Zingerman’s Co-Owner & Founding Partner

Ari Weinzweig moved to Ann Arbor from his hometown of Chicago to attend the University of Michigan. After graduating with a degree in Russian history, he went to work washing dishes in a local restaurant and soon discovered that he loved the food business. Along with his partner Paul Saginaw, Ari started Zingerman’s Delicatessen in 1982 with a $20,000 bank loan, a staff of two, a small selection of great-tasting specialty foods and a relatively short sandwich menu. Today, Zingerman’s is an Ann Arbor institution – the source of great food and great experiences for over 500,000 visitors every year. Each day the Deli serves up thousands of made-to-order sandwiches with ingredients like corned beef and pastrami, homemade chopped liver and chicken salad. The Deli stocks an array of farmhouse cheeses, smoked fish, salamis, estate-bottled olive oils, vintage vinegars, whole bean coffees, loose leaf teas and much more.

Zingerman’s Bakehouse, opened in 1992, produces a flavorful array of traditional, hearth-baked breads and scrumptious, buttery pastries.
Zingerman’s Mail Order delivers wonderful traditionally-made foods to customers across the country and around the globe. Ed Behr, in The International Wine Cellar, referred to the catalog as, “… the most discriminating mail order selection of foods that I am aware of…”
Zingerman’s Catering take “The Zingerman’s Experience” off-site to deliver everything from elegant entrees to bodacious barbecue.
Zingerman’s Training Inc., a.k.a ZingTrain, offers consulting in training systems, customer service, specialty foods management and other disciplines.
Zingerman’s Creamery is dedicated to bringing fabulous tasting hand-crafted fresh cheeses, gelato and more to dairy lovers everywhere.
Zingerman’s Roadhouse opened in September 2003, serving up really good American food for lunch and dinner, along with a full selection of American-made beers and wines, seven days a week.
Zingerman’s Coffee Company, started in May 2004, is the newest Zingerman’s business and focuses on roasting small batches of single-estate beans.

Ari is involved in many educational activities. He has served as a board member and president of The American Cheese Society and as a board member of the Retail Division of the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade. He is a frequent guest speaker in business classes at the University of Michigan and Eastern Michigan University, as well as at various food and business conferences in this country and abroad including the American Institute of Wine and Food, Oldways Preservation and Exchange Trust, the Gathering of Games, and the NASFT Fancy Food Show.

In 1988 Zingerman’s was instrumental in the founding of Food Gatherers, a perishable food rescue program, and continues to be a major supporter of the organization. Every year Food Gatherers delivers over a million pounds of food to people in need. Ari has also served on the board of The Ark, the longest continuously-operating folk music venue in America. In April of 1995, Ari and Paul received the Jewish Federation of Washtenaw County’s first Humanitarian Award for their community contributions. Most recently Ari was recognized as one of the “Who’s Who of Food & Beverage in America” by the 2006 James Beard Foundation. In 2007, Ari and Paul were presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award from Bon Appetit magazine for their work in the food industry.

Ari has written over 208 issues of Zingerman’s newsletter, “Zingerman’s News,” and has contributed to such magazines as Fine Cooking, Specialty Foods, Gourmet Retailer, and Food and Wine. He has received praise for his books: Zingerman’s Guide to Good Olive Oil, Zingerman’s Guide to Good Vinegar, Zingerman’s Guide to Good Parmigiano-Reggiano, Zingerman’s Guide to Giving Great Service and his newest book, Zingerman’s Guide to Good Eating.