The cult of Trader Joes is an infamous phenomenon among the United States. Millions of Americans wait around every season for the latest and greatest creations that come out of the test kitchens at TJ’s. Not only is their food delicious but the environment in the stores is what keeps customers running back. Every time they are running low on cookie butter or Everything but the Bagel seasoning, they know the place to go. But what made Trader Joes blow up like it did?
The first Trader Joes was opened in 1967 in Pasadena, California. The original creator and namesake, Joe Coulombe was inspired by the Caribbean style of flowers and noticed the gap in the market for a grocery store with niche goods. It then grew from there and made its way through Arizona and the pacific northwest. In the 90’s, TJ’s opened their first east coast store and it skyrocketed from there.
You may be asking yourself, what makes Trader Joes different from a Publix or a Ralphs? The answer lies within the sliding doors of any given storefront. Firstly, when you walk through the aisles, you will mainly see products of their own manufacturing. This allows for them to keep prices low and make shopping an easier task. Instead of having 100 cereals to choose from, there are 20 that cover all the bases. It takes the stress of decision making out of the equation.
Another thing that sets them apart from the competition is their customer service. The employees are nothing short of perfect. They are welcoming, loving and caring. Every employee feels like your favorite aunt/uncle at a thanksgiving meal that you tell all your dirty secrets to because you know they won't judge you. The culture that they have created in their four walls is unmatched in any competitor they could dream of.
Even though Trader Joe's seemingly has everything figured out, it isn't all as perfect as it seems. You will not find a TJ’s in a low income neighborhood. The question that arises is “why?” Especially given the fact that their prices are extremely low and their variety would help expose low-income neighborhoods to different cultures and cuisines. The honest and sad answer is most likely that they want to uphold a certain reputation and clientele. The same way that you won't find a wholefoods store next to a walmart. They know that association and subconscious branding is what makes or breaks a business. So they chose to make their stores and locations more elitist rather than accessible.
While there are many benefits to having Trader Joe’s around, I hope to see more variety of location in the future, especially given their affordable prices. They have every ingredient to make themselves the most powerful and popular grocery store in America, but that's up to whether or not they want to be. Their past decisions make it seem as though they would rather keep it a secret among the lucky few who get to shop there. Maybe a change in marketing will show them that all customers are equal as long as they’re swiping their credit card and buying the frozen gnocchi.
With Love From,
Lily
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