Who Makes Trader Joe's Hummus?

The Trader Joe's refrigerator is full of dips — from the fan favorite Vegan Tzatziki, to Tasting Table's taste tester's personal TJ's dip of choice, the Garlic Spread-Dip, which placed first in their ranking of Trader Joe's dips. But, among all of the unique and trendy items designed to be dunked into and spread is one option that will always and forever have a space in your fridge, and that's the hummus. Traditionally made from a base of pureed chickpeas, tahini, and olive oil, hummus is a protein-rich dip that can be done in many different ways — and TJ's has done a lot of them.

With its Mediterranean Style Hummus — whipped and topped with pine nuts and parsley — Organic Hummus, Roasted Garlic Hummus, Roasted Red Pepper Hummus, and Crunchy Chili Onion Hummus, among others, your hummus options are far from limited at Trader Joe's. But, one has to wonder, who's making all this hummus? Trader Joe's is full of private label products that are made specially for it, cutting out additional costs so they can be sold at TJ's famously competitive prices. 

In the case of the hummus, however, who makes it depends on the flavor. A recall from Tribe Mediterranean Foods unveiled that it was at least one of the brands behind TJ's hummus in 2015, after it became known that its tahini-free hummus could, in fact, contain sesame seeds. TJ's Mediterranean Style Hummus, on the other hand, is made by Bakkavor Foods, according to another recall from 2016.

While who actually makes the hummus from Trader Joe's depends on the flavor you get, you can rest assured knowing it's made especially for the store under a private label — and for a pretty significant price difference, too. For example, if you were to purchase an 8-ounce container of Tribe Hummus from another grocery store, it could cost you anywhere from $4 to $5, depending on where you shop. 

At Trader Joe's, an 8-ounce container of Organic Hummus costs $3 — while a large, 16-ounce container of the Mediterranean Style Hummus goes for just $4.29. The reason Trader Joe's is able to offer such competitive prices on its hummus — and all of the products it carries, really — is actually because, by being private label, the brand is able to cut out middle man costs and pass on those savings to its customers. Trader Joe's goes out of its way to ensure its customers are saving money, and it does so without sacrificing the customer experience. 

From the minimal packaging your food comes in to the notoriously chaotic parking lots, and from the lack of grocery delivery apps to the size of its stores — at Trader Joe's, everything comes down to cutting store prices so that you can save when you shop. In fact, a breakdown from CNET found that people can save around $80 per trip shopping there. That's because, at the end of the day, Trader Joe's is for everyone. Now, if only its locations reflected that.