Related Pages: San Francisco, Food & Grocery, natural food market
Trader Joe's
www.traderjoes.com
Description: Grocery store.
Category:
Food & Grocery
Keywords:
natural food market
Address:
3 Masonic Ave map
San Francisco, CA
94118
Reviews of Trader Joe's
Trader Joe's on Masonic
This Trader Joe's setup causes long traffic jams constantly of cars who are crazy enough to idle while waiting for a parking space, when space is plentiful around the block or across the street.
Trader Joe's has overpriced produce packaged in lots of plastic which is ridiculous in California. Boycott it and buy your produce locally!
Other than that of course Trader is good for other reasons.
Although I think they need to dump their recycled paper bags which fall apart after one use which in my mind is worse for the environment than a heavier bag which you can use multiple times. I know I know, bring my own.
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Shouldn't "Going green" translate to "Going Local"?
It's this simple. The profits of Trader Joes go to Two of the richest men in the world; the Albrecht brothers of Germany. I truly understand the positive associations people have with this company but shouldn't the sustainability movement be advocating local-economics? Overpackaged produce from god knows where, junk food dressed up as healthy/organic, products sourced SO cheap that you have to wonder if the farmer ever got paid anything at all ect. You want to be green?
Buy from your community as much as possible. They do treat their employees quite well though.
Owen S.'s keywords: Trader Joes
1 of 1 people thought this review was helpful.
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Traitor Joe's
Trader Joe's has the potential to be the most incredible grocery store on the planet. The prices are so great, the quality is fantastic, the variety is amazing for the size of the stores. It's refreshing that they are encouraging folks to bring their own bags into the store when they shop. But-----there is an ENORMOUS and inexcusable use of plastic in the TJ stores. I cannot buy their produce--3 bell peppers in a plastic "dish" covered with plastic wrap; grapes, potatoes, artichokes, you-name-it--all in a plastic box. Lovely organic sugars in heavy plastic bags. And those gift cards--couldn't they use recycled cardboard? I do shop at Trader Joe's, but there are many items I can't buy there because of the overuse of plastic. Make it stop, Joe!
Cathryn S.'s keywords: plastic bags, grocery store
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Trader Joe's
Good small niche gourmet store with a good selection of wines at a very reasonable prices. Also has new gift products during certain holidays such as special chocolates at Christmas time.
James C.'s keywords: gourmet store, wine, christmas gifts
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A truely great store!
Trader Joe's has to be the best "green" store out there. They have such an extensive selection of organic products and products you just don't find elsewhere. It's easy to go there and shop for items which are not only created in ways that are better for the environment, but that are also much better for you and your family than what you would find at a normal grocery store! I'll admit that sometimes their items are a bit pricey, but nothing higher than what you would expect from a small store grocery chain, especially one that sells "green" items which tend to cost a bit more anyway.
Brian C.'s keywords: green store, organic, family, environment
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Trader Joes
Trader Joes is a wonderful green and healthy store. My family loves most of their products and fine them to be quite reasonably priced. My children have asthma and I know that there food and cleaning products do not have all the dyes and chemicals that can be bad for them. We shop there on a regular basis and continue to find great products that fit into our family's lifestyle. If you haven' been in a trader Joe's store it is well worth your time to visit one soon.
Linda S.'s keywords: cleaning products, food store
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Love it!
I love Trader Joe's. I will admit that there are things that you can't buy at TJ's, but I go there specifically to buy organic TJ brand cosmetics (much cheaper than a lot of other brands), detergents and great quality and taste frozen foods!
Ada B.'s keywords: groceries, cosmetics
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Super-friendly staff, not so friendly practices
I love going to Trader Joe's, if just for the extremely friendly and personable staff. I've never met an angry staff person there, and furthermore, they are incredibly knowledgable about the company and their products!
Also, they do offer some pretty great deals on a lot of their products, which I have to admit, influences this 20-something non-profit worker. I do agree that their packaging is a little excessive, and for a company that touts itself on being eco-friendly and socially responsible, they could do better in that instance. Also, the fact that so much of their food comes from other countries is also a huge bummer.
But damn if I don't love their trail mixes!
Shayne B.'s keywords: grocery stores, health food
1 of 1 people thought this review was helpful.
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My only supermarket
Avoid Safeway and Lucky's - switch to TJ's.
Great prices and selection
Quality is flawless!
Miyoko K.'s keywords: grocery shop, market, sanfrancisco
1 of 1 people thought this review was helpful.
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TJ's is good for some things...
Trader Joe's is good for certain types of purchases -- mainly, the kinds of packaged foods that you can't really buy in bulk or which you are too lazy to make at home:
- Pacific Almond Milk ($20.28 for a case of 12, compared to $30.08 less 10% at Rainbow Grocery or $24 at Whole Foods on sale)
- Wine (local and imported)
- Bread (lots of good local bakeries represented) and "Now and Zen" vegan cinnamon rolls.
I am perpetually aghast that they package produce as they do, and most of it comes from Chile and other such far away places. The true cost of buying produce from such distances is not reflected in the price you pay at TJ's. Just don't do it. And stay away from the frozen food aisle - that crap is just bad for you.
