The brand has been criticized for years for perpetuating and profiting from the “mammy” figure. CNN's Jordan Valinsky contributed to this report. All content of the Dow Jones branded indices Copyright S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC 2018 and/or its affiliates. Petition Urges Trader Joe's to Change Ethnic Food Labels In the latest call to re-name racially charged brands and logos, nearly 1,000 people have signed an online petition urging Trader Joe's … Hi! The grocery store chain, which first opened in Pasadena, California, in 1967, said it has already "been in the process of updating order labels, and replacing any variations with the name Trader Joe's. If we feel there is need for change, we do not hesitate to take action. The company told USA TODAY on July 18 that it "made the decision several years ago to use only the Trader Joe's name on our products moving forward," but it didn't have an exact date for when the change would happen. A Trader Joe’s spokeswoman said in a statement that the company had previously decided to get rid of the names and to rebrand its international foods with the Trader Joe’s name. A petition asking the US supermarket chain Trader Joe's to rename specific products which have been given ethnic names has amassed more than 3,000 signatures. Most stock quote data provided by BATS. Trader Joe's is the latest in a line of companies to rebrand its products following the, Last month, Quaker Oats announced that it was retiring the 130-year-old.
Mars Food, which makes Uncle Ben’s rice, quickly followed by saying that it would “evolve” the brand’s signature character, a smiling older Black man, without offering details or a specific timetable. It cites "Trader Ming's," the grocery chain's label for its Chinese products, "Arabian Joe," for its Middle Eastern products, "Trader José," for its Mexican products, and a handful of others as examples. Dow Jones: The Dow Jones branded indices are proprietary to and are calculated, distributed and marketed by DJI Opco, a subsidiary of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC and have been licensed for use to S&P Opco, LLC and CNN. How serious is Corporate America about ending systemic racism? All rights reserved. Click here to subscribe to D-FW Retail and more newsletters from The Dallas Morning News. We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. Trader Joe’s said those names were intended to be playful, but acknowledged they may have had the “opposite effect.” The removal of those labels is ongoing, the company said. "We continue our ongoing evaluation, and those products that resonate with our customers and sell well will remain on our shelves.". Standard & Poor's and S&P are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC and Dow Jones is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC. In its most recent statement, Trader Joe's asserts that customer feedback revealed its clientele is unbothered by this "fun" approach to product marketing. "Packaging for a number of the products has already been changed, but there's a small number of products in which the packaging is still going through the process," Friend-Daniel added. ADDRESS systemic racism in your own company with educational training and policy … Trader Joe's is great about encouraging people to bring their bags and buy organic, but they get an "F" on their packaging. Hamza Shaban, The Washington Post via Bloomberg. By clicking “I agree” below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. For example, it uses Trader Jose’s on Mexican food products and Trader Ming’s on Chinese fare. "The grocery chain labels some of its ethnic foods with modifications of "Joe" that belies a narrative of exoticism that perpetuates harmful stereotypes," the. Trader Joe’s is doing away with store brand labels derided as racist in an online petition, becoming the latest major company to end the use of names and images that perpetuate stereotypes. Ms. Friend-Daniel did not say when the change would be completed, but she said the company hoped to finish “very soon” and was in the process of updating older product labels. "Packaging for a number of the products has already been changed, but there's a small number of products in which the packaging is still going through the process," Friend-Daniel added. Bedell’s petition, which has drawn more than 2,700 signatures, also criticized the use of “Arabian Joe” to brand Middle Eastern foods, “Trader Giotto’s” for Italian goods, and “Trader Joe San” for Japanese cuisine. Looking for more retail coverage? Factset: FactSet Research Systems Inc.2018. