Sweet and Low by Rich Cohen

Sugar, scandal, and the secrets behind America’s most iconic pink packet.
In Sweet and Low: A Family Story, bestselling journalist and author Rich Cohen peels back the saccharine surface of one of America’s most recognizable brands to reveal a family saga brimming with ambition, betrayal, and bitter legacy.
 
Raised in a tight-knit Jewish family in Brooklyn, Cohen’s connection to the story is personal—his grandfather invented Sweet’N Low, his uncle ran the factory, and his mother was famously cut out of the family fortune. What unfolds is a biting and darkly funny memoir that blends business history with generational drama, tracing how a Depression-era dream became a billion-dollar empire built on sugar substitutes and family silence.
 
Cohen’s investigation into his family’s past also becomes a portrait of the American dream in postwar Brooklyn—gritty, scrappy, and flavored with both triumph and regret. Written with journalistic clarity and emotional bite, Sweet and Low is part exposé, part eulogy, and part delicious revenge.
 
❤️ Why You’ll Love It
🏭 Uncovers the bitter truth behind a sweet success story
🧬 Blends personal memoir with business history and family politics
📍 Rich with Brooklyn atmosphere, cultural detail, and emotional honesty
🧠 Told with wit, insight, and a journalist’s sharp eye for irony
📚 A compelling nonfiction pick for book clubs and memoir fans alike
 
🎯 Perfect For Readers Who:
Love dysfunctional family memoirs with real emotional stakes
Enjoy behind-the-brand business stories and industry exposés
Are fascinated by Jewish-American history and Brooklyn culture
Can’t get enough of books like The Glass Castle, Fun Home, or The Tender Bar
Want a smart, biting read that mixes nostalgia with hard truth