One of our nation’s most beloved stores when it comes to grocery chains is Trader Joe’s. They have great customer service and stellar food selections. However, one of the products that was a fan favorite for it’s delicious ingredients was Trader Joe’s edamame, which was sadly discontinued. However, recently, Trader Joe’s brought their edamame back to stores!
Trader Joe’s edamame was certainly one of the store’s most popular products. However, in 2020, edamame was recalled and, some customers thought, discontinued due to a contaminated product line. Since the year 2022, Trader Joe’s has fixed the problem and begun selling healthy edamame again.
In the following article, we will go over the discontinuation of our beloved edamame at Trader Joes, as well as offering suggested alternatives for purchasing edamame from this acclaimed grocery store chain. We will even tackle some considerations for those who miss this product, as well as frequently asked questions related to the topic!
Discontinuation of Edamame at Trader Joe’s
Trader Joe’s is famous for selling products that customers may not be able to find at other stores. Many of these products are manufactured by Trader Joe’s themselves, giving loyal customers only one place to shop for their favorites.
Speaking of favorites, edamame was so widely popular among those who enjoyed shopping at Trader Joe’s that it often sold out, would be short in supply, and even justified being sold in a few different types!
Some of these types included:
- Frozen Shelled Edamame
- Ready-to-Eat Sea Salt Edamame
- Frozen Lightly Salted Unshelled Edamame
Each of these products was popular in it’s own right, and sold out so frequently that it was not uncommon for customers to wonder if the product had been discontinued.
However, in 2020, that nightmare situation actually seemed to come to pass. Trader Joe’s was forced to recall their edamame products due to the concerns that the edamame was infected with listeria bacteria.
This bacteria was sometimes fatal to children, though only causing flu-like symptoms in adults. The point was, Trader Joe’s would not, in good conscience, sell the product if it had any chance of being unhealthy for customers.
Therefore, for a year or two, edamame was nowhere to be found on Trader Joe’s shelves.
However, in the year 2022, Trader Joe’s was finally able to restock their stores with their edamame products, listeria free!
That being said, the rollout of this product is still sparse, and sometimes it is rare to find Trader Joe’s edamame at your location depending on where you are in the world.
Alternatives for Purchasing Edamame at Trader Joe’s
If you aren’t able to find Trader Joe’s edamame at your nearest store, don’t give up hope! There are plenty of alternative options to this grocery location, though it is a favorite. Check out our list of suggestions below:
- Black Eyed Peas – Cooking Black Eyed Peas can give you some of the same health benefits as regular edamame, while also managing to be similar in texture to the food you’re missing.
- Fava Beans – Fava beans, also known as horse beans, may have a slightly different flavor than the edamame you wish you could have from Trader Joe’s. However, they do come with many of the same benefits in health, including fiber intake, and they may be easier to find as well.
- Competing Grocery Stores – Unfortunately, one of the downsides to Trader Joe’s not offering edamame at a consistent basis over the years is that loyal customers may find their edamame fix elsewhere. Places like Whole Foods and even Wal Mart offer their own brands of edamame which can make a good substitute to Trader Joe’s.
- Purchase Edamame Online – If your local Trader Joe’s can’t produce the edamame you crave, check their online selection! Other sources like Amazon.com can also sell Trader Joe’s particular brand and get it to you speedily.
Considerations for Those Who Miss Edamame From Trader Joe’s
Luckily for those of us who were mourning Trader Joe’s decision to take the edamame back in the scare of 2020, it has been returned to most stores. However, if you aren’t able to find edamame at your local Trader Joe’s, you are not without any course of action!
Trader Joe’s is very well known (and approved) for allowing customers to petition for the foods they like best in a store-by-store basis. Management is very happy to listen to requests for certain items to be returned to stock.
If all else fails and the edamame just doesn’t make an appearance in your local Trader Joe’s, or worse, it is officially discontinued, it is possible to email the corporation or send in a complaint and plea using their Discontinued Products page on the website.
Frequently Asked Questions
Perhaps you still want to learn more about edamame and it’s removal from Trader Joe’s in addition to what was stated above. If that is the case, take a look at our answers to these Frequently Asked Questions!
Did Trader Joe’s Discontinue Edamame?
Trader Joe’s did discontinue, or at least recall, their edamame products from 2020 to 2022 due to a possible bacterial infection.
However, edamame is no longer discontinued and can sometimes be found at a local Trader Joe’s, or online.
How Much Is Trader Joe’s Frozen Edamame?
Trader Joe’s frozen edamame is $3.99 for every package of 9 ounces. This makes it one of the most expensive that Trader Joe’s has to offer in terms of edamame, but it’s popularity with customers seems to more than cover it!
Final Thoughts
To sum everything we’ve learned up, Trader Joe’s edamame has been one of their most popular products. Customers loved the ability to snack on this healthy treat so much that Trader Joe’s manufactured several different styles of the product.
Although a scare involving a bacteria caused edamame to disappear from shelves in 2020, Trader Joe’s listened to the outcry of customers and returned the product to their shelves two years later.
Though edamame is still technically on Trader Joe’s product list, it is sometimes difficult to get access to. When this is the case, consider buying from online or alternative sources!
