Trader Joe’s is a store known for its low prices and unique food offerings, however, if there’s one downside, it’s the occasional discontinuation of shopper favorites, among them their chunky blue cheese dressing.
Trader Joe’s currently offers several types of dressing, but the tangy, chunky Blue Cheese dressing they once offered is no longer on the shelves or online, much to customer’s disappointment.
For more on the discontinuation of Trader Joe’s Blue Cheese Dressing, read on.
Trader Joe’s Discontinued Blue Cheese Dressing
In prior years, Trader Joe’s marketed a Chunky Blue Cheese Dressing and dip. It was reviewed as being tangy and delicious, and favorite among many customers.
In recent years, however, their blue cheese dressing has disappeared from the store.
Is Blue Cheese Dressing a Popular Condiment?
Blue Cheese dressing is a bit hit-or-miss in terms of popularity. The tangy flavor of the blue cheese and other ingredients pack a punch that many people like in a condiment.
On the other hand, not everyone loves the flavor, which may be part of why it’s a bit variable in terms of sales.
Popularity of Trader Joe’s Blue Cheese Dressing
Customers and Blue Cheese Fans previously ranked Trader Joe’s Chunky Blue Cheese Dressing as one of the top 5 in terms of flavor.
Reviewers listed consistently gave it 3 to 5 stars in terms of flavor and texture.
What Type of Blue Cheese Dressing Did Trader Joe’s Have?
Trader Joe’s Blue Cheese Dressing was marketed as Trader Joe’s Chunky Blue Cheese Dressing and Dip.
Some reviewers compared it to high-end steakhouse dinner dressing or dip.
Why Did Trader Joe’s Discontinue Their Blue Cheese Dressing?
Most discontinued items are generally discontinued due to marketing issues, either due to increasing costs of production, or a drop in sales.
There was also a health consideration that came to light involving the blue cheese dressing
Blue Cheese Dressing Health Concern
Some consumers wound up having a severe allergic reaction to some ingredients.
It’s not clear if it was the blue cheese itself, or other ingredients in their specific recipe, but it was a problem for many people, and wound up earning the dressing some low reviews.
How Did Customers Respond to Discontinued Blue Cheese Dressing?
Many customers were distressed to find their favorite blue cheese dressing discontinued. While it is possible to make your own, many customers have gone looking for alternatives.
What Alternatives Have Customers Been Choosing?
Many customers have said that their chosen alternatives include the following:
- Bob’s Famous Bleu Cheese Salad Dressing and Dip
- Toby’s Blue Cheese Dressing and Dip
- Marzetti Signature Blue Cheese Dressing and Dip
- Whole Foods 365 Chunky Blue Cheese Dressing and Dip
There are other options as well, but these are some of the top favorites.
For cheap and easy, you can also find Kraft Blue Cheese Dressing, but it’s not the same, and it’s not always a favorite.
Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing:
For those that like to put their own spin on it, or have concerns about health reactions to ingredients in commercial Blue Cheese dressing, there are recipes on locations such as:
A few simple ingredients can give blue cheese fans the taste they love in their own unique packaging.
How Is Trader Joe’s Responding to the Discontinued Blue Cheese Dressing?
While Trader Joe’s does listen to customer reviews, marketing experts say that every decision to discontinue a product is very carefully thought out, and reversing any of those decisions is a process that requires equal consideration.
Trader Joe’s Reasoning Behind Discontinuing
At the root of the matter, it simply comes down to supply costs versus demand.
The reasons behind discontinuing blue cheese dressing vary, but most commonly, the sales weren’t enough to justify the continued costs of production, shipping, and stocking.
Whether this is due to a rise in price of ingredients and processing, or a drop in sales is a question only Trader Joe’s can answer.
Trader Joe’s may have also discontinued their blue cheese dressing due to some health concerns, as some customers had an allergic reaction to some of the ingredients.
What Does Trader Joe’s Plan to Do in the Future Regarding Their Blue Cheese Dressing?
Whether the discontinued dressing will be brought back remains to be seen. There may be trial samples to see if demand has changed, or limited availability sales for special events, but no guarantees.
At the moment, there are no stated plans for bringing back Trader Joe’s Chunky Blue Cheese Dressing and Dip, but Trader Joe’s marketing experts do say that customer opinion does matter, and is taken into consideration when marketing decisions are made.
Trader Joe’s Suggestions for Salad Dressing and Blue Cheese Substitutions:
In the meantime, Trader Joe’s urges customers to try their other dressings, such as their Organic Maple Vinaigrette, or Organic Sesame Dressing.
For fans of that Blue Cheese Flavor Trader Joe’s does carry the following:
- Trader Joe’s Grand Blue Blue Cheese
- Trader Joe’s Cave Aged Blue Cheese
- Trader Joe’s Crumbled Blue Cheese
Fans of blue cheese will enjoy all of these blue cheese variants. They can also be used in DIY versions of Blue Cheese Dressing.
DIY Blue Cheese Dressing With Trader Joe’s:
Adding Trader Joe’s Crumbled Blue Cheese to a few fresh ingredients can make an excellent Blue Cheese Dressing.
If customers want to DIY Blue Cheese Dressing with Trader Joe’s ingredients:
- Trader Joe’s Crumbled Blue Cheese
- Sour Cream
- White Wine Vinegar
- Buttermilk
- Other ingredients according to the recipe of your preference
DIY is not for everyone, but it is an option, and you can find most, if not all of the ingredients at Trader Joe’s.
Final Thoughts
Marketing concerns and, in this case, a few health concerns and allergic reactions, have caused Trader Joe’s to discontinue their Chunky Blue Cheese Dressing and Dip. At present, there aren’t any stated plans to bring it back.
On the other hand, Trader Joe’s has Blue Cheese, and they have dressings, and they have many of the ingredients for making DIY Blue Cheese dressings. And if concerns can be addressed in the future, customer appreciation may cause the blue cheese dressing to be reconsidered.