The answer to that question is easy – A LOT.
A family member does this little game with me and it happens over and over. After trying a bite of something that looks homemade, I say, “Mmm where did you get this from?” and she says, “Don’t worry, it’s from Trader Joe’s, so it’s organic.” The fact that people assume all products from Trader Joe’s are organic or healthy or better than what you would find elsewhere is an alarming misconception.
For the last several months, I’ve been getting a lot of questions about Trader Joe’s. Many people are questioning the grocery store chain’s policies on genetically engineered ingredients (GMOs) and asking if I personally trust their statements about the use of GMOs in their store brand products – my short answer is no, I don’t.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I LOVE shopping at Trader Joe’s. It’s fun, the employees are super nice and helpful and it’s a pleasant experience. However, they won’t share any information with us and are completely cloaked in secrecy regarding their business practices, which makes my head want to explode.
Trader Joe’s Official GMO Statement:
Our approach to Genetically Modified Organisms is simple: we do not allow GMO ingredients in our private label products (anything with Trader Joe’s, Trader Jose’s, Trader Ming’s, etc. on the label).
Given what Trader Joe’s tells us about their GMO policy, we should trust them, right? Or are we trusting them just like many consumers trusted Naked Juice, Tostitos, Kashi, Gold Fish, Barbara’s Bakery, etc. who are or have been faced with lawsuits finding suspected GMOs in their so-called “natural” products?
During my research, I found out there is no regular independent third party certifier verifying their products are non-GMO on a regular basis at Trader Joe’s. It is completely up to Trader Joe’s product supply team to regulate GMOs from suppliers – not the Non-GMO Project or the USDA (for organics) that requires a high level of standards and third party testing before stating a product can be deemed free of GMOs. If there are complaints about a product, Trader Joe’s will conduct verification with a secret third party that they won’t disclose, but it’s completely up to the consumer to alert Trader Joe’s with a complaint.
In fact, Trader Joe’s stated that their products “don’t allow for auditing using the Non-GMO Project because there is an additional cost associated with that.” A representative from Trader Joe’s went on to say, “We tend to not label our products a whole lot, and won’t until there is a government regulation to understand what non-GMO even means, we aren’t going to label products that don’t have specific FDA guidelines.” So this begs the question – what does non-GMO mean to Trader Joe’s? Are they making up their own definition because they claim they don’t have direction from a governmental official?
I reached out to the Executive Director of the Non-GMO Project, Megan Westgate, to find why Trader Joe’s refuses to become Non-GMO certified. This is what she said:
“The Non-GMO Project has reached out to Trader Joe’s a number of times over the years, and we remain hopeful that at some point we will be able to forge a meaningful partnership with them. To date, it has been very difficult to ascertain the credibility of their non-GMO claims. We know that many consumers believe Trader Joe’s to be a GMO-free store, but without transparent standards or third-party verification this is impossible to confirm. Many other retailers–independent grocers, co-ops, and Whole Foods Market–are leading the way by requiring rigorous testing and labeling, and it would be great to see Trader Joe’s follow suit.”
Trader Joe’s says they review affidavits (the documents that prove an ingredient is not made or contaminated with GMOs) from their suppliers who make their store branded products, but there is no way to verify this. I asked Trader Joe’s if they would send me an affidavit showing proof of non-GMO corn or soy in at least one of their products that wasn’t labeled certified organic and they refused saying, “Unfortunately we don’t share those documents, they are confidential.” They wouldn’t even tell me what country some of the products were produced in either as they do not provide “country of origin” labeling.
I find the denial of my request maddening, considering I requested a similar affidavit from Honest Tea, who is owned by Coca Cola, and they completely complied and sent me the information with the confidential suppliers name blacked out. Heineken Beer also provided their affidavits when I asked them to prove to me they use no genetically modified ingredients in their beer.
Furthermore, when I reached out to the Director of the Cornucopia Institute (the top organic industry watchdog group), Mark Kastel, he stated:
“It is very hard to figure out sourcing with Trader Joe’s. They heavily depend on private label products which are based on secrecy. We have said that private-label organics is an “oxymoron.” Organic consumers want to know “the story behind their food.” They want to know where it was produced, how it was produced, how the animals and workers involved have been treated, etc. None of that is possible with Trader Joe’s. Unlike the majority of all responsible brand marketers in organics they have refused to participate in our research studies and are thus rated very poorly on our scorecards that critique dairy foods, eggs and soy foods (etc.)”
We have the right to know where our food comes from and what’s in it and Trader Joe’s is refusing to give us this information.
They don’t want us to know which suppliers they are using because it would upset consumers and their suppliers if we knew the truth. For example, Stoneyfield supplies yogurt for Trader Joe’s and Stacey’s (owned by Pepsi) supplies their pita chips. Because Trader Joe’s maintains a limited supply of products, they can buy many of the same items in bulk from different suppliers keeping costs low, which is fabulous, but this comes at a cost of not actually knowing who is manufacturing our food. They keep it secret because the companies they work with, like Stacey’s, don’t want you to know that you can buy their pita chips two dollars less at Trader Joe’s under a private label. This is how Trader Joe’s has become so successful, growing at a faster pace than Whole Foods.
There is another disappointing side effect of not knowing where your food comes from because if you are like me and boycott certain companies because of their business practices, it is extremely hard to vote with your dollars and know which products to buy and support. For this reason, if you want to REALLY vote with your dollars, you seriously need to consider what you are buying at Trader Joe’s.
I have a hard time trusting a company that is not willing to show their affadavits to a customer or prove that their products are in fact GMO free. Trader’s Joe’s won’t spend any of their 8 billion dollars in sales to test and prove their products safe. And they won’t tell us what companies they work with to develop their products or what countries their ingredients come from. Have you noticed that every single Trader Joe’s branded product has “DIST & SOLD EXCLUSIVELY BY: TRADER JOE’S MONROVIA, CA 91016” written on the back? I hope we are smart enough to know the entire line of Trader Joe’s products aren’t all really from California.
