Adventure to be had at Trader Joe's

Anyone lucky enough to live within shopping distance of a Trader Joe's knows the experience is always unique. Fresh food, unique variety, creative store layout, and word-of mouth marketing make Trader Joe's a one-of-a-kind experience for consumers.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Trader Joe's was founded in 1967 by the brilliant and visionary Stanford graduate, Joe Coulombe. Named for its founder,  the chain now boasts 361 locations in 29 states and Washington D.C. Today, it's come a long way from its LA-based convenience store predecessor. 

Coulombe said he wanted to invoke an adventurous South Seas image, and regardless of what brings customers to Trader Joe's, an adventure is often what they get. Both the shopping experience and the foods rank high on the grocery adventure scale. The layout of the stores change occasionally, mixing things up for consumers. The selection is also dynamic. The company actively seeks new and unique products for customers with adventurous palates. 

Of course, the company is known for its staples too. Although Trader Joe's isn't entirely a health-food store, it had a large organic selection and the stores often carry locally produced foods. It's "Two Buck Chuck" wine has been a cult favorite with customers for years. 

With such a name as "Trader Joe's," one might expect a series of exotic, hard-to find treats and delicacies. Such expectations aren't disappointed. Many customers visit Trader Joe's to buy products that simply can't get anywhere else. 

Nearly 80% of its stock is sold under the Trader Joe's label, or one of its other brand labels, making the selection one-of-a-kind. In other words, unlike most other food products, a customer can only get Trader Joe's items at Trader Joe's (mostly). This keeps customers returning to the store where they often encounter new, never before seen products, which is a hallmark of the store's brand image. 

Some of the store's products also come from mainstream corporate suppliers, but unless one closely reads the packaging, you might never realize it . And still, even those products are of high quality, so that the customers who know the difference can only tell the difference with their eyes, and not their taste buds. 

Customer service is one aspect of the store that isn't an adventure--and that's a good thing. Refunds are typically hassle free, made easy with a friendly staff and a no questions asked policy. Staff are carefully hired, well mannered, and friendly. They give stickers to kids and smiling service to grown-ups. 

Thanks to its variety and reputation, the company enjoys a very effective viral marketing campaign. Most people hear of Trader Joe's for the first time from friends or from trying something unique. The word of mouth advertising is far less expensive and far more effective than mainstream methods.
 
Coulombe sold the chain in 1979 to the German Aldi Nord discount supermarket chain. He says he cannot remember how much he sold it for. The Aldi Nord chain is owned by the famously private and ultra-wealthy Theo Albrecht. The Albrecht family manages the Trader Joe's  stores carefully.

The chain carries no debt, finances its own expansion, and opens very few new locations each year, and that only after thorough vetting of each locale. Many communities actively lobby the company to get one of the much-desired stores into their neighborhoods.
 Few people ever utter the word, "adventure" in the same sentence as "grocery store," but the unique experience offered by Trader Joe's is doing a lot to change that.

Feel free to share your Trader Joe's adventures below. What are some of your favorites? 

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