A 17-Year-Old Got Trader Joe’s To Drop All The Problematic Variations Of “Joe”
2020 has been a trash year, but that doesn’t negate the fact that it’s also the year for a lot of long-overdue makeovers (my 6 inches of root regrowth just gained an ounce of hope, but no – I’m not talking about my current hair situation). We’ve got Lady A and The Chicks realizing the error of their naming ways. Aunt Jemima, Cream of Wheat, and Uncle Ben’s have confronted the racist roots of their mascots. Even the Cleveland Indians might finally change their name. Anyone who has ever spent some time in a Trader Joe’s knows that part of their branding involves using a regionally-specific version of the name Joe to reflect certain cuisines. To some, the names might not be that big of a deal. To others, they felt like a cringeworthy throwback to another time. Well, a teen who clearly fell into the second group complained to Trader Joe’s about that. And Trader Joe’s agreed.
The Los Angeles Times says that when Trader Joe’s founder Joe Columbe died earlier this year, a lot of people pointed out that he really leaned hard into marketing Trader Joe’s as a “fun” shopping experience. As someone who was born into supermarket brutalism, I’m fully charmed by it. This marketing would be extended to the (world’s biggest AHEM) “ethnic” food at Trader Joe’s. Pad Thai was packaged as Trader Ming’s, falafels and hummus were Arabian Joe’s, anything vaguely south of the border was Trader José’s, Italian offerings were courtesy of Trader Giotto’s, and Japanese-ish foods were Trader Joe-San.
I don’t know how I would feel if I saw a bag of frozen cheddar and bacon pierogies emblazoned with the name Trader Józef staring back at me. But I can’t imagine that everyone’s heart was fully warmed when they saw a name like Trader Ming’s written in Wonton Font. Which would be why Trader Joe’s is going to get rid of it, as well as every other iteration of Joe. The Times writes that 17-year-old Briones Bedell started an online petition two weeks ago, asking Trader Joe’s to think about those names. Briones argued that the branding was racist because it “exoticized” other cultures, and presented the English “Joe” as the norm or standard to which all others fell outside of. Trader Joe’s doesn’t disagree.
In a statement, Trader Joe’s — which Coulombe sold in 1979 to German supermarket chain Aldi — acknowledged that its approach to product naming, “rooted in a lighthearted attempt at inclusiveness…may now have the opposite effect.” A spokeswoman said the company is changing the packaging and expects to complete the process “very soon.”
Some people on Twitter have responded to this news by accusing Trader Joe’s of submitting to PC culture, as well as people from various racial backgrounds who claim they were never offended by the names. But Trader Joe’s saw a valid argument for making the change. And let’s face it, Trader Joe’s can still have fun with their branding, even if José, Giotto, and Arabian Joe are no longer present in the Fearless Flyer. Luckily, you can still cringe every time you pick up a box of cereal bars named after the world’s corniest joke opening.
Pic: Trader Joe’s