Trader Joe's
Grocery store · West Hartford
1489 New Britain Ave, West Hartford, CT 06110
Highlights
Unique snacks, organic products, and friendly staff abound
Unique snacks, organic products, and friendly staff abound
"A grocery chain that announced rapid hiring to meet surging customer demand during the pandemic, recruiting store staff quickly to fill positions created by the shopping rush." - Matthew Sedacca
"Workers at this grocery chain have petitioned management for better benefits and hazard pay amid concerns about elevated COVID-19 exposure for essential retail staff, joining broader food-service labor actions seeking paid sick leave and safer working conditions." - Jaya Saxena
"Workers at the stores have reported being routinely overwhelmed by shoppers during the outbreak and organized a coalition that is in the process of unionizing and launched an online petition demanding hazard pay at the rate of time and a half, plus guaranteed pay if stores are forced to close. Staff emphasize that they are still breaking down pallets, restocking shelves, and serving customers while communities shut down, exposing themselves to elevated health risks amid shortages of protective gear. After the petition circulated, management issued an internal company memo creating a “special bonus pool” for store employees tied to recent sales increases rather than adopting the hazard-pay policy workers sought. Employees and advocates are calling for material recognition—hazard pay, paid sick leave, and access to hand sanitizer—instead of only abstract praise." - Jenny G. Zhang
"This grocery chain announced it would provide additional paid sick time to employees showing signs of respiratory illness in response to COVID-19." - Erin DeJesus
"The Organic Elote Corn Chip Dippers are praised by a chef as a 'chimera' of snacks—part Fritos, part Cool Ranch Doritos—with an added fruity habanero heat. They’re puffier than Fritos, with airy bubbles that create a compressed Cheeto-like texture; the seasoning offers a more complex, subtle sweetness with a buttermilk-like lactic tang and a lift of lime acidity. Their scoop-shaped “dipper” design is sturdy enough to hold dense dips, and despite being very flavorful on their own they pair exceptionally well with guacamole, salsa, and garlicky hummus, making them a versatile, highly addictive snack." - Marian Bull
