Trader Joe's To Discontinue Chinese Imports

[ChinoWayne]

From the L.A. Times today ( http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-tj12feb12,0,4678115.story ):

"Trader Joe's said today that it would remove some Chinese-grown foods from its stores over customer worries about the safety of products made in China.

The Monrovia-based grocery store chain, which prides itself on offering a wide variety of items and ingredients from around the world, said it planned to have single-ingredient items from China, such as garlic and frozen spinach, off its shelves by April 1. However, products that include ingredients from China and other sources won't be removed from the chain's more than 250 U.S. stores."

http://FIGHTPTSD.ORG

[Jeserf]

This is a good step - but I agree that country of origin labels in EVERY store would be useful.

It's nice to know that trader joes is responsive to their customers.

I went there yesterday for the first time in a while, and did notice that the prices have gone up on a few of the products I regularly buy. Such is the economy....sigh...

[Chuckles the Clone]

OK, so they are removing "some" unspecified products. And not others. From the
point of view of a customer, the situation is the same: we can't tell where our food is
coming from.

What they could do that would make a difference is adding a country of origin label
to their products. I wrote to them last year to ask that they consider this, and they
wrote back to tell me that at any time I could ask the manager of the store to give
me the information. But they wouldn't be adding it to their labels. I can't imagine why
not.

[Chew on That]

I find this very commendable seeing as how they stick to a 'quality products" policy. Big move, but very impressive!

[firecooked]

Maybe I should complain to Safeway. Although I like many of their house-brand organic products, I noticed (while doing panty-cleaning and looking for dates on cans) that the "O" beans are all from China. I donated those to a food bank, and have been getting other brands of canned beans (including TJ).

[Jase]

If they're not safe for your own consumption, why donate to a food bank?

[firecooked]

We all make personal choices on what to consume, and unfortunately we cannot simply say food is safe or not. I choose to not eat HFCS, ground beef unless I grind it, farmed fish and canned goods produced in Asia. They present risks that I prefer to avoid.

[jen kalb]

Im glad to see this. I know I questioned them closely about the source of their garlic -stopped buying the chinese garlic last year.

[pitu]

Me too.
I stopped reading and purchased the garlic after glancing at "packaged in USA" or some other reference to Monrovia CA, and was p*ssed when I read further to Product of China, after I got home.

But a huge amount of organic garlic in the USA comes from China, so . . .
I stocked up for the winter at the farmer's market: garlic keeps for months if you store it in a paper bag by itself in a dark cool place

[pitu]

interesting!
the detail that they are keeping products with China-sourced ingredients, because the customers have not complained with that degree of specificity, is worth noting . . .

[emery_jc]

Very interesting because those added ingredients are the ones I worry about the most!