At Zingerman’s, the future belongs to its employees

BY JAY DAVIS

With an eye on the future, the founders of Zingerman’s Community of Businesses — legendary for its huge deli sandwiches, baked goods and business training classes

— has crafted a plan to ensure that the Ann Arbor-based company remains true to its roots.

What Ari Weinzweig and Paul Saginaw started 41 years ago has grown into 11 unique businesses, from the iconic Zingerman’s Deli- catessen in the Kerrytown neighborhood and the Bakehouse on the south side of town to its mail order business, event venues and restaurants.

Weinzweig recently announced plans for what is being called Zinger-

Recognition

Rural chef gets Beard nomination.

PAGE 3 man’s Perpetual Purpose Trust. Over the next 20 years, Weinzweig and Saginaw will essentially transfer the company’s intellectual property to the individual businesses in ZCoB and its employee shareholders. e trust will keep Zingerman’s in the

Ann Arbor area for the foreseeable future. It prohibits the sale of the Zingerman’s brand to an outside company and ensures it will not go public or o er franchising opportunities.

See ZINGERMAN’S on Page 15