Trader Joe's Is Raising the Price of Its Famously Affordable Bananas
As prices for many grocery products have skyrocketed over the past few years, one essential Trader Joe's item has stubbornly resisted inflation: bananas. Individual bananas have long sold for just 19 cents at Trader Joe's, and they've garnered fame for being one of the retailer's absolute best deals. But in a momentous development, customers are about to start paying more for those affordable fruits.
A Trader Joe's customer took to Reddit this week to pass along surprising news they heard straight from an employee.
"My cashier told me bananas are going up in price and I don't blame them," the customer wrote, adding that the employee didn't reveal the new price.
In the comments section under the post, several self-described Trader Joe's employees chimed in that the grocer plans to start charging 23 cents for individual bananas. Trader Joe's did not immediately respond to our queries for confirmation and comment on the price hike. But when this reporter contacted a Trader Joe's store by phone, an employee confirmed to Eat This, Not That! that the retailer is raising the price of individual, non-organic bananas from 19 cents to 23 cents. The price hike is being rolled out right now, the employee added.
That four-cent hike may not seem like that big of a deal, but it does represent about a 21% increase over the current price of 19 cents. It's also especially notable considering Trader Joe's has only ever charged 19 cents for each banana since it started selling them individually.
Former Trader Joe's Chairman and CEO Dan Bane revealed during a 2018 episode of the "Inside Trader Joe's" podcast that the retailer used to only sell bananas by the pound. However, Bane was inspired to start selling them individually after seeing a customer look through packages of bananas at a Trader Joe's store, but decide against buying any. When he asked her why, the customer responded: "Sonny, I may not live to that fourth banana."
"And so we decided the next day we were going to sell individual bananas," Bane said. "And they've been 19 cents ever since."
The banana price increase isn't the only major Trader Joe's news to come out this month. Last week, the retailer confirmed that it plans to restock its wildly popular new Mini Tote Bags in late summer after customers quickly bought up all of its stock. The retailer has also been expanding its grocery selection with a plethora of new and returning spring items, including the fan-favorite Mini Lemon Sheet Cake and a new Dulce de Leche Ice Cream.
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