Trader Joe's Private Label

[Jim]

While shopping at Trader Joe's I noticed several years ago, that a frozen pizza they started carrying and still carry looked a lot like Amy's Pizza that I would buy at Andronicos for several dollars more. I purchased it and compared it to the Amy's brand I had at home. Well sure enough it was the same pizza. Since then they added several more of Amy's pizzas under the Trader Joe's label which is referred to in the business world as "Private Labeling". I also discovered that one of their frozen vegetarian enchiladas is also Amy's. I know there are also questions on this board regarding the "cream on the top" milk at TJ's being Strauss' but bearing the TJ's label. I'm now curious as to other name brands out there that those of you suspect or are certain are being private labeled for Trader Joe's.

[coney with everything]

I just noticed when I was in TJ's a couple of days ago that the Natalies Orchard fresh squeezed OJ has been replaced by TJ's. The container looks like the Natalies did.

[chompy]

Not that these are exactly chow-worthy examples, but I'm pretty sure the Joe's O's are Cheerios that have been rejected for defects. And the Woven Wheat Wafers have gotta be Triscuits.

[Steve Green]

Don't think so. Cheerios taste different.

[CoryKatherine]

My boyfriend literally lives on honey nut cherrios or whatever brand of the product I choose to buy him, which is Joe's honey Os or whatever they're called 9 times out of 10. He recently told me that he felt like there was a lot of variation in color and even taste between different boxes of the same Trader Joes products. Last weeks box was apparently dark honey colored and this weeks box was light wheat colored. I haven't investigated this or anything but it made me curious...

[Steve Green]

Around the holidays, they sell a TJ's Pure Butter Shortbread, made in Speyside, Scotland. That must be Walkers Shortbread, unless Walkers has another 100-year-old cookie manufacturer as a neighbor in Speyside. Tastes the same to me, but has minor physical imperfections. Way cheaper.

[alkapal]

i stocked up on the shortbread, and still have 5 boxes. it is delicious.
i also stocked up on the "white chocolate christmas bark" BARS (by the checkout counter). they're like an old-days girls scout thin mint cookie on a very high quality head trip.

[Bryan Gros]

TJ has long carried King Arthur flour. Price has gone up quite a bit the last couple years.

Yesterday I noticed they now have "TJs Baker's Pantry" brand flour in a bag similar to King Arthur. Unbleached and white whole wheat. What are the odds it is the same King Arthur flour cheaper?

[chez cherie]

not according to king arthur's website:
http://www.kingarthurflour.com/blog/2...

[sugartoof]

That's sad. I wouldn't have ever sprung for the King Arthur stuff if it wasn't for Trader Joe's prices, and now I'm hooked.

Maybe the new house brand is a repackaging of another great brand?

[beachmouse]

Walker's does provide private label shortbread to Walgreen's, so it's definitely possible they do so for TJ's as well.

I don't have a TJ's in my area, but some of the private label product descriptions I've heard here sound similar to some of Target's Archer Farms private label offerings. Wouldn't be surprised if the same company made for both big chains.

[Caitlin McGrath]

The tetra-pak soups (tomato-red pepper, butternut squash) are identical to Pacific's, which makes me wonder about TJ's tetra-pak chicken (etc.) broths - are they Pacific, too?

Here are a few more comparisons: http://www.chow.com/stories/10947

[CoryKatherine]

I thought they sold Amy's burritos at TJs? Is that my imagination?

[cheesecake17]

I've never seen Amy's products at TJ's in NYC

[sugartoof]

Anything marked "Made for Trader Joe's" that isn't manufactured in Monrovia, California or Needham, Ma. is obviously rebranded, but I do think the products are frequently made special for them to meet their requirements of less preservatives, quality, and who knows what else. Amy's would be an identical dupe, but if you pick up the similar name brand version of some of your favorite TJ foods, (mini crab cakes comes to mind) they're not exactly identical.

[alkapal]

some have said their dark chocolate is callebaut: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/396219

[Caitlin McGrath]

To be specific, it's TJ's Belgian chocolate that seems to be Callebaut (they carry other dark chocolates from other places, including Switzerland).

[Steve Green]

Someone posted in another thread that these were the Pound Plus bars, and that they once got some (in the regular TJ wrapper) that had the Callebaut name molded into the chocolate.

[Caitlin McGrath]

That was me. It was actually the three-packs of little bars that were stamped Callebaut (the thread alkapal links above has other posters who got that same run, too). It's long been rumored that the Pound Plus bars were Callebaut, so this is proof that their Belgian chocolate (not just dark) is, indeed, supplied by Callebaut.

[gorboduc]

The semi-sweet chocolate chips are Callebaut, or at least last time I saw them being restocked, they were coming out of Callebaut boxes.

The mini croissants, chocolate croissants, frozen key lime tarts, frozen pecan tarts, sticky buns, and Cannelés, are all Galaxy Desserts.