We Finally Know What Really Happened To Trader Joe's Dark Russet Chips

If you're a regular shopper at Trader Joe's, there's a good chance you've experienced the heartbreak of your favorite items disappearing from the store without warning. The affordable store uses a "less is more" approach when stocking items so that only the highest quality products line the shelves in the relatively small stores (via The Strategy Story). According to Eat This, Not That, TJ's has approximately 4,000 products available for sale, while other grocery stores have about 50,000.

The process of new items making their way to Trader Joe's is pretty cutthroat, starting with a rigorous taste test by the store's employees (via The Kitchn). If the product is enjoyed by over 70% of the employees during the taste test, it moves on to the next phase. Even if the employees love the product, at the end of the day, it falls on the customers to buy the new item in order for it to stay on the shelves (via Bustle).

When dark russet potato chips first arrived at TJ's three years ago, customers took to Reddit to express their love for this unique snack. Knowing the popularity of this extra-crispy chip, fans of the store were shocked to learn it may soon be discontinued, but we now have an exciting update on the situation.

Customers are often surprised when Trader Joe's gets rid of a seemingly popular item because it often happens without warning. According to Bustle, the store usually doesn't warn customers about items going out of stock because more often than not, it's because the item wasn't that popular in the first place.

However, it appears that the dark russet potato chips are an exception to this rule because in May 2022, one Redditor posted a photo of them on the shelf with an "endangered item" sign on it. A Trader Joe's employee confirmed a week ago that the beloved chips would soon be no more with a screenshot that shows the chips marked as "to be discontinued" (via Reddit). One customer replied, "This is the worst day of my life."

Well, have no fear, because according to another TJ's crew member on Reddit, the chips are coming back because the store has found a new supplier. If the social media response is any indication, several customers are relieved that these extra crunchy chips will not be joining the list of popular items that completely vanished from Trader Joe's. "You've brought a smile to my face! These are my go-to treat myself chips. Thank you," replied one Reddit user. "You have no idea the joy you've brought me," another enthusiastic shopper wrote. "These were going to hands down become 'that one TJs product you will never stop mourning' for me. Now I can go back to just mourning the Parmesan potatoes."