Since Trader Joe’s does provide a price point that is unrivaled, I can see the financial benefit to shopping there, but not much else. Their fruits and vegetables are usually flown in from half way across the world, packaged in lots of plastic, providing little to no local produce (at least in my store here in Charlotte, NC). This means you could be eating nutritionally degraded produce. I have been a victim to this more than once when I bought produce that I didn’t know was less than stellar and it went bad super fast in my fridge compared to the local produce I get from my farmer or buy from other grocery stores.
Considering Trader Joe’s total lack of transparency, there’s only a limited list of products I would personally trust from Trader Joe’s, here’s what I would buy and not buy:
WHAT TO BUY AT TRADER JOE’S
- Certified organic fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds
- Certified organic branded Trader Joe’s products (USDA certified), for example their organic popcorn made with olive oil is a good choice
- Certified organic milk products
- Certified organic coffee and teas (like Yogi tea)
- Certified organic frozen goods like frozen berries
- Some conventional items on occasion (like kimchi) that do not have high-risk GMO crop ingredients like corn, soy, cottonseed, papaya, sugar, canola, zucchini/squash (here’s a full list of potential GMO ingredients)
- Paper products – they use environmentally friendly practices and recycled paper
WHAT NOT TO BUY AT TRADER JOE’S
- Charles Shaw Wine, otherwise known as “2 buck chuck” – It’s so poor in quality, some experts call this stuff “grape-flavored soda” and compare it to what “Ronald McDonald is to the cheeseburger.” This wine is not made in a winery rather, “this wine is made in a factory, with a lot of synthetic and concentrated products, like grape musk, added to manipulate the flavors from bad grapes.” (Stick to organic wine with no detected or added sulfites)
- Non-Trader Joe’s brands that likely contain GMO ingredients like Simply Lite, Reddi Egg, Dare, Orangina, The Laughing Cow, Morningstar, Toffutti, Think Thin Bars, Toblerone, Kashi, Barbara’s Bakery, Annie Chun’s and Power Crunch
- Trader Joe’s branded products or other processed products that contain high-risk GMO crop ingredients like corn, soy, cottonseed, papaya, sugar, canola, zucchini/squash (A majority of their products contain one or more of these ingredients, until they can be fully transparent, I would not trust them.)
- Pre-packaged meals like sandwiches, salads, and sushi – many of these items contain ingredients you definitely don’t want to be eating, like cellulose (wood pulp), or imitation crab meat. Additionally, there’s way too much sodium added to these meals and they can give you a serious case of water-weight bloat and bubble gut.
- Trader Joe’s branded dairy, yogurt, or eggs, because they are likely produced from animals fed GMO corn and soy and can contain antibiotics
- Non Trader Joe’s branded dairy, yogurt, or eggs because they could contain (cancer causing) rBST growth hormone, GMOs and antibiotics
- Non-organic meat or dairy, Trader Joe’s still allows antibiotics and other harmful chemicals – like autolyzed yeast extract (a hidden form of MSG) in their meat.
The most important thing to remember when shopping at Trader Joe’s or anywhere else for that matter, is to read the ingredient lists. Trader Joe’s still allows harmful petroleum- based artificial coloring, artificial flavors, carrageenan, and other questionable ingredients to creep into their stores via other brands and this is something to definitely watch out for.
If you know someone who shops at Trader Joe’s, please share this post with them. Making smart decisions together is the only way we are going to change the secretive practices of the food industry.
Keep Your Chin Up!
Food Babe
P.S. Don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter to get more info about what’s really in our food, personal updates from me and chances to win cool organic stuff.
Thank you for investigating and posting. I have been telling people for a long time that not everything at Trader Joe’s is organic and GMO-free.
Thanks Lisa for doing your part… this whole investigation has me pretty outraged. If there is one thing that gets to me, it’s when companies hide stuff and keep secrets from their consumers.
Just don’t buy packaged stuff everyone keep it real..you can’t add stuff to a cucumber…for instance…just sayin…
So keep deleting the comments that don”t fit into your opinions…Very responsible journalism “Food Babe”…
“Food Babe”?? Really?? Are you really as amazing as you think you are. Self aggrandizing and uneducated garbage is all I see. Tell us more about your “booty burner” classes please!!!! It is so fascinating… ugh…vomit.
Being rude is no excuse for a poorly informed and formulated opinion.
This blog is not about food snobbery but educating folks who care about what they ingest. While there are food deserts out there (acknowledged by the Food Babe) and not everyone has close access to real food, ignoring the fact that most of what we eat out there is manufactured crap is adding blissful fuel to the fire of ignorance that ravages our collective health.
We are free to collect and share information but don’t shoot the messenger if you don’t like what’s been uncovered.
This is an information blog, not some close-minded platform from bigots like yourself. Your obvious stereotypes have betrayed your vain and pathetic attempts at deconstructing an argument.
Hey Food Babe:
Care to share the details of your research specifics:
“During my research, I found out there is no regular independent third party certifier verifying their products are non-GMO on a regular basis at Trader Joe’s.”
I am interested to know how you got this information.
Like and support what you are doing but please help us with transparency.
Frankly it is difficult to trust any information about food, products or services these day – AND – to all of you
GROW YOUR OWN
No one can be 100% GMO free. When I questioned a manager about that, that is exactly what I was told. It is impossible to stop bees from cross pollenating or wind blowing seeds into a non GMO farm from a neighboring farm thag uses GMo seeds. What Trader-Joe’s offers is a more organic approach to their foods. Foods that are also gluten free and yes local farms are used to keep cost down. Since shopping at iTrader Joe’s my health has definitely improved. They offer me a variety of foods that other stores don’t, as I have Celiac disease. I can’t help but feel that this article was a bit of a smear
I have an app on my android phone called ‘Check GMO’; it’s the pro version. So far I’ve scanned the bar code of every Trader Joe’s product I’ve purchased over the last 6 months (how long I’ve been reforming my eating habits), and not one has come up as having GMO. The app tells you immediately if it’s GMO or GMO free. If the product is not in it’s data base, you can enter the product name and click the submit button provided on screen. An email is sent to Check GMO and the will get back to you in 1-3 days with the results (they have replied every time so far within 24 hrs).
http://www.checkgmo.com/
For what it’s worth.
