Trader Joe's Careers, Benefits, Review
The company’s philosophy is to bring their customers the best food and beverage values; provide them with information to help make informed buying decisions and to create stores filled with fun, friendliness and genuine care for customers.
Crew member headline
Pros
Food, discount, friendly, incredible experienceCons
Strict, very little downtime and stressful
Trader Joe’s is a national chain of neighborhood grocery stores. We are committed to providing our customers outstanding value in the form of the best quality products at the best everyday prices. Through our rewarding products and knowledgeable, friendly Crew Members, we have been transforming grocery shopping into a welcoming journey full of discovery and fun since 1967.
Our buyers travel the world searching for products we think are exceptional and will find a following among our customers. To earn a spot on our shelves, each product is submitted to a rigorous tasting panel process, in which every aspect of quality is investigated in context of the price we can offer. If a product is assessed as an outstanding value, it becomes an essential part of the Trader Joe's shopping adventure.
Crew
As a member of the Crew, you do a little of everything—and handle a lot. So does everyone along with you. From running the register, to stocking shelves to creating a beautiful display; all while making sure that every customer has a fun, friendly and informative shopping experience.
Merchant
Merchants are exclusively promoted from Trader Joe’s Crew Members. They are customer service champions “nominated” by their community. Merchants are tasked to do it all, like the Crew, while setting a Wow customer experience example.
Mate
Mates are assistant store leaders. They can be promoted from Crew Members who excel in their roles or hired externally as well qualified candidates. Mates work side by side with the Crew while providing training, guidance and development.
Captain
The Captain (always promoted from within—a Mate who has exemplified unwavering integrity and commitment) is the leader of the store. With the assistance of a team of Mates, the Captain directs the strategy and develops the Crew. They do it all from the floor of the store (there are no back offices).
Competitive Pay
We pay well. To keep Crew developing and incentivize exceptional performance, we provide a performance review for each Crew twice a year. On average, Crew have the potential to receive a 7% annual increase.
Retirement Plan
We currently offer the option of a 401(k) retirement plan. The company and crew members may contribute to the plan. Trader Joe’s is dedicated to making an investment in and for you.
Store Discount
All Crew Members currently receive up to a 20% discount on all products in our stores.
Other Cool Things We Do
• Leadership Training
• Scholarship Programs
• Disaster Recovery
• Employee Assistance Programs
• Relocations & Transfers
Does Trader Joe’s promote from within?
Yes! We have some exceptional talent within our current Crew. We take pride in continued development and training. Over 75% of our Mates have been promoted from our Crew. Likewise, many of our Office employees began their career in our Stores. All of our Captains and our Regional Vice Presidents have been promoted from within.
Promotions are performance based, which means your passion and dedication determines your growth. If you’re committed to your training and ongoing development, the sky’s the limit for your career growth at Trader Joe’s.
With the help of our highly esteemed partners, in 2021 we contributed more than 349 million dollars of food and beverages, or about 63 million meals, to our community members in need. Our goal is for these significant donations to be equitably distributed to a diverse group of recipients in our neighborhoods. For example:
- Through partnerships with City Harvest, we support more than 80 unique community agencies across Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, Staten Island, and the Bronx. In 2021 we served nearly 60,000 meals each month to a diverse group of recipients living throughout New York City’s five boroughs.
- We proudly established first-time neighborhood connections through our store in Huntsville, Alabama, where we engaged with local non-profit organizations to support the health and well-being of our neighbors living throughout Madison County.
- We connected with our food donation partners in diverse metro areas to evaluate and extend the reach of our Neighborhood Shares Program. Through this 7-day-a-week program we donate all products in our stores that go unsold but remain fit to be enjoyed to a range of non-profit, community-based organizations.
- Our Executive Vice President of Stores in the Midwest region is a member of the Board of Common Ground Foundation, an organization that supports the education and development of over 300 high school students from more than 30 schools in Chicago’s South and West Side neighborhoods.
Employees' Choice -50 Best Places to work, Glassdoor, 2013 Employees’ Choice - 50 Best Places to Work, Glassdoor, 2012 Employees’ Choice - 50 Best Places to Work, Glassdoor, 2011
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