This is the first price increase in 20-plus years!
Thatās why I mentioned it because I never remember the price being raised. I was talking with the cashier and he said lots of people were complaining.
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I am a big fan of Trader Joe. I go there at least once a week as it is only a mile from my house.
I told friends about TJ foods I like and encourage them to try. I have done free advertising for TJ for years.
Today my friend sent me this article. I admitted after reading it, my view on TJ has turned quite negative. I do not like their shady business practice esp. against small private businesses. Hope you donāt mind I posted this. It is an eye opener.
Ehhh, I take this with a grain of salt - so to speak. This paragraph is a good example of why this doesnāt rock my opinion:
" The ethnic food aisle is not the only victim of Trader Joeās product duping; its stores are filled with private-label spins on many mainstream corporate snack foods, too. Ritz Crackers are rebranded as Golden Rounds, Oreos are called Joe-Joeās, and Pringles are repackaged as Sea-Salted Saddle Potato Crisps. In fact, many large corporations like Pepsi and Conagra are suspected of cooperating with Trader Joeās to manufacture cheaper versions of their own products for private labeling."
What store brand doesnāt have their own version of Oreos? Or ritz type crackers? Or cola?
TJās also has many items they can call their āownā that others have ācopiedā. I mean I think that is just the food industry.
Also that jar of indian sauce doesnāt scream ācopyā to me.
Still wish I had one near me to regularly get their (and others) products!!
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The difference is that the national brands can afford contracts with TJās (and WalMart and everyone else) for their altered knock-offs and profit from those agreements; the baby brands canāt and donāt. Not the same thing.
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No, they are not the same at all. They are similar, but Joe-Joeās are not Oreos and Sea-Salted Saddle Potato Chips are not Pringles. Sometimes they do have products that are the same as a name brand you might buy elsewhere but anyone can taste those and know they are different.
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Thatās a shame. I like to think there is some coincidence going on with development cycles, but it seems unlikely. Weāll continue to shop there now and then (no close stores), but probably with less enthusiasm.
I tend to believe the stories of TJās practices of asking for samples from small business owners and used those samples to create their own products that taste similar.
My late sister-in-law was someone could sampled food and tell what ingredients in the food. She then came home and cooked such food, that tasted so close. She was extraordinary that way.
TJ or its business partners could figure out what in those samples easily with all the tools and personnel they have.
To me, thatās shady.
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The main gripe Iāve heard about Trader Joeās is that they are union-busting. Weāre in the south in a right to work state so almost every where is anti-union so while Iām not a fan of those tactics Iām not stopping shopping there because of it. Iād only be able to go to one store ever if I did that.
Sounds like the article left out a lot of information, especially the financial details of negotiations. Thatās where the negotiations fall apart. TJ is not in the business of selling jarred sauces priced $7 wholesale when most of similar food items offered by them sell for $3 a jar (numbers from the article). The small business owner would have been better off getting financing (or going on Shark Tank!) to bring their own costs down before making deals with a low price retailer notorious for selling foods under its own label.
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I totally understand your point.
Still, It bothers me when they asked for samples from those small business owners and came up with very similar products.
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And talking of Trader Joeās, hereās what is going on with some of our old waxed amaryllis that we just leave outside in a pot on their own (after removing the wax).
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Wow, I need to try that. The ones I bought at Costco blooms were disappointing and only one flower and slightly stunted. Two of then have since had new growth and new blooms.
Nice! I have my TJ amaryllis waxed but on the kitchen table and have considered taking off the wax and potting it.
This one is three (maybe more) years old and gives me a smile in the tomato raised bed. Head of romaine and chives share the space for now. Baby tomatoes arenāt even close to coming out yet.
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Last summer, our oldest TJ amaryllis sent up a seed pod and I managed to sprout several. And keep some alive and healthy. They get to live indoors. I understand in three or four years, I might get flowers.
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Possibly the most thoughtful gift Iāve ever received came from my MIL. 10 years ago, my fatherās very elderly parents died in close succession. My husbandās mother attended the estate sale of their belongings, and in the corner noticed some old pots, one of which she could tell contained an amaryllis bulb. She bought it, did everything you have to do to nurse it back to life (who knows what, but she has a green thumb) and gave it to me in full bloom for Christmas the next year. Then each year she takes it back again and keeps it going for me until the next Christmas.
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Popped by Trader Joeās today - when I got home, husband mentioned that the weather felt like fall. I said if you want to experience fall, go to TJ! I did not know there were that many food items that could include pumpkin and butternut squash! One whole refrigerated case was only that. I was most bemused by the chocolate pumpkin croissants. But I came home with only repeat purchases:
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In another week it will all be replaced with peppermint and gingerbread!
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