Inside Trader Joe's
Inside Trader Joe's
Trader Joe's
From our humble beginnings as a small chain of eclectic Southern California convenience stores, Trader Joe’s has grown to become a national chain of 579 (and counting) neighborhood grocery stores, employing more than 67,000 Crew Members. How? By being comfortable with being different. Every episode takes you Inside Trader Joe’s in a podcast series only Trader Joe's could deliver. Are you a Trader Joe’s fan? Want to know what keeps people coming back? Hungry for all the new and exciting stuff coming to your neighborhood store? Let's go Inside Trader Joe’s. Thanks for listening.
Episode 92: Trader Joe's 2025 Store Recipe Contest Winner
It’s a known known that people across the land love a good contest. It’s also a known known that Trader Joe’s Crew Members across the country know the very best ways to use Trader Joe’s products. The known unknown in the 2025 Store Recipe Contest scenario… which store would come up with the very best recipe, crafted using a mere five Trader Joe’s products? That, dear podcast listeners, is revealed in this episode of Inside Trader Joe’s. We’ll go inside the winning store, talk to the creative Crew behind the winning entry, and find out how the judges came to their decision. You’ll find the winning recipe at traderjoes.com, and all the ingredients you need to recreate it at your neighborhood Trader Joe’s. Transcript (PDF)
Jul 21
19 min
Trader Joe's Wine Club: Super Summertime Sippers
Welcome to another episode of the Trader Joe’s Wine Club, brought to you by Inside Trader Joe’s. In this sip-sized segment, we’re going all-in on super sippers for summertime soirees, with bottles you may have missed in our wine section; wines that are excellent for afternoon barbecues, evenings with friends, and weekends relaxing on a patio chair. Listen in for a quick introduction to our favorite Italian Vermentino and a classic Pacific Northwest Pinot Noir, then head to your neighborhood Trader Joe’s to pick up a bottle of each! Transcript (PDF)
Jun 30
13 min
Episode 91: The Trader Joe’s Superbly Sensational Summertime Shopping List
Here comes summer! And Trader Joe’s is READY. There’s nothing summerier than watermelon, and we are wading in ‘em – the yellow variety, and the marshmallow variety. Have a listen, and this will make sense. A skincare set to give you a little summertime glow-up? Yes, please. A new Mini Sheet Cake? OMS – again, listen and ye shall understand. We have buns a-plenty, dogs for dressing, and did we mention an all-new mochi? Yes! Plus, a root beer float you can bring along in your backpack or purse. A noodle salad that will knock your socks off. And just the thing to add a finishing flourish to your sweltering-summer-day ice cream treat. Fourteen products in all, each and every one available this summer at your neighborhood Trader Joe’s. Transcript (PDF) 
Jun 16
32 min
ICYMI: Why is Trader Joe's Ice Cream So Good?
We get a lot of questions at Trader Joe’s. And we really love answering them. Especially when it means we get to eat ice cream. For research. To all those who ask what makes Trader Joe’s ice cream so special, we say, all the things! It starts with high quality ingredients, and a dedication to making ice cream that over-delivers on all of your expectations – it’s rich, it’s creamy, it’s incredibly flavorful, and you may be surprised by how it stacks up next to other so-called “premium” ice creams out there. Tune in to the latest in our series of bite-sized episodes, ITJ ICYMI, to really get the scoop on Trader Joe’s ice cream.  Transcript (PDF)
Jun 2
9 min
Episode 90: Trader Joe's Goes to Italy and Gets Sauced
Imagine a small town in western Italy, home to a family-owned company that got its start canning fresh fruits and veggies more than 80 years ago. Now imagine that company in 2025, still owned by the same family, and still preserving the flavors of the local produce – not just in canned fruits and veggies, but in supremely satisfying sauces, too. And now imagine you’re listening to a podcast… oh, wait, here’s where reality and imagination intersect. In this episode of Inside Trader Joe’s, we’re up close and personal with the supplier of a number of Trader Joe’s sauces – including Lemon Pesto, recently returned to our grocery shelves for a limited time. It’s a captivating conversation that covers topics as wide-ranging as tradition and innovation, and definitely left us hungry for more. Pass the pesto, please! Transcript (PDF)
May 19
25 min
Episode 89: Hey Chicago, What's In Your Trader Joe's Shopping Cart?
