Trader Joe's Products (2002–2011)

[tanabutler]

My stepson-in-law-to-be has started inviting himself over for meals (and I mean that in the best, most flattering way), which is sometimes convenient and sometimes not. Usually he's starving, so I have had to come up with a bone to throw when he's got those hungry jitters.

TJ's Gorgonzola Gnocchi (frozen foods section) fits the bill perfectly. He has requested a 55-gallon drum of the stuff: I think he thinks I make it from scratch. Sweet but clueless. And I'm not telling him the secret, because I want him to keep asking if I'll feed him.

[gariotin]

I hope I am not being a wet blanket - and perhaps some people won't care - but TJ is the WalMart of the specialty food industry. The reason their prices are lower is that they but directly from manufacturers and cut out the distributors - like me. While I am a moderate advocate of free market economics, I also know that you get what you pay for. Since many of their items are private-label, there is no way of knowing who really makes it for them, and I suspect you are not always comparing apple to apples. Just my opinion.

[viva]

gariotin, I'm glad you posted, because I've been meaning to ask... why is Trader Joe's so cheap? Isn't it owned by the same company as Aldi? I've never considered Aldi to be a bastion of good grocery products.

A TJ's just opened in my neighborhood in Phoenix. It's presently a mob scene, and therefore virtually impossible to get a decent selection of produce (no jalapenos? in Arizona?). What I did get went bad quickly.

OTOH, the frozen fish and shrimp have been really great, and the cheese selection looked good as well. The service was very friendly too, particularly in managing the mob chaos. However, I'm not sure if I'm ready to switch from my current AJ's/Safeway shopping combination. Of course, AJ's is also owned by Basha's, and I wouldn't step foot in one of those, so I admit to some hypocrisy!

I'm just really missing Treasure Island from Chicago. I adored that store.

[Malawry]

Went by yesterday and saw a new product: ground almonds. Good for breading. I didn't pick any up but now am thinking of going back and getting some--I want to see how they work in frangipane. (They appear to have left the skins in them, so I suspect they won't make the frangipane of my dreams...but the stuff should work great for breading trout etc)

[andiesenji]

damn you people, and your access to trader joe's!

One just opened in Santa Fe, so they are working their way closer to you.

[tanabutler]

Went by yesterday and saw a new product: ground almonds. Good for breading. I didn't pick any up but now am thinking of going back and getting some--I want to see how they work in frangipane. (They appear to have left the skins in them, so I suspect they won't make the frangipane of my dreams...but the stuff should work great for breading trout etc)

Ground hazelnuts, too...skinned and ever'thang.

[RSincere]

I've been wondering about this too ever since I found out TJ's is owned by the same people who own Aldi. I used to work at Aldi. They used to sell only basics, canned tomatoes, beans, mac and cheese, rice, etc. Now they are coming out with their own "gourmet" line called Grandessa; you can buy granola with coconut and dried pineapple, marinated artichokes, and frozen manicotti stuffed with portobello mushrooms, etc. They are even selling wine for $3.99! I am wondering if Aldi sells some of the exact same product as TJ's under a different label.

Malawry, I have found ground almonds just in the baking aisle of Walmart. I bought a bunch when low-carbing to use as flour, and now that I'm not low-carbing anymore I'm using them up by making French toast using fresh orange juice, eggs, and vanilla, and then dipping the batter-soaked bread into the ground almonds. It is very good.

[gariotin]

Can't comment on the Aldi's ownership, but can tell you that TJs low prices are because they cut out the middle man. While that sounds great, let me tell you that the middle men are the folks that actually go to Europe, etc and ferret out fabulous products. This takes money. Once products have "hit", it's easy for TJs to jump on board. And, like I previously said, by private-labelling everything you do not know exactly where things are manufactured. Distributors, aka "middle men" (and women!) work hard for our money and it is frustrating to see smaller specialty stores being passed over because shoppers think they are too expensive. And Walmart????? Don't want to pass judgement, but read up about the way they do business before you continue to support them. They are cheap because they beat up their vendors and underpay their employees. Every purchase is really a political decision - decide what you want to believe in. Is price really that important?

[RSincere]

And Walmart????? Don't want to pass judgement, but read up about the way they do business before you continue to support them. They are cheap because they beat up their vendors and underpay their employees.