I’ve also contacted the people at Non-Gmo Project, and they tell me they are currently working on a phone app themselves. This is great to test products right in store, which I’ve done in local health food stores.
Bottom line: you shouldn’t rely on the store necessarily to prove their claims as this will hit they’re bottom line. If we distrust the store, or want o double check their claims for or own edification, then that responsibility should falls on us the educated consumer. As you can see with smart phones and technology, there are ways to do it. Then with concrete evidence at hand, boycott with your wallet if necessary.
There are so few choices when shopping for healthy alternatives. We really shouldn’t be sniping the few big stores that are out there.
Do you own homework people 😉
And- Happy Thanks Giving!
The Non-GMO Project (or someone else) should just buy some items from Trader Joe’s, have them tested and publish the results.
I agree!
Food Babe- With all your contacts in the food movement, please do a follow up investigation on this….having the NON GMO PROJ test some of the most popular TJ projects (organic and non)…and publish the results!
If they won’t provide transparency to their consumers, you can do it for them! Just make sure its coming from a reputable movement/group like NGP to reach most consumers/maximum impact! Keep up the good work! We appreciate you!
The thing is tho, that organizations like the Non-GMO project seem to have some financial motivations in mind and this turns me off greatly. The more I learn about the Non-GMO project the more I see how they operate. I for one, read labels and have been doing so for many years. To knock Trader Joe’s is just not right, Whole Foods has their issues as well and the shopping experience there is not half as nice or cheap as shopping at TJ’s. Whole Foods is way expensive and some of thier employees are snooty and arrogant. TJ’s on the other hand, super nice and super friendly, helpful, great customer service. The idea of Trader Joes having their food tested by Non GMO is great, but who will pay for that?
I’ve always been suspicious of Trader Joe’s and I will continue to vote with my dollars.
Thank you for all of your digging! 🙂
Ugh, I knew it was too good to be true. This is the worst news I’ve heard all year. Seriously, so upsetting.
I know, I just can’t look at TJ’s the same now.
Maybe you should actually take a close look at them in the first place before stating an opinion.
“Trader Joe’s Official GMO Statement”
Really? You read a painted sign hanging on the wall in the TJ’s store you walked into. Did you contact them to ask them what their “Official GMO Statement” is? Did you look at their website to see if they might happen to have it there? Did you talk to a store manager while you were reading the sign and ask if that was their “Official GMO Statement”?
No. You did none of this. To call this blog post an “investigation” is insulting to anyone who has even spent time investigating their fingernails for dirt that needs to be removed.
Eek…this breaks my heart! I was never one of those people who believe everything from tjs is heathy but I did believe their non-gmo claim. How sad for me and my budget! I spend a lot of money there and I will definitely be rethinking my choices there!!
I agree. I can’t afford Whole Foods. I really thought Trader Joe’s was doing something great. 🙁
Me three. This post has totally deflated me.
THANK YOU for sharing this!!!!!!
A few weeks ago, I was so disappointed to find T.J. brand yogurt has modified corn starch. I must admit, I was a naive consumer who put too much trust into Trader Joe’s and their supposed non-GMO products. 🙁
I can understand you not responding to my comments, FB, since they call you out on your poor investigative skills and you really have no defense, but why aren’t you even helping out your followers like Beth here, who doesn’t understand the difference between “modified” and “genetically modified”? It seems like the least you could do for a loyal follower.
Beth, “modified” (as in corn starch) has nothing to do with the “modified” in GMO. Rest assured that if TJ’s, as they say, does not use GMO corn as a source for its modified corn starch ingredient, that ingredient does not signify the presence of GMOs in their yogurt.
I appreciate the info!! 🙂
The point is that it is still sourced from corn, which is heavily genetically modified. It is exactly because Trader Joe’s will not provide any info on it (other than their word) that if you want to be sure you are not eating GMOs you can’t simply trust Trader Joe’s. Perhaps if enough people tell Trader Joe’s that it is an issue and speak with their pocketbook, they might FINALLY listen.
Oh and Bryn is an obvious spokesperson / employee for TJs, as are a number of “firstname” sockpuppets replying on here. They’re pretty easy to spot – look for the ones defaming FoodBabe and spouting great things about Trader Joe’s.
What about Trader Joe’s branded organic milk?
Even Joe’s has food items that no one should eat. All of the “foods” listed here should not be eaten regardless of their GMO status. They all contain corn, refined sugars, or wheat… .so DO NOT EAT. These “foods” are not fit for human consumption GMO or no… avoid them.
Thanks – I’ll stick to local organic markets and Sprouts. They just opened up a new TJ’s here in Dallas.
You have to be just as careful at Sprouts too.
Thanks, I’ll be careful now but I typically don’t buy anything as a “brand” from either.
Trader Joes was also very secretive when I was doing graduate research on sustainable seafood. I was asking them similar questions pertaining to where their seafood came from and they wouldn’t answer ANYTHING! Even things that didn’t necessarily seem like proprietary information were highly guarded, for whatever reason. It really turned me off, and I’m not all that surprised by your findings. Thanks for the good info!
I learned on my first purchase at TJ’s to watch those labels. Who puts dairy in their stevia????? Yep, Trader Joe’s. Glad I didn’t open it and very glad I didn’t use it! Dairy is NOT my friend!
