societal shifts have had a myriad of impacts on our relationship with food and the business of selling it. Seen through Underhill’s unique lens of personal experiences and professional expertise as one of the world’s foremost shopping anthropologists, How We Eat raises questions—from the mundane to the profound, with equally important implications—that will make you rethink not just how we eat and shop, but how we interact, live and coexist."
—Jessie Dowd, Editorial Director of Path to Purchase Institute

“An eye-opening journey…Hopeful and enlightening commentary on the future of the food industry.” 
—Kirkus Review

“An interesting behind-the-scenes look at the [food]  industry that will surprise readers at what might be coming…Written in an informal, conversational style, this is an enlightening look at a central part of human life.” 
—Library Journal

“Underhill turns a critical and scientific eye toward modern food distribution and marketing...Underhill’s marketing perspective ably supplements other critics’ reproaches of our contemporary food supply.” 
—Booklist