Trader Joe's Ex-President Opens Store With Aging Food And Cheap Meals

[GMDino]

Doesn't he realize its all about PROFIT and NOT about helping people?!?!

What kind of socialist is he?!?!



http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2015/06/04/411777947/trader-joes-ex-president-opens-store-with-aging-food-and-cheap-meals?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=npr&utm_term=nprnews&utm_content=20150605

Quote:Daily Table opened its doors Thursday with shelves full of surplus and aging food.

The nonprofit grocery store is in the low-to-middle income Boston neighborhood of Dorchester. It's selling canned vegetables two for $1 and a dozen eggs for 99 cents. Potatoes are 49 cents a pound. Bananas are 29 cents a pound.

"That's good. It's cheap! Everything good," says Noemi Sosa, a shopper marveling at the prices that — for Boston — are phenomenally low.

The reason these prices are so low? Most of the stock is donated by food wholesalers and markets. It either didn't sell or it's surplus.

The expiration date on foods like orange juice and even milk aren't indicators of when those products will go bad.
THE SALT

Don't Fear That Expired Food

Grocery stores like Trader Joe's aren't donating any food to Daily Table yet, but the plan is to get food from them eventually, too.

It was Doug Rauch, the former president of Trader Joe's, who came up with this concept. He was frustrated by the amount of nutritious food that went into dumpsters, just because it was nearing its sell-by date. Meanwhile, millions of people don't eat very well. But Rauch had to fight the critics, who said he was just dumping food rejected by rich people on the poor.

Rauch first announced he would open the store in September 2013.

"It's been a long time coming," he says.

Checking out with the cashier, customer Manuel Goncalves admits he surveyed the expiration dates before putting food in his basket.

"I looked around, I saw the date. I saw the food being prepared in the back," he says. "And I felt comfortable to come back and buy as much as I can.

His groceries come to $30.46. "That's it? Wow!" he says.

For just over $30, he walks out with what looks like enough groceries to feed his family for a week.

Besides selling staples, Daily Table is also cooking up prepared meals on a rotating menu. "The recipes have to change every day because the donations change every day," says head chef Ismail Samad. Even though the food is not as new as what's in your local supermarket, that doesn't mean it's bad, he says.

Not so ugly, eh? Supposedly imperfect produce rescued and reclaimed for consumption by Bon Appetit and Better Harvests.

Think Nobody Wants To Buy Ugly Fruits And Veggies? Think Again

"The top of the kale might be getting a little light green. We cut that off and sauté it up," he says.

Samad hopes customers in Dorchester eat it up. If they do, Rauch wants to expand this model to other cities across the country.

[JustWinBaby]

(06-05-2015, 12:19 PM)GMDino Wrote: Doesn't he realize its all about PROFIT and NOT about helping people?!?!

What kind of socialist is he?!?!

He's charging a decent amount on food that's mostly donated...what gave you the impression he's not making a profit?  Ever heard of Aldi's?

[GMDino]

(06-05-2015, 12:38 PM)JustWinBaby Wrote: He's charging a decent amount on food that's mostly donated...what gave you the impression he's not making a profit?  Ever heard of Aldi's?

I inferred it from this line in the story:

Quote:The nonprofit grocery store is in the low-to-middle income Boston neighborhood of Dorchester.

[*michaelsean*]

What in the world would this have to do with socialism?

[GMDino]

(06-05-2015, 01:38 PM)michaelsean Wrote: What in the world would this have to do with socialism?

Sorry...progressive?  Communist?

What are we calling people these days who try to help others without worrying about profit above all else?

[GodHatesBengals]

(06-05-2015, 01:51 PM)GMDino Wrote: Sorry...progressive?  Communist?

What are we calling people these days who try to help others without worrying about profit above all else?

[*michaelsean*]

(06-05-2015, 01:51 PM)GMDino Wrote: Sorry...progressive?  Communist?

What are we calling people these days who try to help others without worrying about profit above all else?

You call him an individual trying to help other people.  Is this something new to you?  We have places here in Cincinnati that give away donated food...gasp...FOR FREE

[GMDino]

(06-05-2015, 02:14 PM)michaelsean Wrote: You call him an individual trying to help other people.  Is this something new to you?  We have places here in Cincinnati that give away donated food...gasp...FOR FREE

So do we!

But apparently businesses should only operate for profit and not care about their fellow humans.  At least that what I'be been told.

[JustWinBaby]

(06-05-2015, 01:01 PM)GMDino Wrote: I inferred it from this line in the story:

And you assume that means he's working for free?

[GMDino]

(06-05-2015, 03:22 PM)JustWinBaby Wrote: And you assume that means he's working for free?

No.  I assumed the business was non-profit.

He might even, gasp, pay his workers!

But please, enlighten us how this is bad.

[*michaelsean*]

(06-05-2015, 03:33 PM)GMDino Wrote: No.  I assumed the business was non-profit.

He might even, gasp, pay his workers!

But please, enlighten us how this is

It's not bad but you tried to make some political 
thing out of something that has nothing to do with politics.  

[GMDino]

(06-05-2015, 04:29 PM)michaelsean Wrote: It's not bad but you tried to make some political 
thing out of something that has nothing to do with politics.  

Well I posted it in the P&R forum...and I made reference to the profit because I;ve been told in this forum that its not about helping each other.  Its just too bad if you can't afford healthy food...or medicine.

[*michaelsean*]

(06-05-2015, 06:31 PM)GMDino Wrote: Well I posted it in the P&R forum...and I made reference to the profit because I;ve been told in this forum that its not about helping each other.  Its just too bad if you can't afford healthy food...or medicine.

I honestly dont see your point.  There are thousands of nonprofits helping people.  And when this guy ran a for profit business he made a profit.  

[SunsetBengal]

I'm sorry, but where I come from, donated food is just that, donated.  It does not come at a cost slightly below what the supermarket is charging for brand new food, it is just a donation for the needy.

yes, the man is profiteering, and using people's tax deductible write offs to make a sale.

[JustWinBaby]

(06-05-2015, 03:33 PM)GMDino Wrote: No.  I assumed the business was non-profit.

He might even, gasp, pay his workers!

But please, enlighten us how this is bad.

Well, those are some lofty assumptions that kind of destroy the preimise of your thread.  As usual, you have NO understanding of how businesses actually work.  You're good for 2-3 clueless threads a day.  You're like the golden schlub for left-wing propaganda.

[JustWinBaby]

(06-05-2015, 10:02 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: yes, the man is profiteering, and using people's tax deductible write offs to make a sale.

Exactly.  He made his bank and is looking for a paycheck and status in retirement.  This model is not new.  It's slightly less self-serving than the Clinton Foundation.

By the way, since some appear to be ignorant, execs at non-profits can make VERY handsome salaries.

[GMDino]

(06-06-2015, 06:20 AM)JustWinBaby Wrote: Well, those are some lofty assumptions that kind of destroy the preimise of your thread.  As usual, you have NO understanding of how businesses actually work.  You're good for 2-3 clueless threads a day.  You're like the golden schlub for left-wing propaganda.

And you win best non-response response of the week.

As soon as I am back from vacation I'll get to work on your trophy.