Things You Didnt Know About Trader Joes
twenty surprising facts you never knew about Trader Joe's
The INSIDER Summary:
- In that location are several fun facts near Trader Joe's that even regular shoppers probably don't know.
- The pop grocery store only buys from manufacturers or growers.
- You tin even be entered into a raffle if you lot bring your ain resuable handbag.
There are dozens of supermarket brands out there, just none are quite like Trader Joe's. Just setting pes in one volition tell you that y'all're someplace special: The walls are colorfully painted, the employees are wearing Hawaiian shirts, and virtually of the products don't resemble whatsoever that you've ever seen before. We tracked downward 20 facts that nosotros bet you lot didn't know most Trader Joe'due south, even if you're a regular shopper.
The history of Trader Joe's begins with, as you might expect, a man named Trader Joe: Joe Coulombe, to be exact. In 1958, Coulombe launched a small-scale concatenation of convenience stores in the greater Los Angeles expanse chosen Pronto Marketplace, only after realizing that contest from a burgeoning chain called 7-Eleven would likely bulldoze it into the ground, he decided to introduce a new concept. The tiki trend was in full swing, and so in 1967 he opened the outset Trader Joe's, a play on the name of pop tiki restaurant chain Trader Vic's.
By 1972, Coulombe knew that the average American was traveling more and developing tastes for foods that were incommunicable to find at the boilerplate supermarket, then forth with cedar-planked walls and Hawaiian shirt-wearing employees, he rolled out granola, the start in a line of foods under the Trader Joe'southward private label. Coulombe was also a large fan of California wines, and the original Trader Joe's (which still exists in Pasadena) sold literally every California wine that was available, helping to put many vineyards on the map.
In 1973, a trip to Trader Joe'due south would have offered you many items that y'all won't discover today, like pantyhose, which was sold until 1978. In 1975, they started cutting and wrapping cheese for the commencement time, and in 1977 they expanded their private label with fun names like Trader Ming's, Trader Giotto's, and Pilgrim Joe and introduced the outset reusable canvass grocery bag. In 1979, Coulombe cashed out and sold the visitor to German entrepreneur Theo Albrecht, who also endemic the German language supermarket chain Aldi Nord; Trader Joe's is still owned by his heirs today. By the belatedly 1980s, the chain had expanded into Northern California, in 1993 the starting time Arizona location opened. 1995 brought expansion into the Pacific Northwest, and in 1996, the first two Due east Declension locations opened outside Boston.
Between 1990 and 2001, thenumber of store locations quintupled and revenue shot through the roof as they rolled out on average ten new items per week. During this fourth dimension, they also introduced supermarket innovations like paper bags with handles. In 2002, they introduced one of their nearly notorious products: a $1.99 bottle of wine, produced by Charles Shaw, that was really decent. Information technology came to exist known as "Two Cadet Chuck" (the cost in most locationshas since gone up to $2.99).
Trader Joe'southward found success by anticipating the needs of their customers — in many cases knowing what the client would desire fifty-fifty before they did — and selling it to them at a low price in a fun atmosphere. Today, in that location are near 460 stores across the United States co-ordinate to the company, with the majority in California but more being added regularly. Click here for 20 fun Trader Joe'due south facts to keep in heed the adjacent time yous pay them a visit, and learn some things you didn't know most the products sold at Trader Joe'south hither.
Compared to regular grocery stores, they stock a shockingly small number of products
The average supermarket carries up to a whopping 50,000 items. If the inventory at your local Trader Joe'south seems a little more manageable than that at your local End & Store, that's because the average TJ'due south just keeps about 4,000 products in stock.
You can get free samples of anything in the store
Fifty-fifty though yous'll never encounter a Trader Joe's that'southward not handing out gratuitous samples of some sort, if you desire to try something specific , just inquire an employee and they'll most likely open up it upwardly for you to have a taste correct then and there.
There's no PA system at whatsoever store
"Those blustery PA systems just didn't feel right to us," the company says on their website , so they communicate via bells: Ane bell means it'southward fourth dimension to open a new register, two bells means in that location'south a question at checkout , and three bells calls over "a manager-type person."
Products can come and become with no warning
New products are introduced every week, and that ways that if a product isn't selling well, it's going to exist on the chopping block. Other reasons why a product might disappear is if it'southward a seasonal item or if the cost of producing the item increases to a bespeak where it's no longer a good deal. To stay on meridian of what's coming and going, sign up to receive their Fearless Flyer .
80 to 90 per centum of products sold are store-brand
This helps proceed prices down, and as well allows the company to accept more command over the quality of their products. Pantry items similar bread, butter, olive oil, peanut butter , condiments , and rice will be a lot less expensive here than at your local supermarket.
If there's no Trader Joe'south about you, y'all can asking one
Just fill out this form ; they read every submission and take the amount of local requests into consideration when mapping out new locations.
They only buy from manufacturers or growers, not distributors or middlemen
If you're interested in being a vendor, you can fill up out this form . Only know that their criteria for what makes information technology onto their shelves is incredibly strict!
Mandarin Orangish Chicken Is the almost popular item
According to the most contempo Customer Option Awards , which surveys customers to inquire what their favorite items are, this year's winner was the Mandarin Orange Chicken. Runners-upwardly included cookie butter, mac and cheese, triple ginger snaps, and 72 percent dark chocolate.
You'll never find a coupon for it
Because the visitor works hard to guarantee the cheapest prices around, they don't offering whatsoever coupons , membership rewards, or annihilation like that.
Triple Ginger Snap Cookies are the meridian seller
These ginger cookies have been the chain'due south best-selling item for years.
Their employees are treated really well
Part-time employees tin look to earn $20 an hour (with full benefits!), and managers can earn upward to $130,000 annually.
Every location has an artist on staff
That'south why the murals are always locally-oriented and the artwork is always on-point.
The fearless flyer Is invaluable
Even though it doesn't have any coupons in it, Trader Joe'southward newsletter/itemize/comic book, which you tin find online or in print (you lot can pick it upwards at stores or have it mailed to you) details popular items, new additions, general notices to shoppers, and other important info. If you're a regular TJ's shopper, make sure you check information technology out!
They host occasional contests
Make certain y'all keep tabs on the chain's events folio ; it occasionally hosts recipe competitions, likewise every bit annual votes for the most popular items.
All of its nutrient waste is donated to local food banks
If an particular hasn't been purchased and is about to hit its expiration date , it'll exist removed from shelves and donated to a local food depository financial institution instead of thrown out. In 2016, a whopping 341 million dollars' worth of nutrient was donated to local organizations!
The staff's shirts each have different meanings
Take a await at the team members adjacent time you're at a TJ'southward, and you'll notice that different types of staffers were different shirts. If they're wearing a solid-colored shirt with a big hibiscus blossom on the back, they're "coiffure members" who tin aid you with about questions, like tracking down an detail. Managers are the ones wearing button-down Hawaiian shirts, and you'll but demand to talk to them if there'due south a major upshot.
Y'all can be rewarded for bringing your ain bag
Trader Joe'south is trying to cut down on the corporeality of newspaper and plastic bags they use, so they've incentivized customers with a weekly "bring your ain bag" raffle: If you use reusable bags, you tin can make full out a form to add your proper noun for a chance to win a $25 gift card.
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Source: https://www.insider.com/surprising-facts-you-never-knew-about-trader-joes-2017-9
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