I’m a HUGE TJ fan, and while it’s disappointing that they’re not being forthcoming, I still feel confident shopping there over other local stores. We are on a tight budget, and we have a kid who reacts horribly to artificial coloring. So besides the licorice, which I noticed a few weeks ago, we can eat just about everything there. We’re new to the whole foods/non-GMO trend, and we’re taking baby steps. I appreciate all of the info about TJ, and I’ll continue to shop there and carefully read labels 🙂
It’s not a trend, its a way of life. Eat organic and avoid all processed foods otherwise you are poisoning yourself and your children.
I understand what you mean, but at the moment, we are already struggling to feed a family of 5. We make too much money to qualify for gov’t assistance but not enough to pay all of our bills and eat all organic and natural. Between the 2 of us, we work 4 jobs. If you have any helpful suggestions, let me know 🙂 We’re debt-free except for our mortgage, so we try to manage our money well. It’s difficult to eat healthy on a tight budget!
Not to be harsh, but the “budget excuse” is a tired excuse. If you go to a Farmer’s Market (make sure the vendor is organic btw cause a lot AREN’T) and you will find the pricing is actually cheaper than most of the big-chain stores who over-charge for the 3% of organic they carry. Whole Foods has all the staples, Kale, Swiss Chard, Carrots, broccoli at reasonable pricing. I get most of my peaches, plums, nectarines and apples at Farmers markets for anywhere from $2 LB to $3 LB. I’m sure kids would be ok with apples, carrots and peaches. Kale, Broccoli and Swiss Chard as a main serving at dinner. We have to teach kids, as I do mine. I have had a tight budget, so I understand your plight. But I looked at little things I did each day, the $4 a day at Starbucks, the unnecessary dinner out at a restaurant, too many cable channels, in fact cable at all (I steam now and saved $100 a month), all the little stuff adds up. When I truly did a budget and wrote every single thing down for a two month period I was able to find several $100 a month in wasted $$$. And you can too. Good luck. If you aren’t around a farmers market, then it’s time to start a garden…
I simply have no idea why someone would use $ as an excuse to eat poison. I just don’t get it. The $$$ you will pay down the line on Rx, like most Americans, when you get diseases would actually make you pay MORE. Not to mention lost work due to being sick more on and on. There is way to do it if you are determined to do it. I am sure there is a lot of wasteful spending you do (we all do) that can be adjusted and help with the Budget for healthy food that isn’t sprayed with poison. Poison that is also systemic, so don’t thing “washing” them is accomplishing anything, it isn’t.
I can buy a whole weeks worth of fresh organic produce to feed an ARMY for $100 a week. I mean, a 5lb bag of carrots at WF is like $3.
What’s the price you put on your health?
I totally agree with you, and I genuinely appreciate all of the help. I probably should have clarified that we ARE trying to eat a whole foods diet, but this is all very new to us. We both were raised on Oreos and Hostess cupcakes, so we honestly were never taught how the chemicals in those foods affected our health. Now that we understand the importance of REAL foods, it’s quite difficult to make the transition, and budget is one of those roadblocks. I was used to buying white sandwich bread for $.89 a loaf, strawberries for $.99/lb., and frozen chicken for $2/lb. So I’m having a bit of sticker shock as I shop at Whole Foods and even Trader Joe’s. We’ve given up large meat portions, we rarely go out to eat, and we’ve switched our kids from packaged snacks to homemade trail mix from the bulk bins at Whole Foods! And I did all of our shopping yesterday at WF and TJ’s, and I spent $105 for the whole week. So I’m learning!
I think we also lost sight of the original purpose of this post…she was researching TJ’s and their transparency with ingredients manufacturing. TJ’s is run like Aldi – same food as mainstream stores, produced in the same facility, but packaged for discount stores. As we’ve been transitioning to a whole food diet, TJ’s has been very helpful to our family. I understand their confidentiality because they probably ARE selling the same food you buy at WF, just in a different package. And for our family, I’m quite happy with the recent transitions we’ve made in out diet. TJ’s has made that easier for us.
I guess I’m asking you to be patient and helpful for those of us who really are trying to change our lifestyle! I feel like someone has given me a terminal diagnosis of my diet. I know the old way was killing our family, but I’m not quite sure how to live the new way yet! It’s a brand new endeavor for us! So thanks for all of your suggestions, and please be gracious with those of us who aren’t “there” yet but are going in the right direction 🙂
I’m pretty sure she’s not using $ as an excuse to eat poison! As a matter of fact, I read her post and thought she was talking about me. Same situation, family of 5, barely make too much to qualify for assistance, we live on LESS than 1income as my husband pays child support, is in school part time and works full time. We do NOT have cable, only ONE phone, we do not have debt, or car payments, just rent. I quit driving my suv for the most part and stuff the kids in our old 2dr vehicle to save $ on gas. I cloth diaper, use the sun to dry my clothes, make my own detergent… We DO NOT eat out, we ‘garden’ in 5gal buckets (no where else to garden) , we shop consignment, do our own haircuts… And let me tell you, I STILL CANT AFFORD TO EAT ORGANIC!!! Although I try, and have quit eating meat for the most part as well. WE ARE ON THE STRICTEST OF BUDGETS… there is NO MORE MONEY for food! It’s upsetting, and depressing, and brings tears to my eyes, and NO, I still don’t buy junk. So I’m pretty sure no one is using $ as an excuse!!!
And, going back to the article, I will continue to shop at Trader Joe’s! If this was such a big deal, I’m sure a reputable company would have exposed them by now! I mean, buy their stuff, and test it. Maybe they don’t label so they can continue to allow us to shop at such a great price. I’m sure when the govt requires non-GMo companies to label (instead of forcing those WITH gmo’s to label) the prices will go up at TJ’s too!
Wow, John. Way to be a self righteous a**.
Jennifer,
You are doing a great job for your family! Don’t let this guy discourage you. All we can do is the best with what we have. Sounds like you are really doing well for just starting out with these new eating habits. Good for you!
