Day Twenty-nine

Friends,

I started this yesterday but just got to finishing it today. I will send it off to T-Joe's this afternoon.
This was my last Twenty and nine days.  Tomorrow is the last day of the month. I will write one last post tomorrow in closing to this project.

Until then...



Dear Trader Joe's,


I have been a loyal Trader Joe's customer for over 10 years. I adore my local store in Eagle Rock, California. We live down the street and seem to make it there 3-5 times a week.  There is a sense of community in our Trader Joe's, created by the wonderful staff and diverse neighborhood, that I have come to rely on and profoundly love.  I can't imagine moving, simply because I would miss 'my' Trader's so much.


In recent months I have made the personal decision to make more conscious decisions about the food I buy. For me this means buying locally when possible (luckily, California is very big state!), preferably organic, and most importantly, from privately owned companies.  This is all in an effort to reduce my carbon footprint, consume healthier foods, and support the little guy rather than corporate conglomerates.  It is my three-pronged approach at being a conscious consumer and a responsible citizen. This came as quite a challenge at first, for this trifecta is not easily met. I was stunned and saddened by the number of seemingly small brand, socially and environmentally aware products that have been purchased by large corporations, such as Burt's Bees and Tom's of Maine.


This endeavor prompted me to revamp my shopping list.  I took greater care in researching where my food was coming from and, in some cases, stopped buying certain items. This quickly led to me discover how little is publicly known about where Trader Joe's products come from.  What little I did find seemed promising, but was mostly speculation from curious shoppers and so was not entirely reliable. The result was that I stopped shopping at Trader Joe's for almost a month. I found myself missing my local crew members and what they contribute to the familiarity of my little corner store.  I also found myself in a position that is all to familiar to the progressively minded: I had to choose cause or convenience.  As much as I treasure what our T-Joe's has to offer, I had to choose the latter. This is not a decision that I enjoyed making, which brings me the purpose of this letter. Trader Joe's I implore you to become a more transparent company so that your customers know where their food is coming from. Making available information, such as which dairies produce your milk products or which farms supply your poultry would allow socially conscious consumers to shop guilt-free.  We would know we are truly getting the best at a price that is fair and reasonable.  For a company that I trust has little to hide, I sincerely hope that this would not be an overwhelming task. 


As I mentioned before, I love my Trader Joe's. There are products that you offer that I cannot find anywhere else and it is heartbreaking to think that I will never have them again. So, please, as a long-time customer who desperately wants to remain a loyal customer for 10, 20, 30 more years...please begin the effort of providing the public with information about the origins of your food products.  


Warmly, 


Hypatia Luna