There’s a unique phenomenon that sees shoppers pledge their allegiance to their favorite grocery store with the same passion they might have for their favorite sports team. Loyal fans of each grocery chain can likely argue why their store is the greatest out there, but, like most points of divisions out there, these chains have more in common than you might think. One notable example comes in the form of frozen fruit, where Trader Joe’s, Costco, and Aldi all share the same supplier.
Formed in Gresham, Oregon in 1931, Scenic Fruit Company specializes in supplying fruits and vegetables for store-brand private labels around the country. The company grows a number of fruits in bulk, including pineapples, bananas, raspberries, and strawberries, to name a few. These fruits are frozen at the peak of their ripeness and shipped nationwide in various packages ranging from four ounces to five pounds. You’ve likely seen these packages at your favorite grocery store, branded with the store’s logo. For example, it’s the brand behind Costco’s Kirkland Organic Blueberries, a popular, inexpensive staple at the wholesale club. In fact, Scenic Fruit Company grows tens of millions of pounds of blueberries per season!
Read more: 34 Absolute Best Snacks From Trader Joe’s, Ranked By Taste
Scenic Fruit Company Has Been A Part Of Major Recalls In Recent Years
While Scenic Fruit Company has a long and respected history, the company has been involved in a few major scandals in recent years. In 2019, Scenic Fruit Company’s three-pound bags of frozen organic blueberries were voluntarily recalled due to the presence of foreign materials. Specifically, this recall impacted the aforementioned Kirkland Signature brand of frozen organic blueberries. Beginning in September of 2019, the recall wasn’t terminated until nearly six months later in March of 2020.
In March of 2023, Scenic Fruit Company was at the forefront of a major Hepatitis A recall concerning frozen fruit at Trader Joe’s, Aldi, Costco, and other grocery stores. The recall mostly concerned the company’s organic frozen strawberries but, at Trader Joe’s, the impacted item was the Organic Tropical Fruit Blend, which contains frozen pineapples, bananas, strawberries, and mangoes. The frozen strawberry recall was expanded in June 2023 to include a number of Walmart’s Great Value frozen fruits, such as strawberries and mixed fruit. Frozen fruit at H-E-B was also included in the expanded recall.
Read the original article on Tasting Table.