In this episode of Inside Trader Joe’s, we’re taking you inside our customers’ shopping carts to find out what keeps them coming back to Trader Joe’s again and again. For this edition of our Customer Cart Conversations, we go to Trader Joe’s number 691 in Chicago’s iconic Lincoln Park neighborhood. Captain Ken, a Chicago native – who may or may not have a favorite Chicago baseball team – gets up close and personal with the contents of customers’ carts, with questions about favorites. Along the way, we get some insights into how Trader Joe’s brings a little joy and deliciousness into their busy lives. We even talk to some Crew Members who share their go-to product recommendations for customers (and podcast listeners!). What’s in YOUR cart? Transcript (PDF)
May 5
18 min
Trader Joe's Wine Club: Rosé for All the Days
Welcome to another episode of the Trader Joe’s Wine Club, brought to you by Inside Trader Joe’s. This sip-sized segment has us blushing a bit. Because, of course, we’re talking about Rosé. Contrary to the opinions of some, Rosé is a serious wine, and we sat down for a serious conversation about three of our favorite Rosé options in the wine section at your neighborhood Trader Joe’s. While all three share similar (yet different) pink-ish hues, each has its own story to tell and its own flavor profile to enjoy. What they all have most in common is the incredible value they represent – whether you choose La Ferme Julien Rosé, Emma Reichart Rosé of Pinot Noir, or Maison Barboulot Cinsault Rosé, you’ll enjoy superior quality wine at a great price. Every day. Transcript (PDF)
Apr 21
14 min
Episode 88: Trader Joe’s Goes to Modena, with Vim and Vinegar
There are certain foods that are synonymous with their place names. Parmigianno Reggiano. Kalamata Olives. And the focus of this episode, Balsamic Vinegar of Modena. A world-renowned product with a long and fascinating history, Balsamic Vinegar of Modena is produced exclusively in the Modena region of Italy. In this episode we sit down (and do a bunch of walking!) with one of Modena’s largest and most respected producers of this vigorous vinegar – they’ve been supplying Trader Joe’s for decades – where we learn some history and get a behind-the-scenes look at how it’s made. Listen in for a sneak peak at a new TJ’s product coming soon to your neighborhood Trader Joe’s. Trasncript (PDF)
Apr 7
25 min
ICYMI: Does Trader Joe's Do Retail Media?
We get a lot of questions at Trader Joe’s. And we see things in the news that make us ask questions, too. Recently, we’ve seen a bunch of stories about so-called “Retail Media.” So what the heck is Retail Media, and does Trader Joe’s do it? In a nutshell, Retail Media is all about using screens and media and technology in retail stores, ostensibly to replace humans. That doesn’t make sense to us – instead of investing in technology and media resources to tell our stories, in our stores, we invest in our people and our products, so every experience you have with Trader Joe’s is a great one. Tune in to the latest in our series of bite-sized episodes, ITJ ICYMI, to get our take on Retail Media.  Transcript (PDF)
Mar 24
6 min
Episode 87: A List for Springtime Shopping at Trader Joe's
It’s nearly spring. And at Trader Joe’s, that means new products popping up like flower buds after an early thaw. In this episode of Inside Trader Joe’s, we’re getting up close and personal with a baker’s dozen of our favorite new (and returning) things for spring. Looking for Easter candy and treats? You’ll find them here, and you’ll be impressed not only with how they look, but how they taste. A new Mini Sheet Cake that happens to be gluten free? Oh. Yes. Potato chips made with Irish potatoes and butter? Aye. A new blend of greens to elevate your salad game and a pasta sauce that’s simple, elegant, and extraordinarily delicious? Well… yes. Would you believe a wine made with oranges? You should believe, and you should try it. One last thing… no bunnies were harmed in the making of this episode. Transcript (PDF)
Mar 10
29 min
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