Who doesn’t love finding something new or niche at Trader Joe’s? Their off-the-wall branding and sometimes exotic product lineup has made Trader Joe’s a popular United States place to buy groceries. The question remains, however: Does Trader Joe’s Sell Black Rice?
Before the year 2019, online evidence suggests that Trader Joe’s did sell their own brand of black rice, which is also called “purple rice” and known for it’s antioxidant properties. However, today, Trader Joe’s no longer carries or sells black rice at all. Instead, the United States store sells Basmati white rice and other organic grains.
In this article we will provide readers with an overview on Trader Joe’s, their rice offerings, the characteristics that make black rice such a sought-after grain, and how we went about finding out if Trader Joe’s carries it. After providing the results answering the question “Does Trader Joe’s Sell Black Rice?” we’ll give you a list of alternative places to shop.
Trader Joe’s Overview
Trader Joe’s has been enjoyed by customers for years thanks to it’s charming branding and the types of food it sells, which often can’t be found anywhere else. The company places emphasis on excellence in everything from ingredients, to updating their own brands, to customer service, to atmosphere!
For example, the culture of the employees that work at a Trader Joe’s is friendly and casual, willing to drop whatever they’re doing to help.
Trader Joe’s is proud to have no self checkout and open doors, returning to a cozy neighborhood feeling. At the same time, their organic or dietary-friendly offerings are unmatched by larger chains.
That being said, the only complaint most customers have against Trader Joe’s is that, in their pursuit of excellence, the grocery store tends to introduce widely-loved products for a few years only to cycle them off of the shelves for new and improved products.
Though this keeps everything fresh and appealing, customers tend to miss their favorites.
Trader Joe’s Rice Section
Trader Joe’s does not actually section off it’s products the way competing grocery chains do. The signage in each store is different, looks homemade, and sometimes based on location-specific manager preference.
This means every experience is a little different. Though some might find it hard to find specific foods, customer assistance in employees is emphasized and it gives customers more of an opportunity to look around and see all the unique things their local store has to offer.
That being said, Trader Joe’s does list grains and pasta together on their website! The grains offered include rice, though Basmati white rice is the only traditional kind listed.
Organic Lentils and Organic Quinoa are the only other rice-like products Trader Joe’s has on shelves, currently. Once upon a time, however, this included Trader Joe’s own brand of Wild Black Rice.
Black Rice and Its Characteristics
Let’s talk about why customers are clamoring for black rice in the first place. Black rice, which is sometimes known as “forbidden rice” or “purple rice,” is named in all cases thanks to the way it looks. It is a dark violet, almost black color which comes from the same properties that makes the grain a powerful antioxidant.
Actually, in Chinese culture, black rice was so awe-inspiring and healthy that only royalty or nobility were allowed to eat it.
Nowadays, we celebrate black rice for it’s nutrition contribution as well as it’s flavor. Black rice tends to be mild and work well with other dishes, but it does have a hint of nuttiness to it. It is also usually chewy when it comes to texture.
To check the current price and availability of Black Rice, click here to view the selection on Amazon.
Researching Trader Joe’s Black Rice Availability
If you’re looking for Trader Joe’s black rice, it can be a confusing journey. For one thing, as previously mentioned, Trader Joe’s does not always mark it’s offerings in the clearest way, contributing to the casual atmosphere of each store.
This means going and searching for black rice in person at your nearest location can become frustrating quickly.
You can always ask an employee at Trader Joe’s to help you find something, and typically they can either take you right to the product or inform you that it is not sold at that store.
However, to save a trip, calling a Trader Joe’s location is a great way to find out if they sell Black Rice.
Looking online can yield mixed results. Trader Joe’s used to sell Black Rice, so many outdated blogs and social media posts review the item or praise it’s benefits.
However, searching on Trader Joe’s actual Product listing on their website will reveal the truth.
Results: Does trader Joe’s Sell Black Rice?
Speaking of the truth, what is the answer? Does Trader Joe’s Sell Black Rice? Unfortunately, although they used to carry a black rice product, Trader Joe’s has discontinued it. Now, their only rice offering is their Basmati White Rice.
Alternatives to Trader Joe’s For Black Rice Purchase
That being said, there is no reason why lovers of black rice must go without the nutty, nutritious grain! There are plenty of other stores that make up what they lack in Trader Joe’s casual, fun atmosphere with black rice products! These are listed below:
- Walmart
- Publix
- Kroger’s
- Target
- Whole Foods
Final Thoughts
To sum up everything that we have learned in our research, Trader Joe’s grocery store, located across the United States, is famous for it’s specific and sometimes quirky food offerings: one of these was their own brand of black rice, which they no longer sell.
Although Trader Joe’s does not sell Black Rice anymore, it does still sell it’s own brand of Basmati white rice, as well as several other organic grains such as quinoa. That being said, this rice does not have the same black color characteristics or antioxidant properties as Black Rice itself.
Though Black Rice is popular for these health benefits, it must not have been popular enough to justify keeping it; Trader Joe’s has been very clear that it only maintains products that are going to be successfully sold before replacing them with new ones. Still, stores like Whole Foods, Walmart, and Publix all sell some version of Black Rice as an alternative!
