But because it is usually placed in the ethnic aisle, he said, it limits perceptions of the ingredient’s uses. That aligns with the ethnic aisle’s original purpose: to serve returning World War II soldiers who had tasted foods from countries like Italy, Germany and Japan while abroad. (Conversely, some grocery stores in countries like France and Colombia have “American” aisles, with products like peanut butter, mayonnaise, boxed cake mix and barbecue sauce.) He said he and other employees frequently talked about eliminating the ethnic aisle at Whole Foods; but they couldn’t persuade the company to make such a major overhaul. That didn’t stop them from making sure every aisle — not just the ethnic one — included diverse flavors and ingredients, he added, or from improving the section, known as the “global flavors aisle,” by increasing the variety of countries represented and finding more purveyors of color.

Source: International New York Times August 10, 2021 09:00 UTC