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream said it would change the name and marketing of its Eskimo Pie chocolate-covered ice cream bars. "The Trader Joe's branding is racist because it exoticizes other cultures - it presents 'Joe' as the default "normal" and the other characters falling outside of it," the petition says. plans to change some of the names and packaging, Holiday shopping is changing amid COVID-19 pandemic with Best Buy, Walmart, Target closed Thanksgiving, Starbucks to bring back Pumpkin Spice Latte, launch curbside pickup at up to 1,000 stores, statement posted on its website on Friday, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. “While this approach to product naming may have been rooted in a lighthearted attempt at inclusiveness, we recognize that it may now have the opposite effect - one that is contrary to the welcoming, rewarding customer experience we strive to create every day,” company spokeswoman Kenya Friend-Daniel said. Trader Joe's said officials constantly evaluate what they are doing to "ensure it makes sense for our business and aligns with customers’ expectations" and asked the buying team a couple years ago "to review all our products to see if we needed to update any older packages, and also see if the associated brands developed years ago needed to be refreshed. "The Trader Joe’s branding is racist because it exoticizes other cultures — it presents ‘Joe’ as the default ‘normal’ and the other characters falling outside of it — they are ‘Arabian Joe,’ ‘Trader José,’ and ‘Trader Joe San,’ the petition … "We want to be clear: we disagree that any of these labels are racist," the company said a new statement shared with USA TODAY on Tuesday. “Packaging for a number of the products has already been changed, but there’s a small number of products in which the packaging is still going through the process,” she said. The statement is a far cry from the one made just last week by Kenya Friend-Daniel, a spokeswoman for Trader Joe's, when the petition was first gaining traction. "Recently we have heard from many customers reaffirming that these name variations are largely viewed in exactly the way they were intended — as an attempt to have fun with our product marketing," the statement said. Get the latest on openings, closings and trends of the D-FW retail scene. Updated 2021 GMT (0421 HKT) August 1, 2020. And the move has particularly been praised by pundits on the right. Those products and others reflect “a narrative of exoticism that perpetuates harmful stereotypes,” according to the petition, which on Sunday had been signed by more than 1,500 people. “With this in mind, we made the decision several years ago to use only the Trader Joe’s name on our products moving forward.”. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. The problem, according to the petition and those on its side, is that this kind of packaging exoticizes other cultures -- presenting "Joe" as the norm and Ming, San Joe, José, and so on, as falling outside of that realm. Home / Trader Joe’s Petition Directed to Trader Joe’s Corporate Headquarters, store managers and clerks: We are Public Rights Advocates, having formed in this country to ensure that citizens and non-citizens alike are allowed free and equal access to Places of Public Accommodation. © 2020 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. Add your name now!
Briones Bedell, a teenager from California who started the petition accused Trader Joe's of using 'racist branding' for food that comes from Mexico, China, Japan, Europe and the Middle East.
More than 5,000 people have signed a petition calling on the grocery store chain to change what they call its racist branding names, using phrases like "Trader José" "Trader Ming's" and "San Joe" on some of its international food products.
Mars Food, which makes Uncle Ben’s rice, quickly followed by saying that it would “evolve” the brand’s signature character, a smiling older Black man, without offering details or a specific timetable. It cites "Trader Ming's," the grocery chain's label for its Chinese products, "Arabian Joe," for its Middle Eastern products, "Trader José," for its Mexican products, and a handful of others as examples. Dow Jones: The Dow Jones branded indices are proprietary to and are calculated, distributed and marketed by DJI Opco, a subsidiary of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC and have been licensed for use to S&P Opco, LLC and CNN. How serious is Corporate America about ending systemic racism? All rights reserved. Click here to subscribe to D-FW Retail and more newsletters from The Dallas Morning News. We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. Trader Joe’s said those names were intended to be playful, but acknowledged they may have had the “opposite effect.” The removal of those labels is ongoing, the company said. "We continue our ongoing evaluation, and those products that resonate with our customers and sell well will remain on our shelves.". Standard & Poor's and S&P are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC and Dow Jones is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC. In its most recent statement, Trader Joe's asserts that customer feedback revealed its clientele is unbothered by this "fun" approach to product marketing. "Packaging for a number of the products has already been changed, but there's a small number of products in which the packaging is still going through the process," Friend-Daniel added. ADDRESS systemic racism in your own company with educational training and policy … Trader Joe's is great about encouraging people to