Wednesday, August 23, 2017

Discontinued

If you're a Trader Joe's shopper like we are, you are all too familiar with that word.  As I was looking for the chili hot jam that I've come to depend on for my healthier version of Chinese food, I got that sinking feeling.  I couldn't find it.  So I went up to the dude with the clipboard and asked if they still carried it.  "Aww, noooooo.  {feigned sympathy} Our little supplier couldn't keep up with the demand year round so we've had to knock it back to seasonal."  I know this as code for "you will never see this item again, sister." Look I know their whole stance on this discontinued crap "if we carried everything, we'd never be able to bring you awesome new items!"

Stuff your new items up your (insert orifice here), Joe.

Here's the graveyard of just some of our past faves:








I know there are at least five or six more but these are the ones that were favorites for years and shouldn't have been going anywhere so they were a particular kick in the gut.  Oh yeah and their chipotle hummus that they booted when the sriracha craze hit.  (Thank God that's mostly over)

It's to the point that one or two more crucial discontinuations and we'll end up being seasonal only customers.  Truly nothing is safe when they discontinue stuff they've had for 5+ years.  I tried making their chipotle potato bites and they were nothing like theirs.  They were the perfect side dish.  Oh look, here's a picture of them...



Sigh.  They were the perfect little bites.  Jerks.  I even remember asking about them and the excuse was they were "too popular."  Scuzi?  Yeah, that made sense.  Bitter, party of one.  We won't even go into the chicken arancini I can no longer easily throw together...


Okay, I'm getting more irritated.  LOL

What TJ's favorite(s) have they yanked on you?  (If you don't have a TJ's near you, it can be any product that's been discontinued)

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6 comments:

  1. Just bring back the arancini bites. That was part of one of my favorite meals and I want that again. They have a really crappy policy when it comes to swiftly removing some great products. These were products that would sell out all the time at our TJ's too so I cannot imagine they weren't selling enough. It's as if they have a counter for how many times we buy an item and as soon as we reach a threshold that tells them we really like something, they decide that is the time to yank it.

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  2. Mango salsa. I was told it was discontinued then happened to mention it to someone in another state far away who graciously bought me a case of it and shipped it to me. It prolonged the inevitable but I am still sad that it's gone over 10 years later.

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  3. Is it possible these products are still being manufactured and you can buy them directly or thru another store? Not a Trader Joe person, at all, but I have done that with things I cannot find locally. (Yes, frozen can be a problem.)

    I realize the difficulty is going to be you might not have a picture or a container. So that made me think of photographing anything else you buy that might be discontinued.

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    Replies
    1. So far the thai lime rice is the only thing I've found that is being made by others of the products we liked. As soon as they yank something, I always immediately go online looking for a substitution and unfortunately have only found it once. Pffft.

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  4. Same issue, but at a different level. I work for a Corelle store, and when they discontinue patterns, thats it. No more are made, and the people that sell them on the internet are making a bundle because collectors will pay to complete their collections. I try to steer people to the patterns that wont disappear, but you like what you like.

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  5. The nearest one to me is about 55 miles away so I don't shop there. But the first time I went to one was 20 years ago when I lived in Phoenix and my favorite thing to buy there was the dried apricots. Those were SO good! Not sure if they still have them or not, but downing a whole bag in a night was not unheard of. =o)

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