Trader Joe's is a big-time sellout in the distilled spirits liquor aisle; Corporate Greed Uncovered
Trader Joe’s sure lives up to its namesake by being a “Traitor” to American liquor. I think they forgot where they came from. They are big time sellouts. They are not very honest when it comes to its vodka selection. The website states they: …travel the world searching for amazing product.
Trader Joe's CEO Dan Bane is Full of Greed in the Liquor Aisle and doesn't support American micro-distilleries and American-made Micro Liquor
Really Trader Joe’s? Some of that vodka is atrocious? Why travel the world when the best, most exceptional vodkas are made in America? Have you tasted Valentine Vodka (Michigan), Penn 1681 Rye Vodka (Pennsylvania) or Tru Vodka (Monrovia, California which is the same city as Trader Joe’s corporate headquarters)? I don’t see you carrying micro liquor that is made in the same states where your stores are located.
You are big time sellouts–you carry that average tasting Grey Goose and that overpriced Stoli? That is unbelievable! Where are your values that you talk so much about?
What type of socially irresponsible executives are running this company? Thanks to the Internet, and not Trader Joe’s website, we know two of them: Dan Bane, Chairman & CEO of Trader Joe’s, and Former President Doug Rouch. Dan brags about the integrity of the company…I don’t find an ounce of integrity in their liquor selection. I actually find Dan Bane full of greed for allowing these brands to sell at Trader Joe’s. What kind of man are you? Shame on you Dan Bane.
Here is the vodka selection at Trader Joe’s in Southern California, and you tell me if Dan Bane is full of greed? Trader Joe’s doesn’t like the big corporate brands, yet why are they carrying so many mass-produced, foreign vodkas?
Belvedere 750ml $27.99 Poland
Ketel One 1000ml $27.99 Netherlands
Black Sea 750ml $14.99 Estonia
Volganaya 1000ml $11.99 Estonia
Skyy 1000ml $17.99 USA/Italy (Gruppo Campari bought Skyy in 2002 from Maurice Kanbar)
Stolichnaya 750ml $19.99 Russia
Absolut 1000ml $24.99 Sweden
Tito’s Handmade 750ml $17.99 Texas, USA (No Trader Joe’s stores are located in Texas)
Smirnoff 1000ml $11.99 Russia
Vodka of the Gods 1750ml $10.99 San Jose, CA (Trader Joe’s private label)
Monopolowa 1000ml $9.99 Austria
Moskovskaya 750ml $8.99 Russia
Burnett’s 750ml $5.99 Bardstown, KY (No Trader Joe’s stores located in Kentucky)
Burnett’s Citrus $5.99 Bardstown, KY (No Trader Joe’s stores located in Kentucky)
Trader Joe’s goes private label on most of its products, yet they go to the largest brand names in liquor? (Do you smell corporate greed somewhere? I bet Bacardi’s Grey Goose spends a lot of money paying off Trader Joe’s corporate buyers with fancy dinners, parties, concerts, NBA Laker games, etc.).
Joe Coulombe, Founded Trader Joe’s in 1958, and sold it to the Albrecht brothers in 1979.
www.traderjoes.com
Send Dan Bane, CEO & Chairman of Trader Joe’s an email and tell him how you feel!
at 3:04 pm
Trader Joes, selling out???!!! That’s just not right. I love TJ’s..say it aint so!?
at 5:49 pm
Trader Joe’s is really owned by a German company? That is troubling. No wonder Trader Joe’s doesn’t support American liquor producers.
at 11:17 am
Good thing the writer of this article isn’t in the wine business. It sounds like he is sitting on truckloads of “sour grapes”
at 8:50 pm
This article is ridiculous. TJ has perhaps the largest assortment of natural, organic, and High Fructose Corn Syrup-free foods in America. It’s practically my home. I haven’t bought a single product from TJ’s that I haven’t liked.
So what if they have imported liquor? To be honest, European vodka is far better than the American vodkas I’ve tasted, and I’m a vodka guy, it’s the only alcohol I drink, I know my vodka.
Trader Joes DOES have a private label vodka called “vodka of the gods”, I’ve tried it.
I have tried numerous American-made liquors, and even though I’m an American (with generations born here), those brands just plain sucked. Face it, Europe has been making liquor (vodka specifically) for far longer than we’ve been around. They have it perfected down to a science that we haven’t caught up to yet.
With that being said, Trader Joes DOES support local American distilleries as I always see them stocking large displays of American micro-brewed beer, Mission St. (their own brand), and huge kegs.
Doing business with European liquor companies is not equivalent to selling out. Trader Joes never claimed to be a bastion of patriotism or some type of “American products only”-store.
at 9:12 pm
Finally, a voice of reason. Thank you!
at 5:34 pm
Or as I prefer to say ‘Tjs is for people that can’t cook and don’t mind eating tons of chemicals and processed foods!’
at 5:33 pm
Hmm TJs used to have a great wine program, the wine buyer was very knowledgeable but got ousted as they expanded into a larger corporation now most of the wine is sub-par. As for food well if you like high-sodium, multi-chemical ‘organic’ foods then this is the place for you. Far from healthy!
at 11:06 pm
John, Vodka made from a particular region does not make it good. Artisanal and mass-produced vodka are very different. If you really know vodka, you would not generalize so quickly about American made vodka. There are many high quality American made vodka brands. Trader Joe’s is owned by a German company/billionaires, if the owners were American, I guarantee we would see more boutique brands of liquor. Trader Joe’s is selling out when it comes to the distilled spirits aisle. They have an opportunity to create jobs by offering micro liquors and getting rid of mass produced vodka brands that are sold everywhere. Trade Joe’s prides itself on products you cannot find anywhere else, mostly private label too, so why do they have mass produced brands of alcohol. It just doesn’t fit, and it appear quite greedy if you understand the liquor industry.
at 2:08 am
who said that Trader joe’s was about selling local? if you want that go to your local farmers market.
at 5:01 pm
i used to c my vavorite and only reaaly good vodka zero hype all taste at trader joes cant find it any more moskovskaya vodka from russia the only country that can do vodka right is there any way ill be able to see it in your stores again thanks the last time i bought it in trader joes happen to get talking to someone from russia and he bought some as well that day clearly the best thanks id like to buy alott cases i only have 2 bottles left and summers coming up