TRADER Joe’s has limited shoppers’ purchases of a viral favorite this month.
There were rumors for several weeks that the retailer would be bringing the beloved item back again.
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Earlier this week, the speculation proved true, as Trader Joe’s brought the insulated mini tote to shelves once again, per SFGate.
The two variations of the insulated mini tote that were re-stocked included lavender and pink colors.
Insulated mini totes at Trader Joe’s are priced at just $3.99 and are dropped on a seasonal basis like many food and drink options.
In the past, customers have rushed to scoop up as many insulated mini totes as they could carry, forcing Trader Joe’s to enforce purchase quantity limits.
Read More on Trader Joe’s
This has happened again, with select Trader Joe’s in the San Francisco area placing a two-bag per-customer limit for the insulated mini totes.
More of the chain’s over 600 locations have started the same rule in February.
NO CHANCE
Even so, the insulated mini totes are selling out incredibly fast, infuriating some customers who haven’t gotten a chance to head to their nearest Trader Joe’s yet.
“So frustrated! I rushed out of work as soon as I could Tuesday hoping to buy a mini cooler bag only to find them sold out by the time I got there at 4:30!” a frequent shopper, Sherry, wrote in a Facebook post.
“Why can’t the store hold back a quantity of limited edition bags like this to be put out later in the day for those of us who can’t leave work to be at the store as soon as it opens?”
“I was told they had sold out 2 hours earlier, so by mid-afternoon,” she fumed.
Others insisted that their local Trader Joe’s had re-stocked after an initial sellout.
Either way, it wouldn’t be the first time special bags from the chain had gone fast, even with a purchase limit.
In March 2024, the canvas mini totes still sold out in a flash after a five-bag cap.
They were later re-stocked in September before a holiday mini-tote release in December.
Discontinued Trader Joe’s Products
Several Trader Joe’s items have been discontinued over the years, including:
- Matcha Joe-Joe’s
- Chile Lime Mayonnaise
- Frozen Spinach Lasagna
- Banana Waffles
- Salted Caramel Gelato
- Island Salsa
- Cookie Butter Cheesecake
- Chili Sesame Oil
- Hi-Protein Veggie Burger
EGG-TASTIC PRICING
Trader Joe’s locations are also having their eggs quickly bought up by American consumers amid skyrocketing prices and shortages due to the bird flu outbreak.
Prices at some larger retailers like H-E-B have been spotted as high as $12 for a large 18-pack of pasture-raised eggs.
A dozen is also nearing $10 in some states, with Hawaii averaging just over $9 and Florida at over $6.
While the retail giants are still selling eggs for high prices, specialty grocers like Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods Market have some of the most affordable options, per a study conducted by Los Angeles CW affiliate KTLA.
Trader Joe’s is charging as little as $3.99 for a dozen, and Whole Foods had some options as low as $3.79.
While that’s likely good news for customers, some are still mourning the loss of an original sauce that was recently discontinued at the chain.
Another dinner “staple” was also discontinued with no alternative option available.
