Trader Joe's is not immune to these hardships, and given that 80% of the grocery store chain's products are made by its own private label, supply issues are causing the beloved brand to make some tough decisions. Specifically, the low-cost grocery chain announced earlier this month that it's discontinuing six pet food products.
The four types of cat food and two types of dog food are leaving shelves for good because of "inconsistent availability and ongoing sourcing issues," Trader Joe's says. Once the remaining inventory of these six items runs out, shoppers will be left looking for other options.
But, you can currently find other options at Trader Joe's.
Although pet owners will have to switch out the food they give their beloved cats and dogs, Trader Joe's does have other options—mainly for dogs. The canned Grain Free Chicken Recipe Dog Food along with the canned Grain Free Beef Dog Food are still available, as are a few types of treats: Grain Free Peanut Butter and Banana, Pumpkin Maple Bakon Stuffies, Cheeseburger Treats, and Chew-Cuterie assorted treats.
"Given the time and care involved in introducing our furry, four-legged friends to new foods, we hope this notice enables you to prepare for the transition accordingly," Trader Joe's says. "We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience."
Unfortunately, the pet food shortage isn't limited to this one grocery store.
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For months, cat and dog food—especially brands sold in aluminum packaging—have been facing shortages. As the Chicago Tribune reports, some options come and go on a cyclical basis due to problems with ingredients, packaging shortages, or staffing problems at manufacturing plants.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e
A lot of pet food is made with meat—which has also seen its fair share of supply issues in the last two years. "Sometimes it'll be duck, and we can't get duck in, or any duck products in, for a really long time, or every now and then it'll be salmon, and we can't get salmon in for a really long time," one pet store owner in Chicago told the newspaper.
These issues likely won't end this year. In fact, the Russian invasion of Ukraine plus continued supply chain disruptions are going to keep the supply unstable. And the products that are still available will likely have higher prices, according to PetFoodIndustry.com.
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Amanda McDonald
Amanda has a master's degree in journalism from Northwestern University and a bachelor's degree in digital journalism from Loyola University Chicago. Read more about Amanda
