Trader Joe’s is a wonderland of amazing food offerings as well as fresh flowers. It is no wonder that many U.S. shoppers head to this popular grocery store when looking to restock their home kitchen. However, Trader Joe’s can’t possibly carry everything, and knowing this leads to questions like: “Does Trader Joe’s sell kumquats?”
Trader Joe’s has made it’s reputation by offering a wide variety of very unique products, including many organic fruits. Trader Joe’s does offer U.S. grocery shoppers kumquats; however they are a seasonal item which means you won’t always be able to find them in stock.
In this article we will fully determine whether or not Trader Joe’s sells kumquats. We’ll do this by extensive research, a process we’ll share with you. We will also cover what kumquats are and what makes them popular, as well as Trader Joe’s commonly-known product categories. Let’s get started!
Understanding Kumquats
First off, let’s just acknowledge that saying the fun-sounding word “kumquat” is not the only interesting thing about this product which might lead people to search Trader Joe’s.
These trees are small and produce even smaller orange-like fruits. The juice of these fruits is unexpectedly tart; the skin, on the other hand, is nice and sweet. This pleasing contrast is why most people who love kumquats will warn you not to eat them peeled: you may miss out on the full, delightful experience of enjoying a kumquat!
Kumquats have a flavor that has been described as citrus-like, overall. They do not have the thick skin that tangerines or other citruses, like oranges, have, making them easier to eat and nearly pulp-less.
Sometimes, the best way to get rid of the tanginess and capitalize on the sweet skin of the kumquat is to cook it. When the tangy part of the flavor profile is lowered, kumquats make a great fruit to create chutneys and marmalade out of.
Because they can straddle the line between tart and sweet, kumquats are useful in a variety of recipes. Some use them for salads, while others are even bolder and use the fruit to make diverse sandwiches in slices! Thanksgiving meals are no strangers to kumquats, because the fruit makes a great ingredient in turkey stuffing.
Even bakeries get in on the goodness of kumquats, baking the tartness out of the little citruses and incorporating the sweet flavor into breads, cakes, cookies, pies, and even muffins.
Kumquats are not just good for several different types of food, as well as highly pleasant to eat completely on their own. They also come with awesome health benefits that make the tartness well worth experiencing.
For example, did you know that kumquats are only 13 calories per fruit, on average? Additionally, they contain 8 milligrams of Vitamin C, a lot like oranges. The skin, in addition to being sweet, is great for offering fiber and cell-protecting antioxidants.
After understanding kumquats, it is far easier to guess why customers might go to Trader Joe’s for the express purpose of finding these fruits.
To check the current price and availability of Kumquats, click here to view the listing on Amazon.
Trader Joe’s Product Range
One of the reasons customers go straight to Trader Joe’s when they need groceries is because the store is usually full of a huge variety of foods.
Each of these usually has Trader Joe’s unique spin to it; the company makes excellent snack foods, peanut butter products, candies, cookies, and several organic selections in vegetables and fruits.
Though they don’t carry any ready-made, hot food like soups or rotisserie chickens, Trader Joe’s has plenty of excellent frozen dinner or lunch options for hungry customers. It is also easy to find just about any cure for the munchies from all around the world at Trader Joe’s.
They pride themselves not only on their food, but on bright, fresh flowers. Customers love to get flowers from Trader Joe’s because of the store’s relaxed return policy and great selection.
Thanks to their proactive approach to keeping customer’s supplied and happy, Trader Joe’s also offers a small lineup of skincare products that, though not wide in variety, are gaining momentum in popularity.
As great as their organic fruit selection is, it is notable that kumquats are missing from Trader Joe’s fresh fruit section.
Researching Trader Joe’s Kumquat Availability
Kumquats can be found in the fresh produce section at Trader Joe’s. They can usually be found in a basket labeled as Friedas Adorable Kumquats.
Indeed, since kumquats are generally a pretty specific type of fruit to look for, your worst case scenario is going to a completely different store than you were planning on because you’re not sure if Trader Joe’s has kumquats!
That said, you may want to research Trader Joe’s kumquat availability for yourself. To do this to the best of your availability, we suggest you start with the Trader Joe’s website.
Click on “Products,” then search for kumquats. Trader Joe’s will not only show you their most recently stocked related products, but they’ll do so in your closest stores.
If you find yourself unsure whether or not this is an accurate way to check for kumquats, call Trader Joe’s. The associates will be happy to go to their Fresh Fruits section and hunt for kumquats in person so that you don’t have to.
Finally, use the online resources available to you outside of Trader Joe’s: check customer forums and social media to see what others on the hunt for kumquats have to say.
Alternative Citrus Fruits or Exotic Fruits
Trader Joe’s offers cape gooseberries if you’re looking for more exotic fruits. These are sometimes called “golden berries,” and have a sour-candy type flavor that might help you miss a kumquat’s tart-and-sweet contrast a little less.
Additionally, Trader Joe’s has Cara Cara Navel Oranges at most locations. These are reddish citrus-family offerings, looking and tasting much like a cross between a grapefruit and the classic orange.
Both of these alternatives even have many of the same antioxidants as kumquats, and might work as recipe substitutes, too.
Final Thoughts
To sum it all up, Trader Joe’s does sell kumquats as a seasonal item. Though these fruits are exotic and seem right up Trader Joe’s usual product-range alley, you will need to contact your local Trader Joe’s to see when they will have these in stock.
That said, Trader Joe’s is always trying something new to please customers, so check back in person or over the phone often at this popular store!
