Trader Joe’s and Sprouts are two popular grocery store chains with an emphasis on fresh produce. Both stores have tons of all-natural and organic products that draw in a dedicated health-conscious customer base. There are a wide variety of stores that focus on healthier products, but Trader Joe’s and Sprouts have a unique appeal with their small stores and their open layout floor plans.
Sprouts is better than Trader Joe’s. Sprouts Farmers Market offers a wider variety of products and has an on-site butcher shop for customers to purchase fresh meat. While you’ll spend a little more at Sprouts, it’ll be well worth it for the convenience of finding fresh produce and other necessities all in one place!
Are you ready to learn what makes Sprouts better than Trader Joe’s? Read on to see price and product comparisons. We’ll also answer some common questions about Trader Joe’s and Sprouts, so you can feel confident in your choice!
Trader Joe’s
Trader Joe’s currently has over 569 locations across the United States. The first Trader Joe’s was opened in 1967 by the founder, Joe Coulombe, in Pasadena, California. Coulombe wanted to open a chain of grocery stores that would offer fresh, healthy food at an affordable price.
Most Trader Joe’s locations keep about 4,000 items in stock, which is significantly less than an average grocery store, which stocks about 50,000 items. This chain keeps its prices low by focusing on a smaller product base.
About 80% of products sold at Trader Joe’s are under its own brand names. Many discount grocery stores use their own brand names to keep prices low and set themselves apart from competitors.
Trader Joe’s is known for its all-natural and organic products. But it’s also known for its environmentalism and sustainability efforts. This chain is dedicated to providing eggs from cage-free farms in all its locations by 2025.
Sprouts
Sprouts Farmers Market hasn’t been around nearly as long as Trader Joe’s, but they’ve built up a very similar reputation. The first location opened in 2002, and this chain has over 370 stores across the US as of 2023.
Sprouts is dedicated to offering healthy foods for lower prices than competitors. This chain believes people should have access to healthy food without having to break the bank, and they work hard to provide a diverse selection of all-natural and organic products.
Much like Trader Joe’s, Sprouts has its own private-label brands, which encompass the majority of its products. They keep over 10,000 products in stock at their locations, which is more than double that of Trader Joe’s!
Sprouts also has a focus on environmentalism and sustainability. We’ll discuss some of the specifics of their efforts later in this guide!
Comparison Questions (Trader Joe’s vs Sprouts)
Is Sprouts Similar To Trader Joe’s?
Sprouts and Trader Joe’s are very similar. Their locations have a similar atmosphere with an open-concept floor plan and emphasis on their all-natural and organic products. Each store is a discount grocery chain with its own private-label brands covering the majority of their products.
However, there are some major differences between the two. If you’re struggling to decide whether to shop at Trader Joe’s or Sprouts, keep these key points in mind.
- Sprouts changes their sales price on certain items weekly, while Trader Joe’s keeps a consistent price point (this excludes special sales for holidays)
- Sprouts locations have a butcher shop where you can get fresh meat. Trader Joe’s sells pre-packaged meat, so it’s not as fresh as the meat at Sprouts.
- Sprouts offers a larger selection of products, including more organic produce, toiletries, and baby care products. Trader Joe’s mostly sells food and beverages.
- Trader Joe’s has a more lively and friendly atmosphere. Sprouts is often described as having a crisp and clean atmosphere.
While these stores are similar, the differences between them are significant. Sprouts has a larger selection of products and an on-site butcher shop, which makes it a better option for health-conscious customers looking for a one-stop place to shop.
Is Sprouts Cheaper Than Trader Joe’s?
Both grocers are focused on bringing healthy food to their customers for low prices, but Trader Joe’s is typically cheaper than Sprouts. There are occasions when Sprouts has bottom of the barrel deals that beat out the prices at Trader Joe’s, but you’ll find most products are less expensive at Trader Joe’s than Sprouts.
We decided to compare the cost of some common items to see how the prices match up across both stores. Check out our findings below.
| Product | Price at Trader Joe’s | Price at Sprouts |
| Organic Broccoli | $2.65/lb | $2.99/lb |
| Butter | $3.99/16oz | $4.99/16oz |
| Peanuts | $2.99/lb | $2.99/lb |
| Honey O’s Cereal | $0.17/oz | $0.33/oz |
| Applewood Smoked Bacon | $0.55/oz | $0.90/oz |
Trader Joe’s products are cheaper than Sprouts in nearly every category. Some of their products are nearly half the price of Sprouts! When you need healthy food at an affordable price, Trader Joe’s offers the best deals on the market.
Is Sprouts More Environmentally Friendly Than Trader Joe’s?
Big companies like Sprouts and Trader Joe’s that dedicate themselves to providing fresh, healthy products at affordable prices often dedicate a large part of their company to environmentalism and sustainability efforts. Both of these companies have made great strides in protecting the environment and eliminating excessive waste. Here are the things you should know about how Sprouts and Trader Joe’s are working to protect our environment!
- Sprouts allows customers to use their own packaging for many products, such as fresh veggies. They’re also partnered with How2Recycle to teach customers how to properly recycle their packaging.
- Sprouts strives to include 30% recycled material in all their packaging
- Sprouts is an active participant in reducing waste and fighting hunger in the communities they serve. In 2021, they repurposed 79,000 tons of food, and other recyclables, which reduced their landfill impact by 60%
- Sprouts donates all food that is safe to eat but no longer available for sale to local hunger relief programs
- Trader Joe’s uses minimal building materials and fixtures in their stores. They use sustainably sourced wood and other materials for their locations
- Trader Joe’s has switched to energy-efficient lighting fixtures for all their locations to cut down on electricity usage
- Trader Joe’s switched to lower impact refrigeration units, which have zero ozone depletion potential
- Trader Joe’s frequently reviews and improves their transportation system to reduce the number of miles suppliers must drive
- Trader Joe’s has made several changes to their packaging system to eliminate waste, including removing plastic from certain products and using more recycled materials.
- Trader Joe’s Neighborhood Shares Program donates unsold food to local charities to reduce waste and feed the hungry
The Verdict– Which is Better?
Trader Joe’s and Sprouts are both excellent stores in their own right. Each chain offers fresh, healthy, and affordable products and has made big strides toward becoming more environmentally friendly. However, Sprouts is the better place to shop because they offer a wider range of products than Trader Joe’s, including a personal care section and an on-site butcher shop. While you’ll pay a bit more when you shop at Sprouts, it will be worth it to have a reliable one-stop place to shop!
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