Trader Joe’s Announces This Year’s Customer Choice Awards – Which Products Made The Cut?

Every Trader Joe’s shopper has their favorite items. I never leave a Trader Joe’s without several jars of Corn & Chile Salsa – which I use on taco night, serve with chips when friends drop by and even plop atop scrambled eggs to give them some sweet zing – and a bunch of bags of Cauliflower Gnocchi, which I cook using this hack. Those aren’t everyone’s favorites, though, apparently.

The quirky grocery chain polled its customers about the Trader Joe’s products they couldn’t live without. “If you were to spend the rest of your life on a deserted island, which nine Trader Joe’s products would you take with you?” it asked. More than 18,000 customers responded, sharing their thoughts about products across nine categories.

The results have just appeared on the Trader Joe’s website as the chain’s 14th Annual Customer Choice Awards Winners. This year, though, in order to make room for different products, the chain said it was “retiring” five products that were so popular they had won repeatedly in previous years. Instead, it’s inducting those repeat winners into its newly created Product Hall of Fame.

“As the years have gone on, some products have so consistently won in their category (or even multiple categories) that we felt the time was right to take them out of contention, so that other products might get their turn in the spotlight,” Trader Joe’s explains. “At the same time, we wanted to make sure these overachievers were given their due recognition — something permanent. And so now, at the start of 2023, we've created the Trader Joe’s Product Hall of Fame and inducted its first class of honorees, each at least a five-time winner of their respective categories.”

The initial class of five Product Hall of Fame inductees are … Trader Joe’s Mandarin Orange Chicken, Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups, Peanut Butter Filled Pretzel Nuggets, Unexpected Cheddar and Soy Chorizo.

As for winners of this year’s Annual Customer Choice Awards, Trader Joe’s Chili & Lime Flavored Rolled Corn Tortilla Chips took the crown as the Overall winner, with runners up including TJ's Hashbrowns, Steamed Chicken Soup Dumplings, Everything but the Bagel Sesame Seasoning Blend and 4 Chocolate Croissants.

Customers’ favorite Beverage is Sparkling Honeycrisp Apple Juice Beverage, a blend of apple juice, water and carbonation that is actually only seasonally available. Runners up included Triple Ginger Brew (also seasonal), Sparkling Peach Black Tea with Peach Juice, Sparkling Cranberry & Ginger Beverage (seasonal) and Non-Dairy Brown Sugar Oat Creamer.

Ranking top in the Cheese category is Trader Joe’s English Cheddar with Caramelized Onions — a sweet-savory mix of English Farmhouse Cheddar and onion marmalade. The runners up: Syrah Soaked Toscano, Baked Lemon Ricotta (seasonal), Blueberry & Vanilla Chèvre and Brie.

As for customers’ most beloved Entree, Butter Chicken with Basmati Rice has grabbed that award, with Chicken Tikka Masala, Kung Pao Chicken, Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese (seasonal) and BBQ Teriyaki Chicken close behind.

Other top winners included Chili & Lime Flavored Rolled Tortilla Chips in the Snack category and Hold the Cone! Mini Ice Cream Cones in the Dessert category.

The complete list of this year’s winners and runners up is here.

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