The REAL Oscars: Trader Joe’s reveals the results of its annual Customer Choice Awards – so is YOUR favorite product a winner this year?
The results of Trader Joe’s annual Customer Choice Awards are finally in, revealing some unexpected winners.
For the past 15 years, the California-based grocery chain has been asking its customers to vote for their favorite Trader Joe’s products in various categories.
Surprisingly, the widely popular mandarin chicken did not take first place in any category.
That’s because Trader Joe’s decided to exclude its five extremely popular products, which had won numerous times in recent years, making them ineligible for last year’s consideration.
Here are the top winners from this year’s vote:
Top general
The standout winner of the 15th annual Customer Choice Awards was the chili-lime flavored rolled corn tortilla chips, which triumphed over other beloved products of the year.
The iconic tortilla chips took first place overall for the second year in a row and also took victory in the snack category.
The standout winner of the 15th Annual Customer Choice Awards was the Chili Lime Flavor Rolled Corn Tortilla Chips, which triumphed over other beloved products of the year
It beat out other fan favorites including steamed chicken soup dumplings, kimbap, steamed pork and ginger soup dumplings and pumpkin mac & cheese
Dedicated Trader Joe’s customers can’t resist this fun (and spicy) twist on the traditional corn chip, as it’s sprinkled with hot chili and lime-flavored spices.
‘Trader Joe’s chili-lime flavored rolled corn tortilla chips and their guacamole are a revelation. my obsession with Trader Joe’s continues,” X user @laurenbacalls once wrote.
It beat out other fan favorites, including steamed chicken soup dumplings, kimbap, steamed pork and ginger soup dumplings, and pumpkin mac & cheese.
Tortilla chips also ended up as winners in the top snacks category.
Top drink
Brewed with spices such as cinnamon, allspice and cloves, the seasonal Apple Cider emerged as the winner in the beverage category.
This fall tradition from Trader Joe’s outdid other beloved drinks like sparkling peach black tea with peach juice and sparkling cranberry and ginger drink.
Brewed with spices such as cinnamon, allspice and cloves, the seasonal apple cider emerged as the winner in the drinks category
The company wrote: “We have been selling orchards of Trader Joe’s spiced cider for over twenty years, and we eagerly look forward to its return year after year. It is wonderfully warm or cold, day or night. It’s refreshing and relaxing at the same time.’
Top cheese
Goat cheese, in all its variations, emerged victorious in the battle of cheeses this year.
Customers showed their love for things like chevre with honey and crumbled when it comes to cheese.
Goat cheese, in all its variations, emerged victorious in the battle of cheeses this year
Runners-up in this cheesy competition include Syrah-soaked Tuscan cheese spread and dip, burrata, Tuscan cheese with black pepper, and English country cheddar with caramelized onions.
Top products
Bananas priced at 19 cents have made them an unbeatable option in the favorite products category.
Bananas priced at 19¢ have made them an unbeatable option in the favorite products category
Organic bananas take the top spot for the fifth time, so don’t be surprised if you see them in Trader Joe’s Hall of Fame next year.
It beat out tiny avocados, Honeycrisp apples, Persian cucumbers and the complete lemony arugula-basil salad kit.
Top appetizer
Looking for a good dive?
Trader Joe’s shoppers named the company’s creamy spinach and artichoke dip as the best app in the store.
‘This warm, savory dip is incredibly versatile and easy to prepare. Can you even imagine vegetables being tastier? “It’s a winner whether with tortilla chops, as a topping on a burger or stuffed into a tortilla,” the company said.
‘This warm, savory dip is incredibly versatile and easy to prepare. Can you even imagine vegetables being tastier? “It’s a winner whether with tortilla chops, as a topping on a burger or stuffed into a tortilla,” the company said.
The dip beat out macaroni and cheese bites, parmesan dough boy, Greek spanakopita and vegetable bird’s nest for the top spot.
Top breakfast
Apparently no one wants to deal with the hassle of washing, peeling, and shredding potatoes when they wake up, and Trader Joe’s Heat & Eat hashbrowns are the crown jewel for breakfast or brunch.
Apparently no one wants to deal with the hassle of washing, peeling, and shredding potatoes when they wake up, and Trader Joe’s Heat & Eat hashbrowns are the crown jewel for breakfast or brunch
The runners-up are chocolate croissants, almond croissants, double chocolate croissants (limited) and chicken sausage breakfast patties.
A Trader Joe’s customer wrote on social media: ‘yoh NEEEEEED to try trader joes hashbrowns it will change your life I swear.’
Even Trader Joe’s seemed shocked by the team’s top finish, writing: ‘Could the humble Hashbrown be a winner? Survey Says: “Yes!” No one wants to wash, peel and shred potatoes when they wake up. That’s why TJ’s heat & eat ‘browns are the crowning glory of a complete breakfast.’
Top lunch
Prepare to be surprised, Trader Joe’s fans, because the butter chicken with basmati rice just scored its first win.
The company wrote: ‘First time at the top? And that’s exactly what it is, with chunks of tender tandoor-style in a rich tomato and onion-based sauce, along with authentic Indian spices and fragrant rice.’
Prepare to be surprised, Trader Joe fans, because the butter chicken with basmati rice just scored its first win
A social media user who tried the butter chicken for the first time wrote: ‘A bit spicy but the taste is really good!’
It beat chicken tikka masala, steamed dumplings with pork and ginger soup, fried rice with vegetables and steamed dumplings with chicken soup.
Top sweet treat
Trader Joe holds the cone! Mini ice cream cones faced tough competition, losing out to another frozen treat in the sweet category this year.
The sublime ice cream sandwiches crowned the best dessert, with chocolate chip cookies and creamy vanilla ice cream, all rolled in even more chips
The sublime ice cream sandwiches crowned the best dessert, with chocolate chip cookies and creamy vanilla ice cream, all rolled in even more chips.
One social media user agreed it’s worth a prize: “The first thing I pick up at Trader Joe’s is always the ice cream sandwiches, lol, everything else can wait!”
Top bath, body and house
Here’s another seasonal delight that captured fans’ hearts… and their skins.
The Brazil nut body butter, available exclusively in the summer, emerged victorious as the best bath, body and home product.
The Brazil Nut Body Butter, available exclusively in the summer, emerged victorious as the best bath, body and home product
The company wrote: ‘Its mega-moisturizing power and salted caramel and pistachio scent made it number one in our ‘don’t eat’ category!’
In second place are daily facial sunscreen SPF 40, coconut body butter, lavender spray hand sanitizer and eight dropless candles.