Trader Joe’s: The Genre
by J. Faith Malicdem
“All Trader Joe's were located near centers of learning. Pasadena, where I opened the first one, was because Pasadena is the epitome of a well-educated town," Trader Joe’s founder Joe Coulombe explained in an interview with the Los Angeles Times. “I reframed this: Trader Joe’s is for overeducated and underpaid people, for all the classical musicians, museum curators, journalists — that's why we've always had good press, frankly!”
During my first spring break in college, I attended a series of job interviews for a position at the local Trader Joe’s. Having grown up paying visits to the store’s original location in Pasadena, California every weekend, I’ve come to associate Trader Joe’s with home. It’s a familiar, nautical safe haven of sorts. And I knew I’d fit right into their crew.
Flashback to the summer of 2019. I’m sifting through my Spotify Discover Weekly only to come across a soulful tune entitled “TJ” by Orange Guava Passion highlighting Brown University collective’s love for the “fresh format” grocery chain.
I got this feeling in my bones
Feelin' hungry stuck at home (Woah-oh-oh)
All my efforts you elude
You really got me in the mood
You got all my favorite food
Soon, I found myself spiraling down a rabbit hole of numerous songs about the market, completely taken aback by Trader Joes’ impact on so many musicians’ lives. Meanwhile, there aren’t any tunes written about Ralph’s or Gelson’s. So, why Trader Joe’s?
In order to arrive at an answer to that question, I think we should first dive into the overarching themes these songs encompass:
“Trader Joe” - Junglepussy
In an interview with food publication Bon Appétit, New York rapper Junglepussy disclosed her dedication to the market and its influence on her perception of love and relationships.
“‘Trader Joe’ is a song about me liking someone but loving myself more and choosing to continue to put myself first even if this person is fun. I just wanted to flip it...and I’m always at Trader Joe’s.”
Throughout “Trader Joe,” Junglepussy illustrates her romantic involvement with someone and her accumulated understanding of casual dating approaches.
We don't f*ck, he just pick me up from Trader Joe’s
Carry all my groceries and lick on all my toes
Tryna cuff but I know you gonna leave me ‘lone
When my phone ring it's ‘cause of [expletive] seen the way I grow
In her song, Junglepussy frames Trader Joe’s as a constant in her life. Who can blame her? A trip to the grocery market is an adventure in and of itself. According to Michael Roberto, professor of management at Bryant University, Coulombe believed the company had “... to get the values right. If we do, we'll create a great experience. We're not selling groceries, we're selling an experience.”
“Trader Joe’s” - Charlie, the Nomad
In “Trader Joe’s,” Charlie Dalencour, also known as Charlie, the Nomad, parallels his spiritual lifestyle with the purity of USDA Certified foods sold at the grocery store.
USDA Certified, keep it organic (repeat)
I know it looks pretty scary, but there’s no time to panic
I got the spirit on my side so my whole flow Messianic…
Never eat Mickey D’s, ‘cause that junk is inedible
Keep the chemicals all minimal…
Charlie, the Nomad holds Trader Joe’s items to a high standard, associating it with sanctity. In an “Inside Trader Joe’s” podcast episode, marketing director Tara Miller disclosed that over 80% of the products sold in-store are private-label instead of name-brand. Thus, Trader Joe’s charges less for the same quality of products sold at other chains, who may be marking their prices higher. There is a level of transparency reinforced in this practice, which Charlie has identified as holier-than-thou.
“Trader Joe’s Low-fat Cinnamon Raisin Granola” - Brian Friedland and Angela Vincente
Boston composer Brian Friedland and vocalist Angela Vincente comically approach one of Friedland’s staple household items: Trader Joe’s low-fat cinnamon raisin granola. In fact, Friedland composed an entire album, Household Items, based on the belongings in his kitchen cupboard.
We just knew there had to be a better way and wouldn’t you know it,
There was, there is
You're holding it! (x2)
Trader Joe’s low-fat cinnamon raisin granola
Is everything you want from granola
“I’m a composer looking to set a couple of Trader Joe’s texts on boxes to music,” Friedland explained in an interview with WBUR’s Andrea Shea. “I’m looking for some new foods with descriptive, colorful packaging.”
In an interview with Mark Gardiner, author of "Build A Brand Like Trader Joe’s, Gardiner explained that “... the secret to Trader Joe's success is making people believe that the people in the stores really like them and really appreciate them.”
A day before my final interview with the Captain, I received the news of Emerson’s Boston campus closing. So, the next morning I called in to break the news. Although I’m borderline heartbroken about missing out on the free stickers, employee discount, and the hospitable work environment, I’m eternally grateful for the safe-haven Trader Joe’s has provided for myself and so many others—especially in a time of crisis, like the one we’re living in today.
Trader Joe’s, while seemingly just a grocery store, continues to stand as so much more for so many people. It sparks inspiration in all of us. And Orange Guava’s “TJ”—the funky bop that started it all for me—does the perfect job of encapsulating this shared feeling.
All my efforts you elude
You really got me in the mood
You got all my favorite food
So who is Trader Joe?
Oh I just gotta know
Cause I love him so