Thanks for the encouragement, Amy! It’s been a rough transition, but I’m working hard to do what’s best for my family and stick to our budget. Baby steps are still good steps, right? 🙂
Absolutely! Keep up the good work!
How do you feel about TJ organic chicken, organic steaks, and organic ground beef?
Wow, I grew up on TJ since one of their original stores was in my hometown. I seriously feel like eating is navigating this huge minefield….:(
Vari, Thanks for this article. Tj’s produce does spoil fast – a day or two and it’s rotting.
I am also not surprised by this. I always found it weird that for such a great claim, nothing was labeled. This does worry me though bc my son is allergic to dairy and I buy their coconut milk in cans by the dozen because it doesn’t have any additives and I emailed them and was told the can was BPA free. I wonder if that’s not trustable info as well? : /
“We have the right to know where our food comes from and what’s in it and Trader Joe’s is refusing to give us this information.”
Actually, we do not have any such right. If we did, there would be a FOIA thingy we could file to compel TJ’s to tell us what’s in their oh-so-yummy junk foods. Read up on the history of TJ’s and its current owners and the secrecy might make more sense.
Thanks for what you do, FB
hank
First beer, now Trader Joe’s? Is nothing sacred?! Speaking of beer, I’d be leery of their store brand Trader Jose Lager which is an adjunct beer, likely brewed with corn products. The Simpler Times varieties and possibly the Red Oval and Name Tag beers may also suffer the same fate… anything cheap usually has rice or corn/maltodextrin.
I find this a bit alarmist. Trader Joe’s isn’t perfect (I don’t think any store is) but they do make a solid effort to provide much better quality food than mainstream grocers. I always read labels even at TJ’s and while many of their packaged foods have this thing or that in it, it seems far better than a comparable conventional brand. One of the biggest reasons health nuts like me would shop there is b/c their price for organics is so competitive. I’ve always gone elsewhere for other certain products like say organic soy sauce since they don’t carry any. While Charles Shaw isn’t great they do have a handful of very affordable organic wines or wines made with organic grapes. My favorite is the Green Fin organic red table wine. If I want something else that’s indulgent like say a frozen dessert, TJ’s is my go to spot since they do have bare bones ingredients that are almost all pronounceable without a chemistry degree. You failed to mention their brand of dairy is rBGH free so it’s my stop for ice cream and cheese!
I also don’t mind spending my money there over other places since the company is amazingly ethical (not only wide selection of organic food but they also treat their employees very well which earns them notice like this- http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2013/03/the-trader-joes-lesson-how-to-pay-a-living-wage-and-still-make-money-in-retail/274322/). I gladly vote for TJ’s with my dollars and I buy mainly organic items so it further pushes that cause as well. Heck I even visit other locations and if I see an organic item my regular location doesn’t carry, I ask them to stock it, which they usually do! So while TJ’s privacy may seem suspicious, I think given their business model it’s reasonable. In the know folks are aware many of their brand’s items are repackaged versions of other big companies (Indian Fare is presumed to be Tasty Bite; their coffee in the orange bag is Dunkin Donuts; I’m pretty sure WholeFoods now carries their own label of TJ’s fair traded organic dark chocolate- same ingredients, country of origin and cacao %- even the shape of the bar is identical!). That’s kind of the point- high quality name brand goods at a faction of the cost. I just moved from Phoenix to South Carolina and their prices are pretty much identical, though I do notice that despite less local stock there is a noticeably lower amount of Californian items. (I could get CA organic strawberries all year long in Phoenix!) I think had you experienced what I have from TJ’s, you wouldn’t be as critical. Granted it is easier to find farmer’s markets here in the South and so ppl should try to buy more from local growers but in places like Phoenix where it’s not the agricultural heaven we have here, places like TJ’s really help! Oh and by saying “dist. and sold by…” I think they are being honest- come on! They never claim to say it’s from CA but it is where the company is based out of:/ That’s really splitting hairs…
FB is not being an alarmist, she is pursuing due diligence with this retailer to actually validate if their name brand items are truly non-GMO, simple. Being defensive over this rather obscure reality, just because you like a few of their organic items, is ignorant and irrelevant to the point at hand. We all get that TJs is a business, but its frankly not doing the best that it can, and their business success suggests they could easily be doing alot more than they are currently, and still make considerable profits. I don’t believe in supporting TJs until they take a clear step in the right direction, and their organic offerings are paltry scant compared to the rest of what they sell, most of which is available at other supermarkets. So when you shop there what you are really just getting is a swanky look and feel win can-do helpful hipster clerks. You are far better off at Whole Foods….
OHHHH! Well first off, would you like to send me the difference in price so I can do all my shopping at Whole Foods, then?
Second, I already DO shop at Whole Foods quite a bit! TJ’s and WF are my main grocery stores, but TJ’s has lower prices on many items. I can’t believe you would say they have a small organic offering. When was the last time you actually went to TJ’s? Like half the store is organic! (Ok maybe not half but comparable to the same percentage of WF’s shelves that are organic!) However if you think WF is blameless, you need to do some serious research. Basically no where is perfect so why are we freaking out over tiny things? There are much bigger battles to be fought than absolutely ensuring TJ’s candy is GMO free. (One they sell organic versions so just buy that; furthermore is candy such a staple of someone’s diet that they need it and eat it in such vast quantities that a few “bad” ingredients would completely ruin their health!?!)
Oh and I couldn’t care less if the TJ’s workers are hipsters (many aren’t) but they have some of the best customer service I’ve seen anywhere! They also happen to be a more child friendly store which means I can focus on reading ingredients’ list rather than struggling with a screaming toddler!
