Get ready to trade out your old, boring coffee that’s been collecting dust on your kitchen shelf! Trader Joe’s has a plethora of different coffee roasts for you to add to your morning coffee routine. One of the most authentic, individualistic grocery store chains in the United States, Trader Joe’s has become a destination for many shoppers grocery needs–and coffee needs.
If you’re a coffee fanatic and have a Trader Joe’s in your local area, we’ve made a list of some of the most flavor-filled coffee roasts that Trader Joe’s has to offer.
At A Glance: Best Coffee From Trader Joe's
A Quick Tour of Trader Joe’s
Named after its founder Joe Coulombe, Trader Joe’s has been impacting the American shopping scene (and coffee scene) since 1958. First appearing in Los Angeles, California, Trader Joe’s used to operate under the name Pronto Market–the first “Trader Joe’s” store debuting in 1967 in Pasadena, California.
One staple of what sets Trader Joe’s apart from its grocery store competitors is the fact that 80% of TJ’s products are the store’s own brand. Offering unique brand-specific products, this also means that TJ’s creates their own roasts of coffee that can’t be found anywhere else! As a result, TJ’s has placed itself apart from any other regular grocery store that sells larger-brand coffees.
Selling over a dozen different house brands of coffee, some of these roasts differ between origin, roasting level, flavor profiles, and more. With so many options to choose from, there’s a roast and blend for every coffee connoisseur.
Quick Summary: Best Coffee From Trader Joe's
 | Our Top Choice TRADER JOE’S COLUMBIA SUPREMO | Check on Amazon → |
 | TRADER JOE’S FIVE COUNTRY ESPRESSO BLEND | Check on Amazon → |
 | TRADER JOE’S FRENCH ROAST COFFEE | Check on Amazon → |
 | Trader Joe's Low Acid French Roast Coffee | Check on Amazon → |
 | TRADER JOE’S WINTRY BLEND | Check on Amazon → |
 | TRADER JOE’S BREAKFAST BLEND | Check on Amazon → |
 | TRADER JOE’S BOLIVIAN BLEND | Check on Amazon → |
 | TRADER JOE’S MEDIUM ROAST GROUND COFFEE | Check on Amazon → |
The Best Coffee To Buy from Trader Joe’s
We’ve searched high and low, and we finally compiled a complete list of some of the best coffee for you to buy and try during your next shopping spree to Trader Joe’s! Each roast offers a little bit of what every coffee lover is looking for in a favorite roast.
Trader Joe’s Columbia Supremo
One of the most popular roast that Trader Joe’s has to offer, this Columbia Supremo roast is one of the highest-ranking amongst many coffee critics. Trader Joe’s has a reputation for roasting most of the unique flavors out of its darker roasted beans, but the Columbia Supremo still maintains some of the flavor profiles that so many coffee fanatics just can’t get enough of.
For the Columbia Supremo, you can expect hints of fruity tanginess and sweet, silky chocolate. A medium roast blend, the Columbia Supremo is a well-balanced, full-bodied blend that’s delicious even without the addition of creamer or sweetener. If you enjoy smaller-scale coffee roasters like Blue Bottle Coffee or Stumptown Roasters, these flavor profiles are similar enough to be a great fit for you!
Trader Joe’s Five Country Espresso Blend
Another savory roast that stands out amongst the variety of the over-roasted coffees that Trader Joe’s has to offer, the Five Country Espresso Blend is a darker roast that still maintains some of the unique flavors of the coffee beans.
We highly recommend this darker roast for those who aren’t fans of lighter roasted coffees. With hints of smokey nuttiness, this roast is ideal for both black coffee lovers and latte lovers alike. We prefer brewing this blend with brewing methods like a french press, pour-over, or cold brew!
Trader Joe’s French Roast Coffee
Searching for a sip of super dark roast coffee? Trader Joe’s French Roast is smokey, savory, and is one of the most robust roasts that the company has to offer. For those who like their coffee on the stronger side, TJ’s French Roast is full-bodied and rich with ripe flavors. To achieve these flavors, the beans are carefully and evenly slow-roasted to ensure that the sugars in the beans caramelize just enough to create those deep undertones of flavor.
One slight downside to the French Roast is the somewhat overwhelming about of acidity that may make enjoying this roast difficult for some consumers. However, TJ’s also offers a low-acid French Roast for those who have more sensitive digestive tracts. Thankfully, this low-acid option still maintains a lot of the roast’s original delicious flavor, just with a slightly different PH balance to help eliminate some acidity. TJ’s achieves this through steaming their beans in a chemical-free process that helps to eliminate some of the acidity.
Trader Joe’s Wintry Blend
Are you a fan of flavored coffee? Add an extra spark of magic on those cold winter nights with Trader Joe’s Wintry Blend! A medium-dark roast, this Wintry Blend consists of carefully cultivated beans from South America and is slowly roasted with whole clove, zestful red and green peppercorn, and cinnamon.
