What Company Is Behind Trader Joe's Salad Kits?

There's just no other store quite like Trader Joe's. From its quaint homespun vibe and the jovial staff or "crew" as they're affectionately called, to the beloved wine selection and in-store publication, the Fearless Flyer, it stands out from the herd. Another major factor that sets it apart is what's on the shelves themselves, which is almost exclusively TJ's own private-label brand with its signature whimsical, dryly humorous branding. 

But while products bear the Trader Joe's logos, many other companies behind the scenes actually manufacture the goods. In the case of bagged salad kits, the manufacturer almost certainly behind products like the Southwestern Chopped Salad Kit, Sweet Chili Mango Salad Kit, and others is Taylor Farms. This strong hunch is thanks to eagle-eyed detective work by devoted grocery shoppers, who noted Taylor Farms was mentioned by name in recalls back in 2022 of Trader Joe's Lemony Arugula Basil Salad Kit , making it nearly indisputable it's the company making the bagged greens.

With recall info being public record, Trader Joe's fans and internet sleuths feel certain that Taylor Farms, which makes its own bagged salads and pre-portioned snack kits, is indeed the company that produces the salad kits sold at TJ's. But in case there was still any doubt, the products themselves also reveal some tell-tale, striking parallels. For example, Trader Joe's and Taylor Farms sell similar items, notably the pretty out-there dill pickle salad kit, both versions of which are made with very similar greens and dill pickle ranch dressing packets. It makes sense that if the same company is behind both items slapped with two different labels, there would be some obvious overlap in the resulting products. 

And if you ever picked up a product — salad or otherwise — that appeared to be uniquely from Trader Joe's and had an eerie sense of deja vu, you're not just imagining having seen it somewhere else. Though TJ's rarely sells name-brand products, in favor of unique products you can't get anywhere else, it also takes heavy cues from popular items. In some cases, this results in what could be described as dupes for name-brand products. There's a reason a certain TJ's facial sunscreen was heralded as an exact copy of a wildly popular brand recently, or why its bottled green juice smoothies are incredibly similar to a big brand name's version. Yep — the same companies are behind them.

Unlike your typical big box retailers — think Kroger, Target, or Walmart –Trader Joe's bucks the standard model of filling shelves mostly with goods from food companies who work to earn a space in the retailer's inventory. Instead, you'll find products that look like they're made in-house by Trader Joe's, but a slew of outside manufacturers are actually producing them specifically for the stores. The result? This simplified process and model of cutting out the middle man means Trader Joe's is able to keep prices lower-than-average, while getting to offer private label items that feel special and exclusive. Lastly, this also gives the store greater quality and product control. 

This is far from the only way the store does things differently — you'll also never spot a self checkout lane or a sale at TJ's, but we love it for its quirks. Though around 80% of its inventory is private label, there's still a little space for a few coveted name-brand items deemed worthy of shelf space.