Breaking the Monopoly: How Founders Can Navigate a Consolidated Market

In this eye-opening episode of the Good Food CFO podcast, Sarah Delevan talks with Stacy Mitchell, co-executive director of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, about the myths of market consolidation and how food founders can fight back against corporate monopolies.

Stacy Mitchell is a writer, strategist, and policy advocate whose work focuses on dismantling concentrated corporate power and building thriving local economies. As co-executive director of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, she has played a leading role in today's growing anti-monopoly movement and has authored influential works including "Big Box Swindle" and "Amazon's Stranglehold."

You’ll hear:

• The Invisible Rules: How corporations have made market rules invisible, positioning us as consumers rather than citizens with power to change policies

• Myth-Busting: Hard evidence disproving the "bigger is better" narrative, including the North Dakota pharmacy model that outperforms corporate chains

• Food System Consolidation: How the suspension of the Robinson-Patman Act in 1980 allowed big retailers to demand preferential treatment, squeezing independent grocers

• Beyond Consumer Power: Why "voting with your dollars" is important but insufficient for creating systemic change

• Paths Forward: Practical actions for founders to engage with local policymakers and join the growing movement to enforce antitrust laws

• Signs of Hope: Recent shifts in policy approach showing how the tide is turning against unchecked consolidation

More from Stacy: 

Institute for Local Self-Reliance

"The Great Grocery Squeeze" in The Atlantic

Stacy's TED Talk: "Why We Can't Shop Our Way to a Better Economy"

 

This episode is brought to you by Settle. 

Settle helps you make smarter decisions, and keep your business on track to grow sustainably. Head over to settle.com/goodfood to learn how brands like Carnivore Snax use Settle to manage their cash flow and growth.

 

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