Incheon of Seoul Airport has taken an important stand. Throughout the terminal, large signs in Korean and English warn of an American product whose presence in your luggage may result in police action – Trader Joe’s Everything But the Bagel seasoning.
The herbal mixture – which includes poppy seeds, which are banned in South Korea out of fear they will show up positive on a drug test – is only sold in the United States. United States. But Trader Joe’s products have become so popular with international tourists that even a major Asian airport is getting involved.
Welcome to the cult of Trader Joe’s. Although it started in California as a health food store, the brand has expanded across the US and now travelers from all over the world are eager to visit one of its outlets.
Yes, you can go there for a head of lettuce or a liter of milk. But it’s just as likely that a customer will go to Trader Joe’s to try a fun snack like pickle-flavored popcorn, pumpkin spice protein bars, beer made with cookie butter (speculoos) or cheeseburger burritos.
How did a place to stock up on produce become a global sensation? Julie Averbach, author of The Art of Trader Joe’shas a few theories.
“I think Trader Joe’s is the Disneyland of American supermarkets,” she says.
“They appeal to customers’ different senses, from the eye-catching product packaging and handmade artwork in the stores to the music on the speakers and the tasting rooms for tasting products.”
Bite-sized bytes
The first Trader Joe’s opened in 1967 in Pasadena, part of Los Angeles County. Yes, there really is a Joe – that would be Joe Coulombe, who was reportedly inspired by his global travels and those then-hard-to-find ingredients that are more available in the US.
Today there are more than 500 stores throughout the continental United States.
According to a 2024 Morning Consult study, 25 percent of Trader Joe’s frequent shoppers belong to households that earn more than $US100,000 ($154,000) annually. The research firm also describes them as “prolific social media users.”
That’s not surprising. People who live in the US – and those who don’t – often use social media to find out about the latest products.
But Trader Joe’s fandom — TJ’s, for those in the know — has become its own cottage industry, with TikTokers and YouTubers developing followings to regularly review and review new products or visit different locations to see how they compare.
While some American retail chains rely on equality to satisfy customers, Trader Joe’s leans the other way. Stores are encouraged to incorporate local iconography into their design – think a mural of Seattle’s Space Needle or a Lego model of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge.
And it’s not just Trader Joe’s that has turned grocery shopping into a travel activity.
Travel booking website Expedia says 39 percent of travelers usually visit a supermarket during their trip, and 44 percent make an effort to buy local goods – including food – that they can’t get where they live.
More than a store
For Peruvian Maria Silva, who spent her college years in North Carolina and New York, Trader Joe’s became a crucial part of her American experience.
Initially, she says, the store was a convenient place to buy affordable staples like yogurt and fresh fruit. But she soon started trying some of the more unusual items, even taking them home as family gifts during the holidays, which got her family members hooked on TJ’s as well.
“I felt like it was my favorite (grocery store) in terms of quality, price and overall shopping experience,” Silva says. “I really like the packaging and the way the products are advertised in the store.” She counts the Panettone, vegetable samosas and chocolate-covered pretzels among her favorite items.
According to Averbach, this is all intentional. The colorful, creative packaging – custom created by staff graphic designers – makes many of their products ‘giftable’.
“They’re trying to dazzle, surprise and impress you,” says Averbach, “not just to sell you groceries.”
Even the product names are meant to be part of the brand. Mexican food products such as salsa and tortillas are sold under the internal label ‘Trader Jose’s’, while Chinese products such as frozen dumplings are labeled as ‘Trader Ming’s’.
While some customers find the names cute, others disagree. In 2020, an online petition circulated calling the names racist and asking for them to be removed.
“We want to be clear: we do not agree that all of these labels are racist. We do not make decisions based on petitions,” Trader Joe’s said in a statement at the time. “We thought then (when they were originally created) – and still do – that this naming of products could be fun and show appreciation for other cultures.”
Initially, the brand said it would remove some labels. only to return shortly afterwards. Today there are still many on TJ’s shelves.
In addition to snacks, the brand’s carrier bags have also become a phenomenon. Different regions sell state or city themed totes, and a mini version of the bags went viral earlier this year, with resellers selling them for as much as US$500 ($780) on eBay.
Trader Joe’s told CNN that geography is crucial to their brand.
“Our product development team travels the world in search of products that we believe are exceptional and that we believe will find a following among our customers,” a company representative said in an email.
“To earn a place on our shelves, each potential product is put through a rigorous tasting panel process. If a product is highly liked by the panel and represents excellent value, it earns its place on our shelves and becomes part of Trader Joe’s shopping adventure.”
TJ’s remains to be seen if they will ever open locations outside the US. But as social media shows, that may not be necessary.
Scarcity can also lead to hyper-obsessed fandoms.
Although Silva has since left the US and moved to China, she still has a “bucket list” for friends and colleagues who may be traveling to the US and have time to stop by a supermarket.