Available in a 14 OZ container, this blend actually comes only in ground coffee form to make it easier to brew and more accessible for home baristas who may not have a coffee grinder at home. Though we always recommend purchasing whole bean coffee and grinding it before brewing to maintain freshness and flavor, this pre-ground coffee is succulent enough to last for a while.
Trader Joe’s Breakfast Blend
Trader Joe’s labels their Breakfast Blend as “mellow and smooth,” due to its combination of pleasant floral notes of flavor and sweet caramel undertones. This blend is a whole bean blend, so a grinder of some sort will be necessary to enjoy this savory roast. Roasted to a medium level, these beans are also sourced entirely from South American coffee growers.
Perhaps the most noteworthy characteristics of this blend are the fact that it’s organic and also Fair-Trade certified. This certification is important because not only does it ensure that the coffee is of the highest quality, but also that the beans are cultivated in an environmentally healthy manner.
Trader Joe’s Bolivian Blend
The Bolivian Blend is one of the most off-the-wall blends that Trader Joe’s offers, and you can expect comforting tones of earthiness and nuttiness. Not only is it a delicious option for black coffee lovers who enjoy a slight bitterness to their coffee, but it also pairs well with a subtle, slightly sweet creamers and sweeteners.
The beans for this blend are grown and cultivated specifically in Bolivia, one of the most carefully crafted single-origin roasts that TJ’s has. Though it’s filled with ripe flavor, this blend can be more acidic than others, making it not suitable for all coffee drinkers who can’t have super acidic beverages.
Trader Joe’s Medium Roast Ground Coffee
One of the staples of Trader Joe’s coffee choices, the medium roast consists of 100% arabica coffee and is consistent in its freshness, delicious flavor, and caffeine kick to help get you through the day. The medium roast is designed to be a consistent go-to for the coffee lover who doesn’t need all of the bells and whistles but just wants a good ‘ole classic cup of coffee.
Trader Joe’s reputation
Before you buy coffee from Trader Joe’s, it can be helpful to get a full understanding about the company and the coffee roaster–that way you know exactly what coffee you’re purchasing. TJ’s has a long reputation for selling one-of-a-kind, healthy, organic products that can’t be found anywhere else.
In fact, that’s one of the primary reasons why so many dedicated fans of TJ’s travel both short and long distances–just to shop for specific items that can only be found at TJ’s. However, there are a few critiques that many fans of TJ’s have regarding the progression of the company and changes that TJ’s has made in regard to both the quality and quantity of its products.
Information Availability and Labeling
One of the most upheld beliefs by the store is maintaining anonymity for their products. Though this can be great for Trader Joe’s marketing strategy to create a more authentic, unique-looking brand, it can lack the necessary amount of specificity when it comes to labeling certain qualities about their coffee products.
Perhaps the most important quality that they exclude on their coffee products are the regions and suppliers from where they acquire their coffee. Though TJ’s claims this is to protect the names of their suppliers, it can cause some confusion and even mistrust amongst coffee consumers if they can’t get a clear message of where their coffee is from, how it is produced, and who roasts it.
In addition, some consumers of TJ’s coffee have also established some skepticism against the company due to some of the claims that TJ’s makes regarding its coffee. For example, some roasts are labeled as “eco-friendly” or “fair trade certified,” which is only useful as a vague description of the coffee itself. As a result of the coffee suppliers being kept a secret, there’s no easy way to actually verify if some of these claims that TJ’s makes regarding its coffee are true.
Discontinuation of Products
One of the largest complaints that many lovers of Trader Joe’s coffee has is the discontinuation of certain coffee roasts and blends. Over the last several years, TJ’s offered a variety of different coffees from many different places, but they’ve unfortunately dwindled the amount of different coffees that they supply.
Some of the roasts that have gone extinct now are all fan-favorites like the Kenya AA Roast, Trader Joe’s House Blend, and more. The primary reason for this is that some of the beans that used to supply Trader Joe’s most popular roasts have increased in price over the past years, and the company couldn’t compensate with the suppliers’ costs. A primary example of this are theKenyan AA beans that have increased in price over time, a main reason why TJ’s coffee is primarily sourced from Central and South American countries instead of African countries.
Though the choice to cut certain products may help the company financially, it can be frustrating for consumers who are already accustomed to a specific kind of Trader Joe’s coffee. However, there are still a handful of rich, savory blends for you to choose from if you’re looking to explore Trader Joe’s coffee.
The Verdict
Ultimately, we thoroughly enjoy the coffee from Trader Joe’s because it reflects the quality and values that the company upholds overall. Those who love Trader Joe’s enjoy it’s authenticity, one-of-a-kind unique brand products, and fair prices–and the coffee embodies all of these great characteristics as well.
The best way to explore and experiment with Trader Joes coffee? Order them from Amazon or just taking a stroll through your local store the next time you visit! There are plenty of options to choose from, and there are many that will complement your taste buds and leave you craving a second cup.
Happy caffeinating!