I agree with you!!! WF and TJ’s are 2 of my fav food stores, however, WF is a bit more expensive than TJ’s and TJ’s does have tons of organic products to choose from at very reasonable prices. I have a family to feed, and we work hard but times are tough, and I try and buy as healthy and organic as possible, however, some of us just can’t afford to shop at WF or smaller, more privatized organic food stores, where the prices are more for the upscale class, not the middle class. I’d like to know her opinion on Fairway. Another nice supermarket with lots of organic and other specialty items, but pricy as well on certain items.
well, you can choose to be upset over my hipster comment if you wish, just as I am upset that you are taking irresponsible risks with that toddler by not knowing what you are buying from TJs, by not KNOWING what is GMO or not. Doesn’t matter if you are saving money if you are poisoning you and your family, find other ways to make cuts, but not stuff, but don’t skimp on what you swallow.
EXCUSE ME!!! You want to attack my parenting and the nutrition I provide for my child!?! What freaking right do you have!?! I buy almost all organic at Trader Joe’s- I read labels and make choices based on what I find (like getting this bread over that bc it’s contains no or much less soy, even if it is organic!). The biggest problem is not rdg labels- not Trader Joe’s in and of themselves! I spend much more on groceries and source much higher quality food than like 90+% of the population!
Let’s see I’m sure she’s being ruined with the organic strawberries, organic carrots, organic salad, organic raw almonds, organic raisins, various other organic produce, hormone free cheese, organic sprouted whole wheat bread, organic jam, the organic PB I used to get back when they still sold it, the organic coconut oil, the organic marinara sauce, the “cadi’s” (her term for avocado), the grassfed beef I occasionally get there if I don’t have time to pick some up from the farm outside of town, the wild caught fish, the organic whole wheat pasta, the Kerrygold butter, the organic yogurt, the organic dark chocolate we have as a treat, the occasional hormone free ice cream we get (avoiding the caramel one since it has corn syrup), the once in awhile fruit popsicles we get (in lime since it’s not a Dirty Dozen fruit unlike the strawberry). You don’t know what you’re talking about- I’ll enjoy my ORGANIC Trader Joe’s foods, thank you very much! Oh and I may just have the only kid in America who doesn’t know what a McNugget is!
I disagree with you on being “far better off” at WF. Don’t forget, Whole Foods is a BUSINESS as well, just like TJ’s is, and they are way more expensive, and some of the WF employees are snootier and a bit more arrogant than TJ’s employees, who are not ALL hipsters btw. Ignorant statement on your part.
Again, nice straw man reply, but all are missing the point, which is the initial point from FB’s report, until Trader Joes can tell you what definitely is and isn’t GMO products, other than just issuing a blanket statement, you are way better off buying from WF because their selection is 5X better and their products are marked NON-GMO, and are way ahead of TJs in this area. So, its up to you, roll the dice and because you need to save money, or buy from greater selection at WF, and not everything there is high priced. Those that put first priority on the quality of their food will reap the benefits which far offset the ramifications of eating poor foods. If you find that some items are too expensive at WF, try growing your own organic food, I do, both indoors and out, and those organic vectors you can fully control. All I am saying about TJ’s, is NO ONE can give you a straight answer about what is and isn’t non-GMO, so whether they be hipsters or not doesn’t matter, it just seems the hipsters are the best at trying to make you feel good about buying from them though they have no clue about the ingredients.
IDK, it’s not like Whole Foods is on point with everything in their store either. Their produce section frustrates me because they mix in “conventional” right next to organic so you have to look at each single product. Even mass market retailers put all the organic in one section.
But ANYWAY. We really live in an age where it is hard to trust any business because good businesses are often penalized by all the “cheaters” out there. And I am all for voting with one’s pocketbook, so how about this. If you like Trader Joe’s, just keep shopping there and only buy the stuff that is certified organic or read the labels. Don’t buy the stuff that is questionable. Tell the manager that you would like to buy other products but won’t until they are labeled so you know they are legit. Or do any combination of these things. It doesn’t have to be Trader Joe’s needs to shape up or NEVER shop there. There are lots of other options.
I shop at Natural Grocers. They carry agave, which I don’t think is a good product. I don’t buy the agave. Done. Voted with my pocketbook.
p.s. Have you also investigated the so-called “Non-GMO project” ? I find their moniker a bit misleading as their stamp of approval doesn’t actually mean that the labeled product has been investigated and certified to not contain GMO ingredients.
Yeah alot of The food on their ok list contain carragean
My children are both allergic to nuts. Is Trader Joe’s brand sunbutter a good product??? Could you recommend a healthy nut alternative as spread for breads and crackers?
Love your research! Thanks for helping us all!
sunflower buuter
Great post! My husband and I look forward to hearing more. We’ve only been eating “clean” for a year now and the more we’ve learned though this transition, the more faith we’ve lost in Trader Joe’s. This post just solidified everything my husband has been saying for the past six months or so. You really hit the nail on the head when you wrote, “What does non-GMO mean to Trader Joe’s? Are they making up their own definition because they claim they don’t have direction from a governmental official?” One wonders.
What about their “BPA free” cans? That’s the only place I buy coconut milk for my dairy allergic son because it doesn’t have any additives and I emailed the company and was told the can was BPA free. Worried.
I was able to get ahold of TJ’s and ask about BPA in their cans, this was the reply:
“Thank you for contacting us. Here is the deal with BPA. First, regarding Tetra, all Tetra Pak is BPA-free.
Second, every glass jar item has a metal lid. All metal lids do have a layer of BPA coating. However, there is another coating put on after that. There is no direct contact of BPA to food. We have multiple supplier testing results showing there is no BPA detected from metal lids.
All our canned fish (and our canned chicken and beef too) are now in BPA-free cans EXCEPT: Sardines, Crab, Cherrystone Clams & Oysters (our suppliers are working for a solution next year).
All our canned fruits, beans and vegetables (including tomatoes, and the Organic Canned Pumpkin) are in BPA-free cans EXCEPT: Mandarins, Hatch Chilies, Artichokes, Organic Baked Beans (expecting transition this Fall).
