It’s a Small Aisle After All episode artwork

EPISODE · Apr 26, 2022 · 36 MIN

It’s a Small Aisle After All

from 99% Invisible · host Shirley Wang, Vivian Le, Christopher Johnson

If you’ve ever been to a supermarket in the US, you’ve probably seen an ethnic food aisle. Maybe it was called the "international aisle," or "world foods," but it was the same idea. This is the “It’s A Small World After All” part of the shopping experience. It’s where you’ll find ramen next to coconut milk, next to plantain chips next to harissa. Although ethnic aisles look different in every supermarket, they’re often variations on the same theme. And while so-called “ethnic food brands” get a chance to feed the American masses, they’re still confined to the ethnic aisle. And they may never leave.It's a Small Aisle After All  Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Apr 26, 2022

Embed this episode

The evolution of the "international" section of the grocery store and how some products stay there forever and some break out to blend in with similar products throughout the market.

Distinct summary based on available episode metadata or transcript content.

Ready to play

It’s a Small Aisle After All

0:00 36:49

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

No similar episodes found.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of 99% Invisible?

This episode is 36 minutes long.

When was this 99% Invisible episode published?

This episode was published on April 26, 2022.

Can I download this 99% Invisible episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.
URL copied to clipboard!