Exit
pretty simple: If you were General
Mills, would you want your customers finding out they can buy
the same box of $4.99 Cheerios at
Trader Joe’s for $1.99? We didn’t
think so. The secrecy prevents the
big brands’ customers from fleeing
traditional supermarkets in favor
of buying the cheaper Trader Joe’s
version. And thus, the big brands
are willing to operate under Trader Joe’s cloak of secrecy, under
which the “vendor shall not publicize its business relationship with
TJ’s in any manner.”
And so our taste test begins. We
selected 10 Trader Joe’s products
and their rumored big-brand matches and tasted them with a panel of
judges. We conducted a double-blind
tasting — not blind, because it’s important to note visual differences
in the products, in this case — and
tried our hardest to detect any similarities and differences. Then, we
came up with a final verdict.
Here’s the main thing we can’t get
over, and the moral of the story. For
the major price difference between
TJ’s and its big brand matches, the
difference in taste and quality is so
slight that it’s almost nonexistent.
We’re reeling with regret over all the
money we’ve spent on the
big brands in the past.
This post is in no way influenced
or sponsored by any of the brands
involved — especially not Trader Joe’s.
HUFFINGTON
03.10.13
TASTE
TEST
$2.49
$4.69
CREAM OF TOMATO SOUP
TRADER JOE’S VS. PACIFIC
TASTING NOTES: Aside from a slight difference in color and
thickness (the Trader Joe’s version may have been a bit thicker
and darker colored), there was no discernible difference in taste
between these two products, leading us to believe ...
THE VERDICT: They’re probably the same product.
$1.49
ORGANIC SHELLS AND WHITE CHEDDAR
TRADER JOE’S VS. ANNIE’S HOMEGROWN
TASTING NOTES: There’s no denying this one. From the
packaging to the shape of the shells and the contents of
the flavor packet …
THE VERDICT: These are the same product.
$3.29