Jenn A.'s keywords: Trader Joe, packaged food, grocery store
1 of 1 people thought this review was helpful.
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Big Store, Good Food, but not for Me
Save the local co-op! Trader Joe's may have good eats, but it feels like a big box store. The just had a commercial about daffodils from Ireland. OH YEAH THAT'S ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE! 15 cents each and how much jet fuel was wasted to get them here? I would rather go to the South Suburban Food Coop and get my organics there. Going to Trader Joe's is like using a Hybrid Hummer. Nice try, but you still are missing the point.
Emily K.'s keywords: cooperative, co-op, food store
2 of 2 people thought this review was helpful.
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A Packaging Nightmare!
Yeah, they have awesome food. But they are a plastic packaging nightmare. It's almost impossible to find anything at Trader Joe's that's not packaged in plastic. They will tell you that they use biodegradable PLA, but first of all, PLA is not technically biodegradable, and second of all, TJ's only uses it for a few produce items. All the salads, sandwiches, meats, cheeses, frozen foods, you name it, come in petro-plastic. Believe it or not, I saw a shrink-wrapped cucumber at TJ's yesterday. What would possibly be the point of shrink-wrapping a freakin' cucumber?
This is NOT a sustainable business practice, and as it operates now, Trader Joe's is not a sustainable business. Which is sad for me because like I said, they do have some wicked good food.
Beth T.'s keywords: Trader Joes, plastic problems, grocery stores
1 of 1 people thought this review was helpful.
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User Comments:
Cathryn S. says:
I'm glad to see someone else is freaked out by the packaging at TJ's. I thought maybe it was just me. Thank goodness for farmers' markets. more »
TJ's isn't as green as you think
I'd like to clear one thing up about TJ's, something I recently learned. The low price you pay at TJ's is due in part to the fact that TJ's lowballs its vendors by fostering competition among them and driving down the price of their goods, which in turns drives down the quality because the vendors are forced to go looking elsewhere for cheaper ingredients to make its products, and TJ's will do this after they've already got their vendors bound in a contract. TJ's will private label a product, set up a contract for so much at such and such a price, then TJ's will find other vendors that sell the same thing and get them to set a lower price. After that, TJ's will return to the former vendor and tell them that if they don't offer their goods for less, then TJ's will have to let them go. TJ's is owned by Germany's Mr. Albrecht, worth over $20B and the world's 3rd richest man, who doesn't have the greenest track record: http://fussmaker.blogspot.com/2006/01/who-owns-trader-joes.html
Abendigo R.'s keywords: trader joes, vendors, operations
1 of 1 people thought this review was helpful.
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Good for organics
Trader Joe's may not be a small local business, but this company sells countless products that are good for the environment. Many of the meats are nitrate free and they have recently introduced nitrate free deli meat. One can fill up a cart with all organic products, from snacks to pasta, beans, cleaning supplies, etc. They could do better on the fruits and veggies but overall this store is phenomenal - and easy on the wallet.
Karen C.'s keywords: food, grocieries
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Great food,great people, and great prices
Trader Joes is advertised as a unique grocery; however it should be more the rule than just unique. Besides all the low prices-- Trader Joes sells many green products such as recycled top and paper towels-- natural soaps, detergent, etc. In addition they sell many organic products, free-range meats, great chocolate . . . and they do their best to reduce packaging and the use of styrofoam. A trip to Trader Joes will save you money but also will make your soul feel good.
Richard H.'s keywords: grocery
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Certified by Italian Taste Buds
I'm a food snob on a budget I grew up Italian with grandparents and parents that could make oil and bread taste like ambrosia. So when I say the quality of food at the Trader Joe chain is a top, which comes from discerning Italian taste buds. When I say the prices for organic goods is more than reasonable, that comes from a chronic consumer. Yes, I eat organic food, shop in expensive shops to get, and know that Trader Joe's prices and quality are better than anywhere else in Jersey. Yogi tea for $2.00 less; soy butter, $0.75 to $1.00 less; goat cheese and yogurt, $.050 to $0.75 less; organic cereal $1.00 less. And the Paramus store takes care of the one complaint I had about the Westwood store, with its tight aisles--room, room to shop, to move, to push a cart filled with goods that would cost $200 any where else, but I walk away spending only $125.00 Why only four stars--I'm a tough critic, and don't give out A-pluses very often. Food snobs on a budget unite--Trader Joe's is the real deal.
Marie L.'s keywords: Certified by Italian Taste Buds
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Trader Joe's has become one of my favorite places to do my grocery shopping. I am vegan, and here I can find good quality vegetables and other vegetarian alternatives at a reasonable price. I also enjoy the friendly service that their employees provide.
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interesting and reasonably priced products
You can always find a good assortment of products at Trader Joe's. They often have organic and environmentally friendlier products at good prices.
Olga D.'s keywords: interesting and reasonably priced products
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Trader Joe's offers an excellent array of affordable organic food and products. Many of the products originate from the local area. Trader's Joe's produce and cheese are particularly noteworthy.
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User Comments:
Jenn A. says:
I agree with you - this Trader Joe's has a terrible parking issue. It's like going to Berkeley Bowl but it causes worse overflow traffic blockages for surrounding streets. It's one of the worst places for a grocery... more »