Why You Won't Find A Trader Joe's Location Outside Of The US

From the souks of Morocco to the river markets of Vietnam, and from the mom and pop shops of India to the luxury fruit stores of Japan, it's fun to shop like a local when you travel abroad. Grocery store tourism has become a hot trend among world travelers. People love to see and try all unique products they can't get at home. 

If you're visiting the United States, Trader Joe's is where you go when you want to find snacks you can't get anywhere else, and they're always bringing in new and exciting things. It's also known for its location-specific items, like the viral San Francisco Sourdough and the Sea Salt Chocolate Chunk Cookies. However, you won't find one outside of the U.S. anytime soon.

Given how long some people have been asking for Trader Joe's to expand into other towns in the US, expecting one to pop up in another country feels like a long shot. And that's because it is. Former CEO, Dan Bane, said in an episode of the "Inside Trader Joe's" podcast that "Opening stores outside the 48 states requires us to solve unique logistical and operational problems and we would only open stores where we are able to bring real value to our customers." Essentially, all of the extra costs it would require for TJ's to open up abroad would go against the chain's strategy at home, which is decreasing operational costs as much as possible to keep the food prices down.

Trader Joe's is one of the most popular grocery chains in the US, and it's not uncommon for people who travel from abroad to take a gander inside one of its stores while they're visiting — people from Alaska are known to pack extra bags with them, just for bringing TJ's products back home. But, it's not only something people across countries and seas experience. There are entire states in the US without a single Trader Joe's store, including Alaska, Hawaii, Mississippi, Montana, the Dakotas, West Virginia, and Wyoming. It's not because the people don't want them there, either. Plenty of people have called for a Trader Joe's location to expand into their home states and towns, but until that happens, they'll be stocking up when and wherever they can. 

Whether traveling from abroad or the state over, people pick up a variety of things when they get the chance to stop into Trader Joe's. That includes snacks, pantry staples, and specialty ingredients — the most common of which aren't that different from those who shop there regularly. For instance, the olive oil, nutritional yeast, Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups, dried Mango, and Everything But The Bagel seasoning blend are just some of the go-to items people grab when they visit from overseas.