1. A Message to our Customers Regarding Fresh Spinach:
Fresh Spinach Recalled
After the September 14, 2006, FDA national advisory about the outbreak of E. coli that appeared to be associated with bagged fresh spinach, Trader Joe’s immediately pulled from sale at our stores every one of our products containing fresh spinach.

Fresh Spinach Reintroduced
On September 24, 2006, federal health officials issued a national statement alerting the public that they could safely consume spinach if it does not come from four implicated fields in Monterey, San Benito and Santa Clara counties in Northern California. Hence, Trader Joe’s has reintroduced the sale of fresh-bagged spinach, bagged salad mixes, and all ready to eat products containing fresh spinach from agricultural areas that have been cleared by the FDA. Trader Joe’s takes the safety of our customers very seriously, and until the FDA informs us that fresh spinach from the four farms in Northern California in question are safe for consumption, we will not be selling fresh spinach grown in those regions.
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2. A Note About Eggs:
At Trader Joe's we listen to what our customers tell us about the choices we give them. Thanks to their valued feedback, in 2005 we made an important change in our egg selection. As of this time, all Trader Joe’s brand eggs come only from cage-free hens. Now customers looking for cage-free eggs need to look no further than the Trader Joe's label. Any conventional eggs sold in our stores are in a brand name carton, not under the Trader Joe's label.
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3. Message to Customers Regarding Canadian Seafood and the Seal Hunt Issue:
The Issue: It’s been reported that some fishermen off Canada’s East coast near Newfoundland kill baby seals in the off-season from fishing.

We looked into this, and we think it’s important to tell you that we do not purchase any seafood items from the areas where the killing of seals is taking place. Our seafood products that are labeled "Product of Canada," come from reputable suppliers on Canada’s West coast, or come from Alaska and are simply processed on Canada's West coast. None of these suppliers are involved in the seal hunt. In addition, we have no plans to purchase any seafood products from the East coast of Canada.
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4. Trader Joe's Stance on Genetically Modified Food:
Our customers can be assured that all products in Trader Joe's private label are sourced from non-genetically modified ingredients. Our efforts began in 2001, when we determined that, given a choice, our customers would prefer to eat foods and beverages made without the use of genetically engineered ingredients. Our process has been to identify any product containing ingredients that could potentially be derived from genetically engineered crops and work with our suppliers to replace offending ingredients with acceptable alternatives.

The FDA has not issued a final ruling regarding the labeling of products that either contain or do not contain genetically engineered ingredients. As you may imagine, without governmental determinations of what constitutes "GE free," we, at times, need to make our own judgement calls. Until such time as the government intervenes, that will have to suffice.

This tremendous effort has been a labor of love, so to speak. The GE issue is important to you, so it's important to us. But the gray areas loom large. Therefore, we won't use our GE free status as a marketing tool - it's just not appropriate, given that this is not an exact science (you won't see mention of it on our labels, or in our Fearless Flyer).

As mandated in the USDA's National Organic Standards, products labeled organic cannot be grown from genetically engineered seed or made with genetically engineered ingredients. Therefore, choosing any product labeled organic in any supplier's label in our Trader Joe's stores is another way to choose foods and beverages that are not genetically engineered. Keep in mind, there is no system in the United States to guard against "adventitious contamination" from the genetic drift of genetically engineered crops to non-genetically engineered crops.

Finally, to make sure we're doing this effort to the best of our abilities, we have a program of random testing to ensure our private label items do not have genetically modified ingredients in them. In an environment of some GE confusion, we're doing what we can to be GE free. In the meantime, we wish you good shopping and good health.
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5. How is shopping at Trader Joe's different from what you may be used to in a supermarket?
At Trader Joe's, you won't find a lot of branded items. Instead, you'll find unconventional and interesting products in the Trader Joe's label as well as everyday basics. We buy products we think are winners and that’ll find a following among our customers. Sometimes it's a product we intend to stock as long as it sells well; and sometimes we buy a product which is in limited supply, sell through it, and you won't find it again. It’s all part of the shopping adventure at Trader Joe's.
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6. Do you have weekly specials or sales on your products?
"Sale" is a four-letter word to us. We have low prices, every day. No coupons, no membership cards, no discounts. You won’t find any glitzy promotions or couponing wars at our stores. If it makes you feel any better, think of it as all our items are on sale, day in and day out.
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7. Why do you guys wear those Hawaiian shirts?
Fun or fashion faux pas? It may not be runway model attire, but our Crew is unafraid to make a bold fashion statement. We wear Hawaiian shirts because we’re traders on the culinary seas, searching the world over for cool items to bring home to our customers. And when we return home, we think grocery shopping should be fun, not another chore. So just relax and leave your worries at the door. We’ll sail those seven seas, you have some fun with our finds at your neighborhood Trader Joe’s.
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8. Why do the prices and selection vary from state to state?
Trader Joe's has stores in many states and regions and we try to source goods locally where we can. Because of this, we have a selection of fresh deli products, breads, dairy and juices that will vary in most states.

At the same time, we want to offer the best prices on all these local yokels. Laws, taxes, deposit requirements and our distribution costs are different in each state for a variety of products. This is true most notably in sodas and alcoholic beverages. Since our costs are different according to these regulations, our prices may vary on the same item in different states.
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9. Why does TJ’s frequently discontinue products?
Our mission is to bring you the best quality products at the best prices. To do this, we have to manage our store space well. Each of our products must "stand on its own," meaning it must pay its own way. Each product passes certain criteria in order to earn its way onto our shelves ­ including a rigorous tasting panel.

There may be several factors that determine why we discontinue products:
  1. It may be a seasonal product - for example, strawberries, which are in season only specific times of the year.
  2. The gang way factor - because we introduce 10-15 new products a week, we have to eliminate 10-15 items in order to give our newest items a fair chance.
  3. The cost of producing the item may increase, which would in turn increase the cost to you - if the item is not a strong seller, we may choose to discontinue it.

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10. Can I order your products online?
No. We’re just old-fashioned. We set up our stores with care, finding just the right crew and adding a flavor of paradise. After considering the options, we’re still just big ‘ole fans of the neighborhood grocery store where we can say hello when you’re looking around wondering - what’s for dinner?
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11. Do you guys franchise?
No. All our stores are company owned and operated.
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12. Is Trader Joe's publicly traded?
No. Trader Joe's is a privately held company.
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13. I don’t want to receive the Fearless Flyer by mail. How do I get removed from your mailing list?
First, we want to clarify ­ we mail by “bulk rate” only, and we get addresses from the US Postal Service database. We don’t buy targeted mailing lists, so you’ll never have to worry about us using or selling any private information about you.

The easiest and quickest way to have your address removed from the mailing list is by cutting out the address label from your Flyer and sending it to us by mail.

Send the address label to:
Flyer Removal
Trader Joe's Company
800 South Shamrock Ave.
Monrovia, CA 91016
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14. What do the bells mean at my local Trader Joe's?
It’s a kind of Trader Joe’s Morse code. Those blustery PA systems just didn’t feel right to us, so we came up with a simple system to communicate ­ island style. One bell lets our Crew know when to open another register. Two bells mean there are additional questions that need to be answered at the checkout. Three bells call over a manager-type person. Honestly, it’s much easier than the ole message in a bottle trick.
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