All of our canned Soups and Stews (and including Joe’s Os) are in cans that DO have BPA. Some of our suppliers are expecting they will be able to make transition next year.
Lastly, Coconut Milk and Coconut Cream is in a BPA-free can.”
Wouldn’t this fall under false claims? Companies get sued for having “all natural” claims. They are claiming to be free from using all genetically engineered crops.
Oh the lawyers are already on it! Stay tuned…
And what exactly would you sue for? You have no proof, which is exactly why this article is so ridiculous.
Thank you for keeping the pressure on TJs. Trust but verify should be everyone’s policy. TJs has been milking this image thing to a whole new area of distraction from the truth. No one should be surprised that they are not willing to make full disclosure on their products GMO status. Even when I challenge their clerks regularly there about if their labelled products are GMO free, everyone of them say they have no idea along with “thats what they tell us to say”. Now of course clerks are not biologists I get it, but why anyone would want to roll the dice with stuff they swallow, I can’t figure out. TJs is really close, at times convenient, but I only pick up clearly labelled organic items, and even then not everything has the certified label, and thats a whole other issue to contend with believing also. But all this smoke and mirrors is why I drive the extra 20 mile round trip to get to Whole Foods, as a one stop shop now per week, the selection is 10x over TJs, and among that selection non-GMO items are labelled, and certified organic with a label. Seems like a no brainer to boycott TJs much as possible. Until TJs adopts a real walk the talk philosophy, I view them as good food imposters for the most part.
Their produce is HORRIBLE. And it’s kind of a reach, but its interesting that they’re owned by Aldi which is a German company and you would think the values Germany has towards gmos would translate.
Trader Joes private labeled items are produced by Ralcorp which is owned by conagra. I trust very little from trader joes. It likely contains GMO’s and I’m sure there unlabeled packaged goods are from China.
I just saw this article on the internet that was published in February about Ralcorp, conagra. & Trader Joes. Very interesting reading.
http://gmo-awareness.com/2013/02/02/is-trader-joes-organic-gmo-free/
Thank you so much for doing this investigation! I have been so curious about Trader Joe’s claim to be GMO free especially with all the canola in their products. I really appreciate it!!
I don’t know that they are necessarily hiding anything. If the affidavits you want are provided by suppliers, they are likely protected by a Non-Disclosure Agreement. Trader Joe’s is probably are not lying when when they say they are confidential. They could be sued if they chose to release information.
Why were you able to get them from other companies and not Trader Joe’s? I’m sure those companies had to ask permission from the suppliers. Releasing any of the document under an NDA is a no no–just blacking something out is not enough. It’s a trade secret whether you think it should be or not. I wouldn’t doubt Trader Joe’s could ask for permission from suppliers, but you hit the nail on the head in your own article as to why a supplier would not comply. Trader Joe’s relies heavily on rebranded products and it is not in the supplier’s best interest to make public that you can buy their item (potentially cheaper) at Trader Joe’s. If Trader Joe’s chose to compromise a relationship with one supplier, they put their entire business at risk.
What exactly was the reason they gave you when you asked?
Thank you so much!!!!!! I have been waiting for this “Food Babe Investigation!” This all made a lot of sense except the part about the organic Trader Joe yogurt. You mentioned that Stonyfield supplies their yogurt and that if it was labeled “organic” it would be ok. But then at the bottom, you recommend staying away from dairy (including yogurt). I guess the reason I am asking is because I buy so much of the organic plain whole milk yogurt and I want it to be OK!! Should I just fork over the extra dollar to always buy Stonyfield at Kroger?
Just stay away from non-organic dairy – Organic is safe.
Much gratitude for this article and investigation! I often research this and have always come to the conclusion that I must only buy Organic products from TJs. Once in awhile my kids talk me into a frozen food product or kid friendly non organic snacks. But this article just gave me the confidence to just say no and only support the organic labels. Sometimes reading labels at TJs has me conflicted. There are sugar laced snacks w/ bad oils and preservatives all over that store. I can only hope that the organic meats, dairy , coffee and other things are indeed organic and truthful. i agree the produce SUCKS!! It’s all imported in plastic and I try not to support this madness,
thanks , SW
Thank you so much for your work. I am pretty skeptical of every product at any store anymore!
I’m wondering what you think of Meijer’s Organics and Naturals line? They claim on the labels to not use any artificial additives or gmo’s. can they be trusted? Closest TJ’s and WF’s are 2 hours away! Meijer is a convenient 1-stop shop for me. Get most produce from local farm market in summer.
I’ve been wondering the same thing! Anyone have any ideas?
Thanks for this because I have asked Trader Joe’s in (Va. Beach) many times about the “yeast extract” in some of their processed products and they told me many times that they don’t use MSG in their food. I read where the FDA allows food manufacturers to call MSG about 10 other names!!! Apparently MSG is big $$ – so maddening because it gives me headaches. I still love a lot of their food but am very cautious about what I buy there.
I don’t understand how any company is allowed to get away with not showing what’s actually in their products, or how they get away with all of the harmful stuff that they use for us to consume. It should be illegal. Cigarettes for example, are bad for you, so they have a warning on them. I know it’s completely different then food but still, I think the same risk factor warning should apply to food as well. I remember a long time ago when I was a kid there was a name brand pack of cinnamon gum that had a cancer warning on it. I think it’s a great thing this you are doing by making everyone aware.
Speaking of cigarettes, there are almost 600 items on the “GRAS” list that are allowed to be put into cigarettes along with tobacco. GRAS means generally recognized as safe ….. (by the US Government ) to eat. These are food items, they should not be burned and inhaled. If you have to smoke, smoke organic, plain tobacco.
TJs is a large company. Like all large companies, it is in it for the profit. Whole Foods is as well. Given that, I’m not sure why any of this is surprising, much less shocking. Like all food suppliers, nothing should be believed unless it is independently verified by a trusted source. Everything else is simply a marketing ploy. To think otherwise just seems unbearable naive to me.
