Plum Market

Marc Jonna’s career in the specialty retail and wine industry spans more than two decades. He began in his family’s business, The Merchant of Vino, where he studied wine and specialty foods from a young age and helped expand the company into an eight-store chain. After its acquisition by Whole Foods in 1999, Marc became the company’s National Wine Buyer and later joined the National Leadership Team—playing a pivotal role in elevating Whole Foods into a major wine retailer.

In 2006, Marc co-founded Plum Market with his brother, creating a Midwest-based chain that has become a leader in natural, organic, and specialty grocery. In this episode, he shares his journey from family business to national leadership, and the lessons he’s learned about building a modern grocery brand that thrives in today’s competitive market.

Inside the Episode:

• How Marc’s experience at The Merchant of Vino and Whole Foods shaped the vision for Plum Market

• Philosophy of merchandising natural, organic, and artisanal products

• Advice for CPG brands on scaling, differentiation, and staying competitive in retail landscape

This podcast episode was made possible by Hummingbirds

Hummingbirds is the go-to platform built for creator-powered retail activations—connecting everyday creators with CPG brands to spark shelf-level awareness, drive in-store momentum, and generate authentic content in the markets that matter most. Learn more!