Trader Joe’s, originally a health food store in California, has now expanded its brand across the United States, attracting visitors from around the world to its stores. The Tote Bag introduced by the supermarket has gained immense popularity, even becoming a fashion symbol in Japan.
How does a supermarket become a global tourist hotspot? Author of “The Art of Trader Joe’s,” Julie Averbach, provides some insights. “I think Trader Joe’s is like the Disneyland of American supermarkets, attracting customers on a sensory level,” she told CNN. “From eye-catching product packaging and handcrafted art inside the store to music playing from speakers and tasting counters for sampling products, it has it all.”
It is reported that Joe Coulombe, the founder of Trader Joe’s, was inspired by his travels around the world to make ingredients that were hard to find at the time more accessible in the United States.
According to a 2024 study by Morning Consult, 25% of regular Trader Joe’s customers come from households with an annual income exceeding $100,000, and the research company describes them as “prolific social media users.”
Consumers in the United States and abroad often use social media to stay informed about the latest products and share their opinions on goods online.
Trader Joe’s isn’t the only one turning grocery shopping into a travel experience. Travel booking website Expedia states that 39% of travelers usually visit supermarkets during their trips, with 44% of them making an effort to buy items they cannot find in their hometowns, including food.
For Maria Silva, a Peruvian who spent her college years in North Carolina and New York, Trader Joe’s has become an integral part of her American experience. She initially saw the store as a convenient place to buy staple foods like yogurt and fresh fruits. However, she began exploring alternative products and even started bringing them home as gifts for her family during holidays, with her relatives also becoming enamored with Trader Joe’s.
Vibrant and creatively packaged products tailored by in-house graphic designers make many of Trader Joe’s items perfect for gifting. “They try to dazzle you, bring joy, and wonder,” Ms. Averbach said, “rather than just sell groceries to you.”
In addition to snacks, Trader Joe’s $3 tote bag has also become a fashion statement, reselling on eBay for as high as $500.
BBC once reported that Trader Joe’s has a peculiar celebrity effect in Japan, with many people seen carrying Trader Joe’s tote bags. In Japan, the “Amerikajin” fashion trend (or “American core”) includes various products ranging from Harley Davidson merchandise to Harvard University sweatshirts, but the ultimate symbol of identity is the thick canvas Trader Joe’s tote bag.
Kumi Soto, a Los Angeles tour guide from Osaka, Japan, always takes Japanese tourists to Trader Joe’s. “They buy a lot of bags,” she told BBC Culture Channel. “In Japan, they have a habit of buying souvenirs for themselves during their travels.”
Trader Joe’s informed CNN that location is crucial for the brand. “Our product development team travels the world in search of what we believe are special products and we trust that these products will be well-received by our customers,” a company representative stated in an email to CNN.