Thank you! I used to buy Two Buck Chuck every now and again. I will not be purchasing this any longer. Thanks again for the great information. You rock!
I just sent a msg. via Trader Joes website requesting transparency! I also sent the info above via the link….we’ll have to see how they respond but it would be wonderful if all your readers sent them a request for transparency and linked this article! Hope they get back in touch with you soon!
Unless all of you are prepared to grow your own food, grain, and then grind it and produce the products that you are questioning, NO ONE really knows what is in pre-packaged food. There is NOTHING wrong with Trader Joes. They don’t label their food organic or non-gmo, so what are you complaining about? If is isn’t labeled that, then its pretty simple……………DON’T BUY IT! In fact, don’t shop at TJs. And for those of you who are buying ‘organic’ produce from the farmers market……………What on earth makes you think they REALLY are organic? It is funny how people blindly believe a guy selling tomatoes at a farmers market, but get all suspicious about a major corporation who, if caught misrepresenting their product, could lose BILLIONS of dollars in law suits. Grow your own vegetables, grind your own wheat, bake your own bread, and raise/slaughter your own animals. That is the ONLY way you can trust the food you put in your mouth.
I suppose my family will just start eating woodchips from the backyard now. I certainly can’t trust things from our mainstream grocery stores, I don’t support Whole Foods because I disagree with their CEO’s politics, and now I’m not supposed to shop at Trader Joe’s. Ugh…
You can still shop at TJ’s – just be careful about your choices….
Having worked there for 7 years before, having parents who worked at the main office in California (before it was moved to Monrovia) and being around this company for most of my life and having met the CEO, I can tell you a lot in this article is misinformation, misunderstanding and just plain wrong.
Also, distributed and sold refers to Trader Joes as a company, not the address for the office they put after it.
Thank you, Drew. Maybe you would like to add some specific information? I also think that TJ’s is being unnecessarily demonized here.
Any store you shop at, you have to read the labels! Even Whole foods! Trader Joe’s has a lot better selection than other grocery stores. I shop at trader Joe’s and love it!
Recently I was out of town, and shopped at Sprouts, and Target. At both these stores I had to really look at the labels, especially Target. I think Trader Joe’s does a good job, you just have to read the labels. I do appreciate this post, I will look even closer! Thank you 🙂
I’m glad to see an article like this. I work at Trader Joe’s. I’ve always tried to eat as healthy as I can, but also always allowed myself to have whatever I want, “in moderation”. Recently, I decided to cut processed sugar and wheat from my diet, focusing mainly on whole, real foods. I am surrounded by TJs food all day at work, so it can be tough sometimes to keep my willpower! Anyhow, this diet change has led me to REALLY inspect our labels. And to be honest, I’m frustrated and disappointed. I mean I always knew most of the store was just “glorified junk food” but I didn’t realize how bad it was. I have grown more and more suspicious of the company lately and my trust is dwindling. Needless to say, I’ll be picking the brains of my mates more often to get some more answers!
Really, Anonymous? You work at TJ’s and didn’t realize how unhealthy a lot of the food is? Did you just start working there or something? I’ve worked there for 8 years and it didn’t take long for me to figure out that the majority of the products that most people shop us for, specifically, the convenience food items like soup and frozen meals, and even most of the packaged salads and sandwiches, are NOT health food and are not even remotely healthy. That said, there are a lot of good products: the nuts and nut butters; dried fruit; yogurt, both dairy and dairy-free; cheeses; frozen vegetables and fruits, to name a few. There has been an earnest attempt in the last couple of years to become more environmentally conscious about the provenance of the produce and its packaging (or lack thereof). We sell lots of fruits and veggies by the each now, not just bananas as used to be the case, and *some* of it is local-ish. It’s an unfortunate reality that for TJ’s to keep its prices as low as they are, products have to be sourced from a centrally-located warehouse that ships to many stores in the region, so finding truly local produce at your local TJ’s is probably never going to happen.
http://m.naturalnews.com/news/039767_trader_joes_whole_foods_gmo_labeling.html
I used to work for the company for 4 years. They also toss out their emploiyess when they feel like it, saying that an employee no longer fits the job description. Even the store bosses whom work for the company for 20+ years can be booted this way.
The products that are labeled under their label are regular brands that are many well known brands, just slap a Trader Joe’s label on it. So, no, the products are not necessarily some ethically made, non-gmo, special food from Trader Joe land. Sometimes this can mean their meats and poultry are not always the happiest of animals. It needs to actually say free range, to be certain.
Good work! I’ve noticed more and more products at Trader Joe’s with soy and canola oil, a trend that has been getting worse over the past few years. They are like any other store-you have to read EVERY label. I can’t tell you how many products I’ve had to put down after reading the ingredients. The use of bad oils is surprising. The lack of transparency regarding GMOs is shocking!
thank you so much for your article! it drives me crazy how people think that TJ’s foods are so “clean” and somehow better. Consumers are constantly comparing TJ’s to Wholefoods, when Trader Joe’s doesn’t even come close to Wholefoods’s core values. the only time i’ll ever shop at TJ’s is when I want to take in my GMOs, artificial colors and flavors, hormones, antibiotics, nitrates and other preservatives in moderation….oh, which is never!
I stopped buying anything from Trader Joes when I had a package of there grape tomatoes that didn’t go bad for 2 months and it wasn’t even refrigerated . Same thing happened with the organic broccoli that I purchased at the same time . I couldn’t believe it I won’t be going back there again if I cannot trust what I’m eating .
Just an FYI… Fresh tomatoes last quite some time unfridgerated; they actually go BAD when you put them in the refrigerator fairly quick. My fresh tomatoes that I pick from my garden will last over a month in a cool place my kitchen counter. Tomatoes are not supposed to be refrigerated, this will make them rot faster.