The Brand Rumored To Be Behind Trader Joe's Ketchup

Trader Joe's is known for its low prices because it rarely sells name-brand products. Keeping a selection of in-house brands is part of the business strategy, and it ends up being pretty cost-efficient for the operations flow. The fewer manufacturers and brands there are to worry about, the easier it is to keep track of inventory. That doesn't come without its own curiosity — internet sleuths have tried to deduce which companies are selling their products to be labeled under the Trader Joe's name.

The latest investigation comes in a shiny red bottle. Trader Joe's ketchup bears a resemblance to Brad's Organic, Cucina Antica, and Whole Foods 365 ketchup. The 24-ounce bottles have squared bottoms and long necks, wrapped in a green banner with the word "organic" in an italicized serif typeface. Annie's Oganic Ketchup also has similar characteristics and has been rumored to produce Trader Joe's products like the boxed mac and cheese, but it has a greater ingredient difference than the other brands listed. Overall, Brad's Organic appears to be the most similar to Trader Joe's in terms of ingredients and appearance. As a private-label company, Trader Joe's doesn't disclose its manufacturers, but there's a fair chance it shares a source with any of these ketchup distributors.

Trader Joe's USDA-certified organic ketchup has a tangy tomato flavor and simple ingredients such as tomato puree, cane sugar, white vinegar, salt, spices, and onion powder. Several brands like Brad's Organic, Cucina Antica, and more have the same ingredient list and very similar nutritional facts. Regardless of who makes the ketchup at Trader Joe's, this condiment deserves a spot in your pantry. It's likely going to be one of the most affordable bottles you can find for under $3, which is something certain competitors can't offer.

Many non-organic ketchups contain high-fructose corn syrup, natural flavors, and other unnecessary ingredients that can dilute the pure tomato taste. Trader Joe's balances sweetness with acidity in its high-quality recipe, avoiding the mistakes made by our least favorite organic ketchup brand. This tomato delight will level up leftover rice and add a nice twang to frozen hash browns — no wonder Trader Joe's keeps its recipes a secret.