Who Actually Makes Trader Joe's Salad Kits?

From chopped sesame crunch to tossed lemony arugula basil, Trader Joe's is the king of salad kits. Trader Joe's does an excellent job of combining simple ingredients with key players, making their salads approachable, while remaining interesting. Despite its affinity to unique, privately labeled products, Trader Joe's has a wide range of international suppliers that produce a variety of its food, including salad kits.

While there's no official confirmation as to who makes Trader Joe's salad kits, it's very likely to be California-based fresh foods producer Taylor Farms. The most conclusive evidence involves recalls; as consumer recall records are public, internet-savvy Trader Joe's enthusiasts noted that a 2022 salad recall was initiated by Taylor Farms and Trader Joe's simultaneously, indicating that Trader Joe's probably gets its greens from the popular and large family-owned producer.

The produce recall shared between Trader Joe's and Taylor Farms was not too concerning, especially considering leafy greens are one of the United States' most recalled food. The recall was actually voluntary and due to a lack of a label on the kits informing consumers that ingredients were packaged in a place that also handled eggs and wheat. Plus, recalls may actually be a sign of a well-function alert system that more quickly identifies issues with our food supply.

Both Trader Joe's and Taylor Farms have similar tastes in salad combinations, with both brands' Mexican corn salad kits even sharing paprika-seasoned cornbread crumbles. We're onto you Papa Joe! Even with the matching ensembles, Trader Joe's kits embody the brand's signature creative flair, oftentimes adding a less common ingredient or two. For example, the Trader Joe's dill pickle chopped salad includes pickle-flavored potato chips, while the Taylor Farms version does not.

Taylor Farms might supply the salad kits, but Trader Joe's allegedly has a host of household name manufacturers that help make Trader Joe's what it is. These are rumored to include Naked Juice (for juice), Snack Factory (for pretzel chips), and Stacy's (for pita chips). 

Despite strong public inklings, Trader Joe's strays away from confirming the identities of many of the manufacturers that are at the root of its favored products, from its white cheddar corn puffs to their almond chipotle dip. This is because of deals struck with various suppliers that allow Trader Joe's to have exclusivity, switch up suppliers without a fuss, and sell products for a lower price. With a few clever tactics, Trader Joe's even manages to make canned goods a hot commodity. These diverse manufacturers have helped keep Trader Joe's food relatively cost-effective since its business model involves purchasing goods directly from various suppliers.