Seoul’s Incheon Airport has taken a major stance. Throughout the terminal, large signs in Korean and English warn about an American product whose presence in your luggage can result in police action — Trader Joe’s Everything But the Bagel seasoning.
The seasoning blend — which includes poppyseeds, banned in South Korea for fear they will show up as positives on a drug test — is only sold in the United States. But products from Trader Joe’s have become so popular with international tourists that even a major Asian airport is getting involved.
Welcome to the cult of Trader Joe’s. Although it began in California as a health-food store, the brand has expanded across the US and now has travelers from around the world clamoring to visit one of its outlets.
Yes, you can go there to pick up a head of lettuce or a gallon of milk. But it’s equally likely a shopper heads to Trader Joe’s to try a fun snack like pickle-flavored popcorn, pumpkin spice protein bars, beer made with cookie butter (speculoos) or cheeseburger burritos.
So how did a place to stock up on produce manage to become a global sensation? Julie Averbach, author of The Art of Trader Joe’s, has a few theories.
“I think that Trader Joe’s is like the Disneyland of American grocery stores,” she says. “They’re appealing to customers’ different senses, everything from the eye-catching product packaging and the handmade artwork in the stores to the music on the speakers, the tasting counters for sampling products.”
The first Trader Joe’s opened in Pasadena, part of Los Angeles county, in 1967. Yes, there really is a Joe — that would be Joe Coulombe, who was reportedly inspired by his global travels and wanted to make then-difficult-to-find ingredients more available in the US.
Today, there are more than 500 stores across the continental United States.
According to a 2024 study by Morning Consult, 25% of frequent Trader Joe’s shoppers belong to a household that makes over $100,000 annually. The research firm also describes them as “prolific social media users.”
That’s not surprising. People who live in the US — and those who don’t — often use social media to find out about the latest products.
But Trader Joe’s — TJ’s, to those in the know — fandom has become its own cottage industry, with TikTokers and YouTubers developing followings for regularly rating and reviewing new products or visiting different locations to see how they compare.
