Tracking Trader Joe's

Trader Joe's to Stop Selling Caged Eggs

The Humane Society is declaring victory in a campaign to get Trader Joe's to stop selling eggs from caged chickens.

"While Trader Joe's did stop short of adopting a total cage-free egg policy, the company proved to us that it is serious about improving the lives of laying hens," said The HSUS's Pacelle. "We understand that sometimes change happens a step at a time, and we applaud Trader Joe's for making this strong move."

Interesting tidbit about the huge volume of products that Trader Joe's moves: "Presently, the company sells more than 100 million Trader Joe's brand battery cage eggs per year, meaning that the company's new policy could benefit an estimated 380,000 birds."

Trader Joe's has issued a brief statement about this.

A Note about Eggs:

Over the past few months we have been listening to what our customers tell us about the choices we give them, specifically about their choices related to eggs. For more than a decade, Trader Joe's has offered the choice of eggs, cage-free and conventional, in a variety of sizes, brands and packages. We heard this was confusing. In order to give our customers a clear choice when it comes to the eggs they want to purchase, and to develop a consistent approach to eggs in all Trader Joe's across the country, we have decided to make a change.

By February 1, 2006, all eggs in Trader Joe's private label will be from cage-free hens. This includes by definition eggs certified as organic, and eggs from free-range hens. Customers looking for cage-free eggs will need to look no further than the Trader Joe's label. All conventional eggs sold at Trader Joe's will be in a brand name carton, not under the Trader Joe's label.

We expect this change will help further boost the proportion of sales of cage-free eggs at Trader Joe's. It is our  hope that this change will help our customers in their egg purchasing decisions.

   

Trader Joe's Coming to Atlanta

The Atlanta Business Chronicle is reporting that Trader Joe's is looking to open stores in the Atlanta area:

Alison Mochizuki, national publicity manager for Trader Joe's, confirmed that the company is planning to enter metro Atlanta, but declined to provide any more information. "We're excited to be coming to Atlanta," she said.

West Coast Fearless Flyer Now Available

Brian tipped me off that the West Coast version of the  Trader Joe's Fearless Flyer is now available. 

West Hartford, CT Grand Opening

On Saturday we stopped by the new West Hartford (Connecticut) Trader Joe's that had opened the day before. They call it a "soft open," since the grand opening is actually on Friday, November 11th. I think they wanted a bit of time to get some practice in before the opening, but the store was packed when we got there. Sorry about the lack of photos, they wouldn't let me take any pictures inside the store.

The West Hartford Trader Joe's is located on I-84 off of exit 40, a few minutes outside of Hartford. When you get off the exit look for Sears and the Corbins Corner Mall (it's across the street from the Westfarms Mall). You can't miss the prominent Trader Joe's sign.

The team was very friendly, and I saw many familiar faces (they "stole" a bunch of people from the Danbury store). While the store was very busy, the lines at the registers were short. The staff knew where everything was and constantly asked, "can I help you?"

Unfortunately, the West Hartford store does not sell alcohol (no Two Buck Chuck!). I've been in the stores that carry wine and beer, and the blue laws in Connecticut drive me crazy.

We bought some fruit, pita bread, hummus, smoked salmon, bread, chips, and juice and had a picnic at  Elizabeth Park in Hartford.

Congratulations to Tim and his excellent crew.

Dinner: Boneless Leg of Lamb

I've ordered lamb at restaurants, but I've never cooked it before. When I picked up the package of Boneless Leg of Lamb with Burgundy Pepper Seasoning I worried that it would have that "gamey" lamb taste.  A crew member at my local store reassured me that he had made it before, gave me some pointers, and into the basket it went.

I put the roast in a pan and added small sweet potatoes, onions, garlic and squash. I covered the pan with foil (I know I need to buy a roasting pan) and into the oven it went (325 degrees). The package suggests 25 minutes per pound, and then to remove the cover and cook until it hits an internal temperature of 163 degrees. I didn't time it, but it took a while to finish (another 45 minutes?).

Trader Joe's was out of mint jelly, so I decided to make a sherry gravy. When I took the lamb and veggies out of the pan to rest for 10 minutes, I added some flour and butter to the pan over a burner. I added about a cup of sherry, and let it cook for a few minutes.

While I probably overcooked it a bit, my wife approves and we will have this again.

Trader Joe's Boneless Leg of Lamb with Burgundy Pepper Seasoning costs $5.99 per pound (packages vary).

Missing: Hot Bell Pepper Relish

Trader Joe's has this annoying habit of discontinuing products without warning (give us notice so we can stock up!). Jack writes:

Well, I made my bi-monthly visit to Trader Joe’s for my typical purchase of 4 bottles of Hot Bell Pepper Relish.  To my surprise I discovered they do not carry this anymore.  This is disappointing, as when I made this purchase in the past, I typically bought a number of other items, and tried different stuff.  If they don’t carry this any longer, I have less of a desire to shop there.  When I departed, the cashier said “did you find everything ok” I replied “no” where is your Hot Bell Pepper Relish?  He told me that they stopped carrying it, and that a lot of customers ask about it.  He also said he was down to his last jar.  I told him that he may be able to get a good price for it on Ebay!

Kim, GrubGirl and I also miss the Hot Bell Pepper Relish, and hope they bring it back soon. I use it in my chicken salad, on sandwiches, and to make a spicy tartar sauce.

Upcoming Trader Joe's Store Openings

Here's a list the new Trader Joe's store openings for the rest of this year:

11/4 West Hartford, CT
11/4 La Quinta, CA
11/11  Centerville, VA
11/18 Northville, MI
11/18 Tustin, CA
11/18 South San Francisco, CA
11/18 Long Beach, CA
11/21 La Quinta, CA (updated)
12/2 Thousand Oaks, CA
12/2 Chico, CA
12/9 Algonquin, IL
12/9 Newport News, VA
12/9 Novato, CA (update: 2006)

An Open Letter To Trader Joe's

The Phillyist has written an open letter to Trader Joe's of Philadelphia that sums up how many people feel about Trader Joe's. Here's a few lines from the letter:

Thank you to the sample lady for asking us if we’d like seconds, even though the sign clearly says we should limit ourselves to one.

We love that you have products with puns in their names, like “Rosencrunch and Guildenstern,” and, our personal favorite, “So This Strawberry Walks Into a Bar…”

We love that all your employees wear Hawaiian shirts, even if it’s seventeen degrees outside.  Inside, it’s always summer.

So thank you, Trader Joe’s, for becoming such an important part of our lives. You complete us. You had us at “We tried it, we liked it; if you don’t, bring it back.”

Is it wrong for someone to love a grocery store?