bring their bags and buy organic, but they get an "F" on their packaging. Hamza Shaban, The Washington Post via Bloomberg. By clicking “I agree” below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. For example, it uses Trader Jose’s on Mexican food products and Trader Ming’s on Chinese fare. "The grocery chain labels some of its ethnic foods with modifications of "Joe" that belies a narrative of exoticism that perpetuates harmful stereotypes," the. Trader Joe’s is doing away with store brand labels derided as racist in an online petition, becoming the latest major company to end the use of names and images that perpetuate stereotypes. Ms. Friend-Daniel did not say when the change would be completed, but she said the company hoped to finish “very soon” and was in the process of updating older product labels. "Packaging for a number of the products has already been changed, but there's a small number of products in which the packaging is still going through the process," Friend-Daniel added. Bedell’s petition, which has drawn more than 2,700 signatures, also criticized the use of “Arabian Joe” to brand Middle Eastern foods, “Trader Giotto’s” for Italian goods, and “Trader Joe San” for Japanese cuisine. Looking for more retail coverage? Factset: FactSet Research Systems Inc.2018. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream said it would change the name and marketing of its Eskimo Pie chocolate-covered ice cream bars. "The Trader Joe's branding is racist because it exoticizes other cultures - it presents 'Joe' as the default "normal" and the other characters falling outside of it," the petition says. plans to change some of the names and packaging, Holiday shopping is changing amid COVID-19 pandemic with Best Buy, Walmart, Target closed Thanksgiving, Starbucks to bring back Pumpkin Spice Latte, launch curbside pickup at up to 1,000 stores, statement posted on its website on Friday, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. “While this approach to product naming may have been rooted in a lighthearted attempt at inclusiveness, we recognize that it may now have the opposite effect - one that is contrary to the welcoming, rewarding customer experience we strive to create every day,” company spokeswoman Kenya Friend-Daniel said. Trader Joe's said officials constantly evaluate what they are doing to "ensure it makes sense for our business and aligns with customers’ expectations" and asked the buying team a couple years ago "to review all our products to see if we needed to update any older packages, and also see if the associated brands developed years ago needed to be refreshed. "The Trader Joe’s branding is racist because it exoticizes other cultures — it presents ‘Joe’ as the default ‘normal’ and the other characters falling outside of it — they are ‘Arabian Joe,’ ‘Trader José,’ and ‘Trader Joe San,’ the petition … "We want to be clear: we disagree that any of these labels are racist," the company said a new statement shared with USA TODAY on Tuesday. “Packaging for a number of the products has already been changed, but there’s a small number of products in which the packaging is still going through the process,” she said. The statement is a far cry from the one made just last week by Kenya Friend-Daniel, a spokeswoman for Trader Joe's, when the petition was first gaining traction. "Recently we have heard from many customers reaffirming that these name variations are largely viewed in exactly the way they were intended — as an attempt to have fun with our product marketing," the statement said. Get the latest on openings, closings and trends of the D-FW retail scene. Updated 2021 GMT (0421 HKT) August 1, 2020. And the move has particularly been praised by pundits on the right. Those products and others reflect “a narrative of exoticism that perpetuates harmful stereotypes,” according to the petition, which on Sunday had been signed by more than 1,500 people. “With this in mind, we made the decision several years ago to use only the Trader Joe’s name on our products moving forward.”. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. The problem, according to the petition and those on its side, is that this kind of packaging exoticizes other cultures -- presenting "Joe" as the norm and Ming, San Joe, José, and so on, as falling outside of that realm. Home / Trader Joe’s Petition Directed to Trader Joe’s Corporate Headquarters, store managers and clerks: We are Public Rights Advocates, having formed in this country to ensure that citizens and non-citizens alike are allowed free and equal access to Places of Public Accommodation. © 2020 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. Add your name now!
Briones Bedell, a teenager from California who started the petition accused Trader Joe's of using 'racist branding' for food that comes from Mexico, China, Japan, Europe and the Middle East.
More than 5,000 people have signed a petition calling on the grocery store chain to change what they call its racist branding names, using phrases like "Trader José" "Trader Ming's" and "San Joe" on some of its international food products.