Believe me, I've read about this, it was a big deal in our town. I have a friend who is strongly anti-Walmart (she has a small tourist shop in town) and I have been lectured many times. I live in a small town in Wisconsin, and when I need to go get toilet paper or cat food or a quart of milk, that is the only place to go--because they did run others out of business. I also check out the soon-to-be-expired meat (they mark it down between 7:00 and 8:00 a.m.) and sometimes I buy some.

However, every two weeks, I use up a quarter tank of gas and drive an hour to go grocery shopping in another town. I do this even though I could get everything I need at Walmart, which is only a half-mile away from my house. The store I go to is a locally-owned small Wisconsin chain with decent prices (not quite as low as Walmart) and a great selection. I mention the gas expense because I am only budgeted $20 every two weeks for gas. So I am putting my money where my mouth is, and I'm not going to feel bad about my occasional forays into evil Sam's world.

Every purchase is really a political decision - decide what you want to believe in. Is price really that important?

Yes. It is. ETA: Decided to remove whiney part of post. Sorry about that. I can't afford to be political right now, so I appreciate your original comment "don't want to pass judgment."

Edited August 22, 2004 by RSincere (log)

[gariotin]

Yay for you to even be going somewhere else every 2 weeks. I understand what you mean about Walmart being the only store in town - I visited a friend in Arkansas last year and it was, literally, the only store in town. Here in urbanized East Coast, it's hard for folks to imagine. Sorry to hear about your economic straits and kudos for attempting to still eat well and healthy.

[vanillabean]

Hi, I'm new here and I'm not sure if this is the right thread to ask this question but I couldn't find anything more appropriate. I'm moving to Seattle this month and wanted to know if anyone has any recommendations for good farmers' markets and butchers in the Seattle area? Are there any year-round farmers' markets there? Does Pike Place market sell farm produce?

[Toliver]

Hi, I'm new here and I'm not sure if this is the right thread to ask this question but I couldn't find anything more appropriate. I'm moving to Seattle this month and wanted to know if anyone has any recommendations for good farmers' markets and butchers in the Seattle area? Are there any year-round farmers' markets there? Does Pike Place market sell farm produce?

Try posting this in the Pacific-Northwest board (look at the board first...your question may have already been answered). They are a helpful bunch up there:

Click Here

edited to add: Welcome to eGullet, vanillabean!

Edited August 23, 2004 by Toliver (log)

[tanabutler]

Hi, I'm new here and I'm not sure if this is the right thread to ask this question but I couldn't find anything more appropriate. I'm moving to Seattle this month and wanted to know if anyone has any recommendations for good farmers' markets and butchers in the Seattle area? Are there any year-round farmers' markets there? Does Pike Place market sell farm produce?

←

Hi, Vanillabean, if you're still around -- I am the broken record about farmers markets, but use

LocalHarvest.org as a way to locate farmers markets, organic food stuffs, etcetera.

Good luck!

[laurenmilan]

They have the best price on Neilson Massey Vanilla, less than 1/2 the cost of other stores.

I was just in there the other day (Wayne, PA location) and saw that too. I looked over the bottle twice. Then put it down, picked up another. Took both, put em in the basket. (They also had a house-brand vanilla paste that could be worth a try sometime.)

Handed it to checkout guy expecting to be ripped off after all. Nope.

I think I handled it well.

Edited October 25, 2004 by laurenmilan (log)

[fiftydollars]

They have the best price on Neilson Massey Vanilla, less than 1/2 the cost of other stores.

I was just in there the other day (Wayne, PA location) and saw that too. I looked over the bottle twice. Then put it down, picked up another. Took both, put em in the basket. (They also had a house-brand vanilla paste that could be worth a try sometime.)

Handed it to checkout guy expecting to be ripped off after all. Nope.

I think I handled it well.

←

I haven't seen it in their CA stores in a while. They replaced it with their own brand, which isn't as good. I do like the vanilla bean paste, though. If they started selling the Neilson again I would be very excited. Their price was definitely the best around... with Williams-Sonoma having the absolute worst price.

[jgarner53]

The vanilla bean paste is pretty good. I used it in a pastry cream when I couldn't find any vanilla beans, and it came out just fine. I haven't used it for anything else yet, though.

