It's complicated ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
About the most successful grocer in America, billion dollar trash deal and something most families have in common.
Good morning. Pop quiz… What started off with a Red Bull, made a quick pitstop at In-N-Out Burger, replenished with some Gatorade to finally make its way here?
It’s our food industry Brand Strategy 101 crash course, providing the ultimate adventure in acquiring a boatload of random knowledge minus the self-doubt, jargon, excel sheets, and power-points. So, buckle up, grab a cup of coffee, and get ready to enjoy today’s case study — the star of your conversations this weekend.
PSA: Move your clocks forward by an hour as Daylight Saving Time kicks in this Sunday. Shout out to those who haven’t changed their clocks since November. #worksmartnothard.
In the food world
🇨🇭 Not Swiss enough
Toblerone — the iconic chocolate, that has been a Swiss staple for more than 100 years, proudly displaying the nation's most famous mountain peak on its packaging. However, they’re moving part of their production to Slovakia to cut costs. And like a vengeful ex changing the Netflix password after a breakup, the Swiss government wants the brand to remove its famed Matterhorn logo from its packaging for not Swiss enough to adorn it as per the Swissness Act.
🔄 Billion dollar trash deal
Meet Divert — the new superhero in town. This Massachusetts-based tech firm, whose mission is to turn food waste into renewable natural gas, has just secured $100m in funding from Canadian energy company Enbridge. Divert aims to ensure that no leftover broccoli is left behind as it plans to offset a potential 400,000 metric tons of CO2 annually. And with Target and Kroger on their side, even food waste knows not to mess with Divert.
🥃 FU-ngus Jack
Jack Daniel's is giving residents in rural Tennessee more than just a hangover. Their whiskey-making process has caused a fungus to spread, covering outdoor surfaces with a soot-like substance. And while the fungus isn't harmful, people aren’t thrilled about it. They're asking Jack Daniel’s to fund an environmental study to further assess the fungus’ effects and install an air filtration system, which the company is concerned, could alter the whiskey’s flavor… even when masked with Coke.
Not your average Joe
Trader Joe's — the hipster version of Willy Wonka's chocolate factory, where the candy bars are replaced with organic quinoa chips, makes you wonder why you ever shopped anywhere else. Famous for their beachy tchotchkes and Hawaiian shirts, going to Trader Joe's is like entering an alternate universe where everything is just that little bit more exciting.
With no branded items, TV ads, or loyalty programs, Trader Joe’s remains notoriously press-shy. Despite this unique approach, a Saturday afternoon queue outside a TJ’s rivals that of a Disneyland. So, what's their secret? It's a bit of a mystery, but here’s what we know.
Employees take over
Trader Joe’s wants to maximize customer interaction. For starters, their employees are the friendliest people on the planet, offering you advice on some of life’s most complex problems. Their policy of stocking shelves during business hours instead of overnight further facilitates these therapeutic discussions.
But it's not just their friendly staff that sets them apart. Trader Joe's pays their employees above the industry standard. "Crew members" earn about $50,000 a year, while "Captains" make a cushy $100,000.
Source and price
Trader Joe's also sells their products at very low prices. And yet, their stores take in the most revenue per square foot in the industry. Partly due to the fact that they mostly sell high-quality private-label items that taste delicious.
They’re like that friend who always tries to convince you to try new things, even if it means tasting pickle-flavored popcorn. A lot of effort is put into scouting, sourcing, and producing food, giving rise to the Everything But the Bagel seasoning, Honey Aleppo sauce, and many other items that you never knew you needed.
Choice paradox
One of the most fascinating things about Trader Joe's is their understanding of the paradox of choice a.k.a. less is more. They know that the more options we have, the more likely we are to just curl up in a ball and cry in the middle of the store.
By being the Gandalf to our Frodo and offering a limited selection of products per domain, they guide us through the treacherous journey of grocery shopping. Customers can finally make a decision on what cereal to buy without suffering a mental breakdown in aisle 5.
Quiz
Trader Joe’s and Aldi are technically owned by the same family. It’s a bit complicated but it's pretty wild how one company can own multiple competing brands in the same industry.
From the list below, three brand pairs are siblings, while the brands in one are as related to each other as Spirit Airlines and free check-in bags. Can you guess it?
*Answer at the bottom.
Did you know?
It’s no secret that America is crazy for Costco! With a staggering 68 million memberships under its belt, that's more than half of all families! If you need a year's supply of ketchup or a lifetime's worth of granola bars, Costco's got you covered.
For a coffee to be called decaf, it needs to have at least 97% of its caffeine removed. All the flavor and none of the jitters.
Canola oil is an acronym that stands for Canada Oil. It’s a derivative of rapeseed oil with lesser erucic acid, but a lot more politeness.
Kitchen Tips
Soaking rice for 30 mins prior to cooking is the equivalent of stretching prior to working out. It gets the rice all pumped up to cook faster, eventually lowering energy costs.
Prevent cut avocados from turning brown by using this reusable beeswax wrapping cloth as an eco-friendly alternative to a plastic wrap. Save the world, one plastic wrap at a time.
To easily scrape burnt-on food off the pans,
don’t burn your food!!add a couple of drops of dish soap and enough water to cover the bottom of the pan. Then bring to a boil on a stovetop.
Trader Joe’s copycat recipes
Lemon bars: A crispy buttery crust with a sweet and sour lemon filling.
Cowboy bark: An extremely satisfying treat ready in only 5 mins.
Pumpkin cranberry crisps: Easy to make and they taste better than the store-bought ones!
While this simmers…
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Answer
Budweiser and Coors are not related. Instead, Budweiser, Michelob, Rolling Rock, Elysian, and Goose Island all belong to the same company.