Trader Joe’s a Well-Kept Secret for Many Kosher Consumers
It is no longer a secret that the large discount chains, Costco, Sam’s Club, Walmart and Trader Joe’s have bought into kosher in an extremely significant way.
Many kosher consumers use these stores to buy specialty products and even to supplement their shopping lists at major supermarkets or independent kosher supermarkets.
But one chain, Trader’s Joe is being quietly heralded for going beyond the call of duty with its broad list of kosher products, its private label products that have kosher certification, and it fulfilling the demands of even a small group of kosher consumers.
Trader Joe’s also shows extreme sensitivity in the way it treats kosher certifications.
Trader Joe’s notes on its website and in a publication of its long list of kosher food products how it views kosher certification: “We sail the culinary seas in search of new and exciting products. How does this affect our kosher observant shoppers? Because our products span the globe, you may spot kosher symbols that you do not recognize.
“Our Kosher list was compiled to help you easily identify the wide range of kosher certified products that we carry in our stores. At the end of the product list, we have included an index of kosher hechshers (symbols) found on Trader Joe’s Products, so that you can become more familiar with the kosher certifier agencies that may not be from your neighborhood.”
One customer said that she finds some very unique items at her Trader Joe’s. She mentioned such items as Chocolate Babka, Organic Milk Chocolate Truffle Bar, Organic Mariani Mango, 100% White Whole Wheat Flour, Boneless Skinless Wild Alaskan Pink Salmon No Salt Added, Butternut Squash Soup, and Canola Oil Spray. It is some of these unique items that kosher shoppers like buying at Trader Joe’s, especially if it has a great hechsher.
Is one of the only products that has it’s private label and not under the Trader Joe’s label
Brooklyn babka is made by greens bakery in Williamsburg and half moon is also pas yisroel from a known frum Brooklyn bakery ( don’t remember the name this second) I know this first hand from a well known mashgiach in la . Also the kosher meats are from Teva meats under good hashgocho but not for lubavitchers. Know this first hand that person that works in the meat industry in la.
The also sell great parve ice cream.
IS pas as well as the 1/2 moon cookies. Among other items. Like a certain bag of bagels they carry. (Just be careful to buy the right ones)
My late wife OBM would do mivtzoim there two or three times a week to speak to Yidden about kashrus.
Can someone please confirm if they know it is Pas Yisroel?
I guess it hasn’t been well know to some city lovers. Many shluchim and Jewish families that live in far out places have been relying on Trader Joe’s for many of their kosher staples for well over 20 years.
Trader Joe’s also has maple sugar candies in the shape of leaves at this time of year.
Trader Joe sells cholov yisroel kosher feta cheese from Israel, the brand is “Pastures of Eden”, it is in a yellow and green package.
Also I’m not positive but I think the “Brooklyn Babka” is pas yisroel. (The reason I’m not sure is that I don’t buy cake in the first place.)
Keep in mind not all kosher symbols keep your same standards. But yes it is a great place to shop.
Of these and other items do not have a proper hechsher for bishul yisroel and pas yisroel, and obviously not cholov yisroel. Lot’s of great things but make sure you know what to look for. They have very good brown rice pasta, usually 1 or 2 dollars a bag for what they sell for 5 or 6 in kosher supermarkets.
service with a BIG SMILE. A pleasure to shop there
They have good canned tomatoes, spaghetti sauce, pasta, dried fruit and nuts, oils, honey, jellies, cereals