This Was The Very First Item Trader Joe's Sold Under Its Own Brand

If you've ever stepped inside a Trader Joe's store, you'll know it's a different type of market. Beyond the nautical-themed print ads, ubiquitous Hawaiian shirts, and employees that are referred to as crew, Trader Joe's shelves are also lined with unique offerings. While you'll find bread, milk, and eggs, what you won't find is brand-name goods. In fact, most items in the store feature a Trader Joe's label.

Trader Joe's journey to private label goods is very different from most, and it all began with the first item to be sold under the Trader Joe's brand in 1972 — granola. It's one of many surprising facts you might not know about Trader Joe's products. The road the company has taken to the present day follows a distinctly different model than common names like Albertsons, Kroger, and even Trader Joe's sibling from the same parent company, Aldi Nord. But from the launch of that first bag of granola, we can fast forward more than 50 years to find that single private-label product has multiplied into rows of distinctive Trader Joe's foods. Unlike most store-brand foods, Trader Joe's selections, from kitchen pantry staples to an array of condiments, are highly sought out for flavor and attention to wholesome ingredients. Its granola is no exception.

When Joe Coulombe, "Trader" Joe, opened the first Trader Joe's in Pasadena, California in 1967, he had a vision for the type of foods he wanted to spotlight. It was the 60s in California, so it's not surprising the first product sold under Trader Joe's name catered to granola crunchers. This was around the time granola was getting a foothold in the general market, but long before it launched into mainstream munching. Granola also fit the vision Coulombe had for the store — to provide quality food offerings at a great value for the customer.

The private-label granola was the first of countless foods now under Trader Joe's name, all of which are void of artificial flavors, colors, preservatives, or trans fats. While seen as an earthy "hippie" food in its early days, the product sampling of granolas has exploded everywhere, including on Trader Joe's shelves. Today, the cereal aisle proudly boasts an assortment of granola flavors, all with the Trader Joe's label.

Inventory is always changing at Trader Joe's, so while you may find your favorite flavor of granola on one trip, it might be gone the next. This is because the team is always evaluating the best-performing products in the store. If it's not making the sales, it gets cut. The company maintains the same standards for making it to the shelf in the first place. All foods are thoroughly scrutinized for quality and evaluated for value before being allowed to take up shelf space.

As evidence of this, the granola aisle is always taking on a new look, with offerings that have varied from maple pecan clusters, fruit and nut, and peanut butter with extra protein to gluten and grain-free options. Some of its popular granola products put other Trader Joe's products into the mix, such as Joe's Joe-Joe's Granola Cookies & Creme, which incorporates Joe Joe's cookies.

Trader Joe's expanded its cereal options beyond granola too, developing its own version of classics, like Joe's O's, which resemble Cheerios, and different flavors of Clusters cereals that are similar to Honey Bunches of Oats. Granola was not only the OG of Trader Joe's private label products, it was the launching point for a successful business model that continues to expand 52 years later.