Trader Joe's

[mk1]

I was just in my local store and it was just restocked with cat foods. I asked a few of the employees if they were still using Menu Foods and they did not know what I was talking about.

I also just e-mailed TJs through their website. I will post a reply once I receive it.

E

[Cindy Nevarez]

I'll bet they are.

[mk1]

Yep. I called their offices in Monrovia, CA and they said yes. What a shame!

I was hoping to go back to using this food as it was not too expensive and my picky kitty likes it. He's a hard one to feed in terms of wet food.

E

[Geff]

As an fyi I just called Trader Joe's. I've been eating their frozen Calamari & noticed it was made in China. I asked them if they have EVER tested the Calamari to see if there were any extra ingredients that the packer may not be admitting to. The rep tried really hard not to answer the question. She gave me a big song & dance about how they have used the same suppliers for years & required USDA standards.

I reminded her of their Pet Food recall. She denied that their ever was a recall!!! & stated that they had tested their pet food for the suspect ingredients because of being manufactured at "Menu West" & didn't find any poison.

I finally got her to admit that they had NEVER tested the Calamari in question.

Another store I've trusted in the past down the drain..............

BTW, they do NOT list their corporate phone # on their website (kinda like ebay). The # is 626-599-3700.

[Geff]

I visited a Trader Joe's tonight (unfortunately, I think it will be the last time for quite awhile as I had several problems with them in addition to what I'm mentioning here).

I noticed (happily) that all Made In China frozen Seafood had been pulled & replaced with Russsian & Canadian. I mentioned this to a clerk in a positive manner (i.e. glad TJ's was so on top of this, etc) . He immeadiately got defensive,  & tried to imitate what I now see is obviously the corporate line used by the Woman I spoke with at corporate on 6/19. Unfortunately (for him) , he wasn't as good a lier as her, & he kept stumbling; the only point he was able to make after I asked hadn't he seen or read any of the news reports on tainted Seafood from China was that TJ's was "different" & that they were a "health food store" & couldn't possibly be impacted.

I always thought I'd be a TJ's customer for life, but I've lost all trust in them; they're just another profiteering corporation covering their rears. All I can think is that they're afraid of a law suit if they admit to this; but I would think that UP UNTIL THIS COVERUP, they were likely victims as much as us. NO LONGER.

[garypen]

Yep. It's a shame. It's great that they pulled Chinese-sourced products, of course. But, instead of denying they did it because of worries about Chinese food safety, they should be advertising that fact! They could look like heroes who care about their customers more than profit. But, nooooooooooo. Instead, they just look like all the greedy motherf****ers who worship the almighty dollar.

[Geff]

FYI, some of the Chinese Seafood is back in TJ's freezer.

[garypen]

It's a good thing we read labels. A lot of people don't. And, quite frankly, I didn't think to read them at TJ's until recently. The Chinese-made TJ's stuff I had went straight in the garbage.

I found a few Chinese-produced frozen products in my freezer that I got at a Japanese market. I never thought to read those labels before. (Japanese people have been shunning Chinese products for years.) They went straight in the garbage too. (I had always wondered why some Unagi was $4-5 a package, and some was $15. Now I know.)

[Geff]

It's a good thing we read labels. A lot of people don't. And, quite frankly, I didn't think to read them at TJ's until recently. The Chinese-made TJ's stuff I had went straight in the garbage.

I found a few Chinese-produced frozen products in my freezer that I got at a Japanese market. I never thought to read those labels before. (Japanese people have been shunning Chinese products for years.) They went straight in the garbage too. (I had always wondered why some Unagi was $4-5 a package, and some was $15. Now I know.)

Scary thing is that current US law only requires seafood to be labeled with country of origin. Any other food is voluntary. The original law passed by congress required several other foods to be included in the labeling requirements, but Bush gutted the law.

[garypen]

What a coincidence that he's from Texas where the beef industry is so huge. Yeah. Definitely a coincidence.

[Geff]

Hi Gary - Sounds like you despise Bush almost as much as I do!

[garypen]

No. I merely dislike him... intensely. He's just a swaggering frat boy buffoon in a suit.

I despise Dick Cheney, Karl Rove, Donald Rumsfeld, Paul Wolfowitz. You know. The former Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

[garypen]

Has anybody been using the Trader Joe's brand dry food? Is it made by Diamond? (I don't trust Diamond so much.) I want to stop using the Innova Senior, due to reports of problems with Innova dry dog food. But, I have my doubts about going back to California Natural, as I am starting to distrust Natura in general, due to their double-talk and dancing around the issue.

So, the Trader Joe's dry food might be worth a shot. Or, maybe the Bench and Field organic holistic brand they carry. Anybody have any experience with that one?