I don't mind their Tahitian vanilla for some things, but there are times when I want the Neilson-Massey, so I keep a bottle of it hidden in the cupboard.

[Toliver]

Okay, I tried the Tamari almonds from Trader Joe's and was very disappointed. Where the Tamari Cashews totally rock with a light soy/soya flavor, the almonds almost tasted bland in comparison. Perhaps I got a "bad" batch...I don't know. I guess I'll give them one more try.

But I've put the Tamari Cashews on my Christmas Wish List!

[Randi]

Okay, I tried the Tamari almonds from Trader Joe's and was very disappointed.  Where the Tamari Cashews totally rock with a light soy/soya flavor, the almonds almost tasted bland in comparison.  Perhaps I got a "bad" batch...I don't know.  I guess I'll give them one more try. 

←

I have to agree. I bought the Tamari almonds and they were very plain tasting. I was wondering all the fuss was about!

My newest TJ's faves: The rosemary-balsamic grilled chicken in the refrigerated section. DEE-LISH! The crispy rice crackers. The spinach dip.

[herbacidal]

Hey, does TJ's carry any hot chocolate?

If so, is it any good?

I'm looking for a new one.

[tirgoddess]

I am glad to be able to re-visit this thread after a brief interruption due to the eG format change over. In response to the posts regarding "middlemen" and other business curiousities, Trader Joe's purchases in cash, their buyers do travel around the world to negotiate pricing and labeling. Many of their products are the same as those that you would find at say, Whole Foods. If the product cannot be purchased again at a lower price than what it would sell for at Whole Foods, it will be replaced or discontinued. Many products are discontinued due to slow sales. Customers can complete product request/suggestion cards which are sent to the corporate office for consideration. This is a tool that works. Case in point, the powdered Chai Tea (West Coast). Sometimes stores make independent decisions about what to stock based on how the product moves in that particular store. If there is a product that you miss, it is possible that it can be ordered in, sometimes within the next day. Some products seem to be discontinued, but are really only seasonal, like organic powdered sugar (fall/winter), Paradise Iced Tea (spring/summer), dutch hot chocolate (fall/winter).

All products are guaranteed. In the event that a product does not meet your expectations, it may be returned for a refund. I have seen this policy plainly stated in the stores that I visit near my home.

Trader Joe employees who work a minumum of 20 hrs/week qualify for health insurance and 401K. Employees also receive a discount on all store products. Another benefit to all employees and their spouses is a 24 hour crisis assistance hotline for stress, drug/alcohol dependency and legal matters.

Trader Joe's is an interesting operation to study. A simple search on the net will yeild a wealth of information about the company and might shed more light on their business practices.

[andiesenji]

Hey, does TJ's carry any hot chocolate?

If so, is it any good?

I'm looking for a new one.

←

Yes. I can't recall the exact name right at the moment but they have an excellent product.

[Raquel]

Hey, does TJ's carry any hot chocolate?

If so, is it any good?

I'm looking for a new one.

←

Hey Herb.

Yes, TJ's does carry Hot Chocolates. A few different types. One I tried recently was a Mexican Hot Chocolate: Azteca D'Oro

[jschyun]

I've had the ghiradelli ground chocolate. too sweet for me, but that is just me.

Has anyone tried that devon double cream butter? I think that's the right name.

[Gastro888]

Devon Double cream is da bomb. I love using it on scones. Honestly, I've never tried it on anything else except on my scones with strawberry jelly. You could use it on a baked potato in lieu of butter (or with butter if you're feeling frisky...)

On the TJ tip, I dislike how they get rid of products so fast! They had this mushroom penne from Italy that was great but they got rid of it b/c it "wasn't moving as fast as they liked it". *groan*

Edited December 9, 2004 by Gastro888 (log)

[tirgoddess]

The Devon Double Creme Butter is excellent, I agree. As are the new Truffle and Shallot butters, which are yogurt and canola oil based. Demoing products off the shelf is widely supported by Trader Joe's Company. If you see something you would like to try before buying, you may ask and employee if you can sample it. It is best to ask an employee from the demo team for assistance, as they have the necessary tools needed to do this (gloves, knives, etc.). Since everything is guaranteed to meet your expectations, go ahead and purchase the item, just bring it back if you aren't happy with it.