Traitor Joe's?
@Susquehanna - I didn't mean to make TJ sound unethical--sorry if my comment left that impression. TJ is just known to be tough negotiators with manufacturers on price and quality.
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What are you famous for?
My artichoke and mushroom lasagna. People always remember it. I posted the recipe here:
http://wardstreetbistro.typepad.com/wsb/2008/03/luxurious-aritc.html
Traitor Joe's?
Food manufacturing today is much more centralized than most people realize. Remember how surprised people were with the pet food recall? That so many brands were coming from the same manufacturing plant? The same thing applies to our (human) food.
My dad was in the food business. Trader Joe's whole business model is to contract with third parties--and squeeze them hard on price.
Responses to Comments by heidia
Traitor Joe's?
It's no secret that TJs sells private label items made by other companies. They happen to have a high quality standard to match the more reasonable price point. Unlike most shops doing this and placing them alongside brand names, they'll only carry limited varieties of an item. If you want a taste of this on a more budget level, check out ALDI. Yes, the place where you have to pay 25c deposit to use a shopping cart. They're about the most fantastic low end supermarket ever. No frills, mostly private label, and unbeatable prices. Same great satisfaction guarantee as TJs. I miss their $1.69 monster box of Frosted Mini Wheats dearly. And guess what - ALDI owns TJs.
Traitor Joe's?
This is idiotic. The packaging is usually an obvious tip-off of what product the TJ brand is a twin of - I'm pretty sure they do that on purpose.
Glad to hear they are a tough customer on quality control - thx jfultz.
Traitor Joe's?
Simple: Regular Distribution is manufacturer (x% margin)->distributor (30% margin)->Retailer (30-40%Margin). Trader Joes has huge volumes so it goes like this Manufacturer (lower margin than usual)-> Trader Joes. They cut out 30-50% of the margin. Hopefully that helps understand why they contract manufacture.
Traitor Joe's?
BREAKING NEWS - Ralph's, Von's, Costco, Safeway all found to be using third parties to produce store brand name items!!!
/sigh
What are you famous for?
Appetizers....I never like to serve the same ones twice, so I'm always researching new appetizers & dips to tempt everyone with....now I've set a presidence for myself.
What are you famous for?
Wow, traveller, I feel sorry for your dog. There was NOTHING my dog, may he RIP, wouldn't eat. Literally. Nothing. Especially if it was something that was at least ostensibly prepared for human consumption. Gee, I miss him...
Anyway. I'm so glad to know I'm not the only one who f's up royally.
@hrbisson, were you also referring to the running late thing? Please say yes. I feel so incompetent in this area. It's like I'm in third grade again, and getting scolded by the teacher for being too talkative. It's pathetic. Almost everyone I know seems able to manage this better than I. A few years ago I figured out that I needed to do 90% of the prep in advance. That, or do a sandwich buffet. That, or lie about what time dinner would be (state a later time than what I'm really shooting for).
p.s., everyone loves my guacamole (single most requested item in my repertoire)... also, beef stew and chili... corn bread... almost all soups, but especially the sopa de albondigas, tomato and minestrone... chicken pot pie... stuffing... gravy... oh, never mind. I'll stick with my original answer... I'm famous for my good food...
Traitor Joe's?
@heidia: No apology necessary. Not such a big deal. Just expressing my confusion and displeasure with all the daggers thrown at TJ's recently.
Website: http://www.wardstreetbistro.com/
Location: Seattle, WA
About: I'm a former chef whose culinary exploits today are contained to my home kitchen, otherwise known as the Ward Street Bistro.
Favorite foods: Pizza and ice cream. In that order.
Last bite on earth: