Episode 21 - Tuna Melts and Price Tampering
A tuna melt in Lake Tahoe sent me down a rabbit hole. How did a fish once harvested through ancient Mediterranean trap fisheries become a cheap pantry staple — and sometimes a luxury item worth thousands?
In this episode, we trace tuna’s journey from seasonal coastal ritual to industrial global commodity, uncover a real corporate price-fixing scandal involving major canned tuna brands, and explore how one simple sandwich connects migration, manufacturing, and modern convenience.
Your lunch didn’t get cheap by accident.
References:
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations…
The skinny
The skinny isn't ready yet — notes appear once the transcript is processed.