Across 564 stores in the U.S., Trader Joe’s shoppers seem to be refining their pallets. Several of the latest winners of the store’s annual product awards are unique treats, from goat cheese to kimbap.
“Like skilled athletes, certain products have risen once again to champion status, while others have entered the winners’ circle for the very first time,” the company said in a Jan. 22 press release.
The “winners’ circle” refers to the Trader Joe’s Product Hall of Fame. It celebrates products that consistently earn recognition as customers’ favorite products. For example, Trader Joe’s Mandarin Orange Chicken (introduced in 2004) was inducted into the hall of fame in 2023 for winning favorite overall and best entree.
Without further ado, here are the products that Trader Joe’s customers wanted to celebrate this year in the 15th annual edition of the store’s customer choice awards:
Overall favorite: Chili & Lime Flavored Rolled Corn Tortilla Chips
These chips have been moving up the rankings since 2022, when they first appeared as the third runner-up for “favorite snack.”
The overall favorite runners-up were:
- Steamed Chicken Soup Dumplings.
- Kimbap.
- Steamed Pork & Ginger Soup Dumplings.
- Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese.
Beverage: Apple cider (seasonal)
This drink previously appeared as a runner-up for customers’ favorite beverage in 2022, but it didn’t make the cut in 2023.
The runners-up were:
- French Market Sparkling Lemonade.
- Triple Ginger Brew (seasonal).
- 100% Tangerine Juice.
- Non-Dairy Brown Sugar Flavored Oat Creamer.
Cheese: Goat cheese
Cows are out, goats are in. In 2022 and 2023, different versions of cheddar cheese took home this award — “Cheddar with Caramelized Onions,” and the hall of fame inducted “Unexpected Cheddar” — but this year, goat cheese took the crown.
The runners-up were:
- Syrah Soaked Toscano Cheese Spread & Dip (limited).
- Burrata.
- Toscano Cheese with Black Pepper.
- English Farmhouse Cheddar with Caramelized Onions.
Produce: Bananas
This product was inducted into the hall of fame this year, and Trader Joe’s attributes its consistent victory to “the unbeatable price (conventional still 19¢!).”
The runners-up were:
- Teeny Tiny Avocados.
- Honeycrisp Apples.
- Persian Cucumbers.
- Lemony Arugula Basil Complete Salad Kit.
Appetizer: Creamy Spinach & Artichoke Dip
The runners-up were:
- Mac and Cheese Bites.
- Parmesan Pastry Pups.
- Greek Spanakopita.
- Vegetable Bird’s Nests with Soy Dipping Sauce.
Breakfast & Brunch: Hashbrowns
The breakfast and brunch category is new in 2024, but it may eventually catapult Hashbrowns into the hall of fame. We’ll see if the three runner-up croissants can fight back.
The runners-up were:
- Chocolate Croissants.
- Almond Croissants.
- Double Chocolate Croissants (limited).
- Chicken Sausage Breakfast Patties.
Lunch & Dinner: Butter Chicken with Basmati Rice
Trader Joe’s butter chicken made a slow and steady rise up the rankings over the past several years, winning best entree in 2023 and again in 2024.
The runners-up were:
- Chicken Tikka Masala.
- Steamed Pork & Ginger Soup Dumplings.
- Vegetable Fried Rice.
- Steamed Chicken Soup Dumplings.
Bath, Body & Home: Brazil Nut Body Butter (limited)
The runners-up were:
- Daily Facial Sunscreen SPF 40.
- Coconut Body Butter.
- Lavender Spray Hand Sanitizer.
- Eight Dripless Candles (seasonal).
Snack: Chili & Lime Flavored Rolled Corn Tortilla Chips
The runners-up were:
- Organic Elote Corn Chip Dippers.
- World’s Puffiest White Cheddar Corn Puffs.
- Crunchy Curls.
- Patio Potato Chips (limited).
Sweet Treat: Sublime Ice Cream Sandwiches
The runners-up were:
- Mint Chip Ice Cream.
- Hold the Cone! Chocolate Chip.
- Hold the Cone! Chocolate.
- Almond Kringle (seasonal).