The Store-Bought Kimchi Brand You Should Avoid Adding To Your Cart

There are a lot of kimchi brands out there, and the Korean condiment's recent globalization and health food status has made it easier than ever to find. From Costco to Target, and from your local Korean food market to your neighborhood co-op — no matter where you do your food shopping, you can get your hands on a container of kimchi. But you might be surprised to learn that Tasting Table's taste tester's worst ranked kimchi brand comes from one of everyones' favorite places to shop: Trader Joe's. Despite carrying our favorite store bought stir fry sauce and our all-time favorite summer condiment, the dill pickle mustard, Trader Joe's private label kimchi is one thing you should avoid adding to your cart.

Trader Joe's is full of hits, but the brand's kimchi is a definite miss. It might get the job done in a dire scenario, but if you've ever had a good batch of fermented Korean-style kimchi, you'll be disappointed. The flavors of this kimchi are simply not there, with Reddit users calling it a "low battery version of the real deal" and "an insult to OG kimchi." It's more like a quick pickle than an actual hearty batch of fully fermented kimchi, leaving you with much to be desired in the taste department. Some have even suggested that an essential ingredient might've been left out, and while it is vegan (i.e. no fish sauce or shrimp paste for that extra umami), there are way better options out there.

While Trader Joe's might not be the go to place for kimchi, the truth is that they carry less things than other grocery stores do in general — so you were likely going to have to make another trip somewhere to get everything you needed anyway. Costco's kimchi is one of the best store bought kimchis you can get. It makes sense, seeing as its made by the popular Korean brand Jongga. Plus, you can stock up on toilet paper and paper towels while you're at it. But some kimchi fans find it to be too vinegary and not spicy enough. That, of course, could be a good thing if you can't handle a lot of heat.

If you are looking for more bite in your kimchi, your best bet is to head to a local Asian market like H-Mart, which actually carries one of our taste tester's favorite brands, 1,000 Year kimchi. You could also head to Meijer or Target to get a bag of Cleveland Kitchen kimchi, which our taste testers ranked second behind a local New England brand called Chi Kitchen (it's not yet available nation-wide, although you could order a batch online). If those are too out of the way, Whole Foods also carries the Sunja brand kimchi that our taste testers ranked in fourth place. Interestingly, all of these options are also plant based — proving that you don't have to sacrifice flavor for something allergen or vegan-friendly.