How to Get Your Product in Whole Foods and Trader Joe's

What 5 year old doesn’t like going into Trader Joe’s with mom or dad? The friendly cashiers with the funny looking shirts always give out free stickers and sometimes balloons! Heck, no matter the age, who doesn’t like going into TJ’s? They have high quality food for amazing prices. Similarly, the Whole Foods experience is unique and well-liked as well. Shoppers feel healthier simply by walking into their stores. Whole Foods is praised for its high quality organic foods, although not so much for their prices (Their new branch, 365, is intended to be more wallet-friendly though).

As both have recognized and catered to the rising trend of health and price conscious shoppers they have become two of the most popular grocery stores within this niche of shoppers. As such, many brands dream of someday seeing their products on shelves at these two stores. Doing so is not an easy task, so we’ve put together this post to serve as guidance as you nudge your way onto those coveted shelves.

Whole Foods

The following information was compiled from an interview that Immigrant Biz conducted with executive global grocery coordinator, Errol Schweizer.

The first thing to know about Whole Foods is that they have 11 autonomous regions, each operating differently. The process of getting your product in a Northeast store differs from the process of getting your product in a Pacific Northwest store. That said, the best way to get on Whole Foods shelves is by starting at the local level and then expanding out. Schweizer suggests asking for the grocery buyer in your local store who will then direct you to the appropriate contact to get you started—usually it’s the regional Whole Foods buyer.  

Tip: Be present at your local Farmer’s Market. Whole Foods buyers are often looking for new products there.

Before doing so, it would be helpful to familiarize yourself with that store. As you walk around the store, there are two things to take note of: store layout and similar products. Knowing the store layout and envisioning where your product would be placed will help when presenting to buyers. If your local store stocks products that are similar to yours, be ready to be able to differentiate your product from the others. What makes your product unique? This doesn’t necessarily have to be the ingredients. Often times, it’s the story behind a product that sets it apart. In fact, Schweizer lists story as one of the main three things that he looks for during presentations; the other two being justification for price and ingredients.

Your story is important to Whole Foods because they’re a company that truly values authenticity according to CEO of Reserveage Organics, Naomi Whittel. Along the same lines, Schweizer states, “we can smell bullshit from a mile away.” Don’t try to mold your product to fit Whole Food’s feel. Don’t try to be who you aren’t. It’s that simple.

Once you reach your contact and pitch the product, you should expect a timely response. If they’re interested they will schedule a meeting with you. At the meeting you will need to come with a presentation prepared that covers the basics of your product including ingredients, nutritional value, and recipe. Whole Foods quality standards are strict. Be sure to check out the quality standards here. Although the meeting is a presentation, you should view it as dialogue too--a chance to get to know the people who will support your products. It’s not common that they will ask you to make some changes, point you in that direction, and ask you to re-present your product after the changes.

Related: How to Fill Out The Whole Foods Vendor Application [Step-By-Step Guide]

Trader Joe's

Trader Joe’s can be a little tricky because their operations are top secret, but here’s what we’ve found for you:

How does Trader Joe's work? You may have noticed that Trader Joe's almost exclusively sells Trader Joe’s brand items. Well the truth is, they do what is called private labeling. They buy from other brands such as Stacy’s (Pita Chips) and Annie’s (Mac and Cheese), and sell the products under their own label for a cheaper price. As written on the vendor agreement, you must be willing to keep your brand’s relationship with Trader Joe’s a secret.

On their website they have a new vendor form that you can fill out with the details of the product that you wish to sell at TJ’s. But as they mention at the top of the form, just because you fill one out, doesn’t mean you will be guaranteed a response. So the next best way to grab their attention is by understanding their values.  TJ’s is a company that really focuses on what happens at the store level. They highly value their employees known as crew members —some making as much as $60,000 a year—who are known to give the utmost customer service. The company cares about in-store interactions with customers and with each other. You should be able to apply the same principles to your relationships as a potential vendor with them. That said, your best bet may be to walk right into a store and chat with a crew member or manager. Doing some research beforehand may help too. By simply typing in Trader Joe’s Buyer on Google, you can find current and former buyers on LinkedIn.

To become a Trader Joe’s vendor you must be willing to distribute directly to their distribution centers. According to Fortune,  TJs buys directly from manufacturers to cut costs —part of the reason why they can sell at such low prices. You must also meet their quality standards listed here. Be aware that TJ’s is known for shelving some products only for a limited amount of time, although they do have some consistently shelved items as well. Lastly, don’t be too hard on yourself. TJ’s buyers are highly selective. In fact, they put so much emphasis on finding the right supplier that their largest R&D costs are tied to travel expenses for product finding missions.

Getting your foot in the door with these high quality grocers is no easy task, but by understanding their values, your brand can stand out amongst the many others.