Trader Joe’s is an exemplary place to buy groceries if you’re looking for something unique. However, because this American grocery store is always changing its product offerings based on popularity, sometimes it can be hard to plan a trip around a specific food, leaving you with questions like: “Does Trader Joe’s Carry Fresh Figs?”
According to many shoppers at Trader Joe’s, they do in fact sell fresh figs. However, this is a seasonal item and will also vary by region. Not all stores will carry fresh figs. Always call your nearest Trader Joe’s to check if they stock fresh figs at their location.
In this article, we will help you to make the most use of your hard-earned time and money on grocery trips by thoroughly answering the question “Does Trader Joe’s Carry Fresh Figs?” We’ll answer some frequently asked questions about the store and it’s products, as well as how to research them, and even some popular alternatives to Trader Joe’s fig offerings.
Trader Joe’s: An Introduction
If you’ve never been to a Trader Joe’s, but heard from friends and online shoppers that they’re wonderful, you’ll find this introduction useful! Trader Joe’s is a North American grocery store chain that was founded by Joe Coulombe all the way back in 1967. However, it did not reach peak popularity until the year 2001.
Since then, the amount of chains and profit expanded by the Trader Joe’s store is truly remarkable, though understandable once you’ve experienced shopping there for yourself.
Trader Joe’s has many unique traits that set it apart, and some would say above, the usual lineup of American grocery store chains. For example, Trader Joe’s keeps it’s doors wide open and it’s signage and uniforms very casual to maintain a “neighborhood market” feel.
They also are unapologetic about offering plenty of snacks and groceries completely unique to their own brand, and then removing those same popular items the moment they can come up with something potentially better.
The customer service has a reputation for being incredibly friendly, and the whole company’s pleasant attitude toward customers is reflected in their quirky personality of advertising, as well as unconventional returns and testing policies.
Did you know, for example, that you can return any item to Trader Joe’s without a receipt? You can also sample just about anything with the help of an associate, in the store!
Some of the things you might enjoy sampling are their huge lineup of snack products, sometimes from around the world but unique to Trader Joe’s, alone.
Other things may be their fresh and organic fruits and veggies, or the beautiful flowers and herbs they sell. Trader Joe’s has a great reputation for offering very tasty foods that are friendly to just about every diet under the sun, from gluten-free to kosher!
This reflects how much Trader Joe’s is committed to providing a one-of-a-kind grocery experience for customers.
That said, Trader Joe’s is almost always a small, exclusive space that only holds groceries which are sure to sell well. This means that although all of their products have reached some degree of popularity, it is highly possible to go in and fail to find what you were hoping for.
Trader Joe’s Product Inventory
As previously mentioned, Trader Joe’s is a grocery store, first and foremost. They offer organic fruits and vegetables that are usually individually packaged for freshness. They also have an enormous stock of dry goods, ingredients, and snacks on the sweet and salty end of the spectrum, plus everything in-between!
Trader Joe’s does not, however, have “ready-made foods,” otherwise known as a hot bar or salad bar, or place where you can sit down and dine in general. They do sell frozen meals and canned soups, and associates are happy to let you sample as you go.
Other product categories include their flower selection, which is almost always beautiful, fresh, and available to take home and return if you find unsatisfactory products. Another is their health and body section, which offers limited products for skincare like wipes or lotions.
Finally, Trader Joe’s has dipped their company toe in the world of supplements with two flavors of supplemental sucking candies. Other than that, their grocery section is the largest, with fresh fruits and vegetables being one of the most popular categories of products.
Fresh Figs: An Overview
Figs are a small fruit, only a few inches long, and shaped roughly like a teardrop. They are famous for their seed-filled interior and purple coloration of skin, which can also sometimes be green.
The inside of the fruit is pink and is sweet, but mild. The whole tree and the fruit of a fig are nutrient-rich and edible to humans. They can help in digestive health, lower heart disease risk, and even promote better management of blood sugar levels.
Among the fig’s benefits is the fact that it is usually low in both sugar and calories when fresh. However, according to Healthline.com, when dried, a fig can become a very rich source of calories and sugar alike because both become concentrated in the drying process. This is why many are on the search for fresh figs instead of the more popular dried option!
That being said, fresh figs are only available in two different seasons. These include the first week in June, which is sometimes called “breba season,” and a longer season beginning in August and ending with October, called “new wood season.”
Fresh figs are typically available around the middle and end of June in grocery stores, as well as the middle of October. Unfortunately, figs only remain fresh and good for eating within ten days after they’ve been harvested, and their shelf life at home is a mere 3 days.
To check the current price and availability of Fresh Figs, click here to view the selection on Amazon.
Does Trader Joe’s Carry Fresh Figs?
The bottom line is, can fresh figs be found at Trader Joe’s? While they do have a reputation for carrying plenty of fresh, organic fruits, figs are one of them. It’s best to look around mid-June or mid-October since fresh figs are a seasonal item.
Trader Joe’s has a website that is very friendly to product-searches, and usually up-to-date to better serve customers. You can also check online forums where customers like you have found figs at their local Trader Joe’s.
Trader Joe’s has no fresh figs available if you are searching when they are not in season.
Exploring Trader Joe’s Fresh Fig Offerings
As previously stated, Trader Joe’s does offer fresh figs, but their availability will vary by region as well as being a seasonal item.
What Trader Joe’s more commonly have is a type of dried fig called “Trader Joe’s Organic Dried Turkish Figs,” which have been popular with customers. More often available are their fig butter and fig chips.
To check the current price and availability of Trader Joe’s Turkish Dried Figs, click here to view the listing on Amazon.
Seasonal Availability and Sourcing
Trader Joe’s sells fresh figs, so the seasonal availability and sourcing of the product isn’t relevant. However, if you look elsewhere for fresh figs, be sure to shop during the middle of June and October.
Remember, figs are only technically fresh for about 10 days after harvesting, so it is important to analyze the package of the product to see where the company gets their stock.
You can tell when a fig has been sourced from too far out of the grocery store’s town by noticing signs of mushy or leaky figs.
Alternatives to Fresh Figs at Trader Joe’s
Because Trader Joe’s doesn’t have fresh figs, you may want to try their other fruit offerings, or some of their products that include the dried variety of figs. These include the following:
- Trader Joe’s Fig & Olive Crisps
- Trader Joe’s Fig Butter
- Trader Joe’s Organic Strawberries
- Trader Joe’s Organic Oranges
Consumer Experiences and Feedback
Trader Joe’s did run in to some trouble with customers in recent years because of rumors surrounding one package of dried Turkish Figs containing insects. However, this was a localized event; otherwise, it is plain to see that Trader Joe’s dried fig products have been popular.
Still, nowadays the easiest products containing figs to find at Trader Joe’s are the fig butter and Fig & Olive Crisps. Both of these are delicious, but they are far from the fresh figs customers want.
Final Thoughts
Trader Joe’s does carry fresh figs, but it depends on the location and current season. If you find that your local Trader Joe’s does not have fresh figs, you can instead, enjoy Trader Joe’s other fresh fruits such as strawberries or oranges if they are looking for a healthy fruity replacement.
If it is the fig taste their after, Trader Joe’s Fig Butter is a fantastic spread with the same mild flavors as the fruit. Trader Joe’s may not carry fresh figs, but their other products do not disappoint!
