26-03-2025
California shoppers, get ready: mini Trader Joe's canvas tote bags to return in pastel
Trader Joe's popular mini canvas tote bags are set for April and this time they're in four pastel colors.
Photos of the bag circulating online show blue, green, pink and purple colored versions. Trader Joe's declined to share photos of the bag before its in-store release.
Last year, the $2.99 viral mini canvas totes sold out quickly with long lines and frenzied shopping. Some online resellers were able to get more than 10 times the price of the bag.
An inventory search at the Trader Joe's Reno, Nev. McCarran Boulevard displayed the message, "Coming soon - launching April 7th."
The bags will again sell for $2.99 each, limited to two per customer at most locations.
On Thursday, a Trader Joe's crew member at the West Hills store said the bags are expected on April 7 but because of their popularity it could be sooner or later.
The date is before the Easter holiday, which lands on April 20.
In February, a Trader Joe's crew member told the Reno Gazette Journal that each store is expected to receive one pallet of the bags.
Trader Joe's mini insulated totes came out in pink and purple last month. Sales of the $3.99 bag were limited to two per customer at the Reno location. They sold online for around $30 to $40 for a set of two on the date of release.
A large purple insulated cooler released in February was still available last week for $7.99 at Reno Trader Joe's locations. The same cooler is available online in "limited" quantities in West Hills and Fresno, so double-check.
The micro tote, a small keychain that holds a nylon grocery bag, sold out during the holiday season but is expected to return in December, according to a Reno crew member.
The West Hills crew member said he did not have immediate information on when the tote would return.
Other popular Trader Joe's items can be found on their list of 2025 Customer Choice Award winners.
Chili & Lime Flavored Rolled Corn Tortilla Chips won first place overall and in the snack category.
Trader Joe's currently has 564 stores in 43 states, with around 200 stores in California, the most of any state.
In 1967, Joe Coulombe opened the first Trader Joe's in Pasadena.
The grocery chain was quirky from the beginning. Coulombe based the store's nautical décor on a book he'd read called 'White Shadows in the South Seas,'' as well as his experience visiting the Jungle Cruise ride at Disneyland, according to the company's website. Employees were dubbed captains and first mates who wore Hawaiian-themed shirts.
Related: What's the best food from Trader Joe's? Shoppers' favorite items revealed in customer poll
The stores were unique in other ways. His mother-in-law and father-in-law had been academics who enjoyed dining on fresh seafood and quality yet affordable wines. Trader Joe's would cater to those with similar, sophisticated tastes who were also on a budget.
Trader Joe's became known for a selective array of premium foods available at low prices. Coulombe sampled and chose everything his stores sold and invited employees and customers to tastings.
In 1972, Trader Joe's also introduced its private-label products, starting with granola and later incorporating items ranging from coffee to apple juice to heat-and-serve entrees. Coulombe would use images from 19th-century advertisements for the labels and named the items himself.
Coulombe sold Trader Joe's to the German grocery retailer Aldi Nord in 1979. Since then, the chain has grown from 19 stores, all based in California, to more than 500 locations in 42 states and Washington, 2002, it introduced the Charles Shaw label to its wine selection. The award-winning wine became a beloved pop culture fixture known as 'Two-Buck Chuck'' because it was so affordable.
You can request a Trader Joe's location in your city by completing a form on the Trader Joe's website.
According to a company-produced podcast — yes, you read that right, Trader Joe's produces its own podcast called Inside Trader Joe's — executives research population density, traffic flow, parking capacity, and other demographics when determining when and where to open a new store.
Wes Woods II covers West County for the Ventura County Star. Reach him at 805-437-0262 or @JournoWes.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Trader Joe's mini tote bags are coming back in pastel
