The INSIDER Summary:
- Brandless is a website that offers non-brand organic groceries for just $3 an item: They have been compared to an online Trader Joe’s.
- We did a taste test comparison of chips and salsa, brownies, macaroni and cheese, and popcorn from each store.
- Trader Joe’s had better-tasting products overall.
When we found out that a startup called Brandless was selling organic non-brand-name food products for just $3 each, we were excited because it sounded like an online Trader Joe’s.
As Brandless picked up in popularity, we did a price comparison and found out that for most products, Trader Joe’s is still a better deal because their products are larger, and therefore you get more bang for your buck.
The real test is product quality, however. INSIDER picked five nearly identical products from Brandless and Trader Joe’s (white cheddar popcorn, tortilla chips and salsa, boxed macaroni and cheese, and gluten-free brownie mix), pitted them against each other, and rated them from 1 to 5.
Keep scrolling to see our thoughts.
White cheddar popcorn
Brandless: It tasted like movie theater popcorn with not much of a white cheddar flavor. The popcorn was bland overall: 1.5/5
Trader Joe’s: This bag was salty, had a strong cheddar flavor, and did not taste fake. It had a lot more flavor than Brandless, and a fluffier texture. These could become addictive: 4/5
Winner: Trader Joe’s
Tortilla chips
Brandless: Thick and cardboard-like, and harder than most tortilla chips, these were not great. They almost tasted stale: 1/5
Trader Joe’s: Similar to Brandless, but a little thinner and less cardboard-like, these were saltier, but still tasted a little stale: 2.5/5
Winner: Trader Joe’s
Chunky salsa
Brandless: This salsa had a nice spicy kick, but was very watery. The salsa had a strong cilantro and cumin flavor, which is definitely an acquired taste: 3/5
Trader Joe’s: This one had a strange aftertaste, and was noticeably chunkier than the Brandless salsa. There’s no cumin in this so it tastes more like a generic salsa: 3.5/5
Winner: Trader Joe’s
Gluten-free boxed macaroni and cheese
Brandless: Brandless’ version tasted a lot like Kraft macaroni and cheese, and you could definitely tell that the cheese came from a powder packet. It had a saltier “fake cheese” taste, but is familiar comfort food: 3/5
Trader Joe’s: This version had a more authentic cheese taste that you’d never be able to tell came from a powder packet. It was thicker and tasted like real cheese, which could be a turn-off for those who prefer the processed taste: 4/5
Winner: Trader Joe’s
Gluten-free brownie mix
Brandless: This was not overtly chocolate-y, and chewier than expected. You’d never be able to tell that it’s gluten-free. It tasted more like cake than brownies: 4/5
Trader Joe’s: Fudgier, softer and gooier than Brandless’ version, it also had a bit of a strange gritty texture and a walnut-y aftertaste: 4/5
Winner: A tie! (It depends entirely on your personal brownie preference.)
SEE ALSO: This startup raised $50 million to sell brand-less products online for $3
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Source: http://www.thisisinsider.com/trader-joes-and-brandless-which-is-better-taste-test-2017-8
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