Market Data 
In the late-1970s, Trader Joe’s started focusing on products you wouldn’t find anywhere else.
In 1976, Trader Joe’s was still relying on recognizable brands for most of its products, like coffee, bread, and other basics. The small size of its stores meant space was at a premium, and this was when the company shifted its focus.
It got rid of items like soap and light bulbs. It stopped carrying many national brands, like Folgers coffee. Instead, the stores stocked rare items, like unfermented zinfandel grape juice, and gourmet goodies, like handmade berry pie.
Many of the products were unbranded or came under the Trader Joe’s label.
Coulombe aimed to give the products names that would amuse his educated, well-traveled customers. These included nods to historical, artistic, and scientific figures, including The Bagel Spinoza, The Peanut Pascal, and Heisenberg’s Uncertain Blend of coffee beans.
Small stores and niche products meant that some items weren’t always available. They might be seasonal, like its vintage dated canned corn. Coulombe called it “vinous thinking,” treating food products like they were rare bottles of wine.
Customers still treat it like a treasure hunt, always on the lookout for an unfamiliar taste or the bargain version of a pricey cheese.
Today, about 85% of Trader Joe’s products are private label, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re locally sourced. Some are supplied by brands like Coca-Cola, Taylor Farms, and Campbell’s, Fast Company reported in January.
