Trader Joe’s Warns Shoppers That Certain Foods May Contain Insects, Rocks

Last week, Trader Joe’s had its hands full issuing several product recalls after being alerted by its suppliers about foreign materials potentially contaminating its food products.

One of those foreign materials is rocks. Food items being recalled because they may contain rocks include Trader Joe’s Almond Windmill Cookies (SKU# 98744) with sell by dates 10/02/23 and 10/19/23 through 10/21/23; Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Chunk and Almond Cookies (SKU# 82752) with sell by dates 10/17/23 through 10/21/23; and Trader Joe’s Fully Cooked Falafel (SKU# 93935).

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The other foreign material is insects. The company says Trader Joe’s Unexpected Broccoli Cheddar Soup (SKU# 68470) may contain insects – which type of insects was not specified. The use by dates for this recalled product include 07/18/23 through 09/15/23.

According to AP News, when asked for further information about how the insects and rocks may have gotten into these products, a Trader Joe’s spokesperson said that “there was an issue in the manufacturing processes in the facilities.”

The company said all potentially affected products have been removed from sale and destroyed. Trader Joe's urges shoppers who bought the products before the recall was issued to discard them or return them to any store for a full refund.

No known adverse health effects have been reported to date.

Meanwhile, Trader Joe’s continues to grow as it recently announced it is opening a new store in the Sarasota-Bradenton area in Florida and in the Forest Hills area in New York. The retailer aims to have both locations up and running by the end of the calendar year.

With more than 500 stores in 40-plus states, Monrovia, Calif.-based Trader Joe’s is No. 27 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2023 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America. PG also named the company as one of its Retailers of the Century.