Trader Joe's Is Discontinuing Its Fudge Sauce And Fans Aren't Pleased
There's always a new and exciting product with flashy packaging sitting on the shelf at your favorite grocery store that's just begging you to take it home and give it a try. Just within the first two months of 2022 alone, we've seen a number of new items pop up, like Little Debbie-inspired ice creams and Coca-Cola with coffee. It can be fun to taste-test newly released groceries, but the unfortunate truth is that the emergence of new products oftentimes means that another product elsewhere in the store is quietly being removed from the shelf, never to be seen or heard from again.
As HuffPost consulted multiple industry experts, who explained that there are several potential reasons behind a product's discontinuation, like poor sales or supply chain issues, the latter of which has been a major factor since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic (Eat This, Not That!). No grocery chain is spared from this tragic fate, either, not even Trader Joe's, which claims on its website that it will introduce new items to replace products that are "not earning a spot on our shelves."
TJ's shoppers have had to say goodbye to a number of fan-favorite products over the years, and last week, Trader Joe's fan Instagram account @traderjoestobediscontinued claimed that another beloved product is in its final days. "The Fudge Sauce and Fondue is soon to be discontinued!" the Instagrammer announced in a post on February 18 that was met with a sea of negative reactions from fans.
TJ's shoppers might have the power to bring its beloved fudge sauce back
Trader Joe's Fudge Sauce & Fondue has built up quite a fan base over the years. It has amassed several five-star reviews on Influenster, where many shoppers have suggested warming it up and using it as a topping for ice cream or cheesecake. However, one Redditor suggested a dessert might not even be necessary when you want to indulge in the thick, chocolatey sauce. "To me, it's seriously so good. Like, eat it out of the jar with a spoon good," u/mgonzo1221 claimed in a thread last year.
TJ's shoppers are disappointed by the news that the Fudge Sauce & Fondue that won them over will soon be removed from stores. A chorus of "Noooooo"s have filled the comments section of @traderjoestobediscontinued's Instagram post about the product's upcoming discontinuation. Some commenters have called the decision "tragic" and even "mean." The Instagrammer did not share an exact date that the fudge sauce will lose its spot on the shelf, but that didn't stop one commenter from offering a replacement suggestion. "Try Mrs. Richardson's hot fudge! Just as good...deep rich chocolatey, melts great," user @vegaslori said.
TJ's does offer one glimmer of hope for those feeling the sting of sauce loss. The retailer's website gives shoppers the opportunity to share feedback about discontinued products. "We make no guarantees, but we do take customer requests into account when we develop new products or revisit old favorites," the company says.