Where Does Trader Joe's Get Its Eggs From?

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Have you ever glanced at a carton of Trader Joe's eggs and wondered where they came from? Maybe you started picturing secretive hens in a clandestine coop, ruffling their feathers while refusing to disclose where their eggs are going — or who's packing them. It's a whimsical thought, sure, but spoiler alert: The origin of Trader Joe's eggs is not cloaked in secrecy.

In fact, as soon as you peel back the layers of Trader Joe's branding, you'll find that its eggs come from a company called Carol's Eggs. There's no shadowy coop behind Carol's Eggs; it's a name that is associated with the well-known Pete & Gerry's egg farm family. In 2003, New Hampshire-based Pete & Gerry's became the first business in the U.S. to produce Certified Humane eggs.

Pete & Gerry's is a major commercial operation now, but back in the early 1950s, it was a modest New England family egg farm founded by a World War II veteran named Les Ward. In the 1980s, Ward's daughter Carol, her husband Gerry Laflamme, and Carol's cousin Pete Stanton turned their family farm operation into Pete & Gerry's. The offshoot brand Carol's Eggs was established as a nod to Pete & Gerry's family roots, and although it's still name-dropped on Trader Joe's website, the Carol's Eggs label appears to have been phased out. 

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Trader Joe's is in good hands with Pete & Gerry. The company has consistently been ahead of the curve when it comes to egg farming best practices. In 1997, the company transitioned to organic farming. In 2013, a decade after receiving its Certified Humane designation, Pete & Gerry's earned a B-Corp certification for its commitment to transparency and environmental sustainability — a first for a U.S. egg farm. Today, Pete & Gerry partner with nearly 300 family farms across 15 states. At these farms, hens live cage-free, roam outdoors under free-range or pasture-raised conditions, and enjoy feed with no antibiotics or hormones — just healthy, sunshine-filled living.

But don't just take Pete & Gerry's word for it. The Cornucopia Institute's rating system, which scores organic commercial eggs' quality from 1 to 5, gave Pete & Gerry's a four, and acknowledged its commitment to pasture-raised practices. Plus, Pete & Gerry's technicians visit partnering farms on a weekly basis to ensure those establishments are sticking to the brand's high standards.

Next time you crack open an egg carton at Trader Joe's, remember, you're not just getting eggs — you're indulging in a little piece of American history, ethical farming, and a family's legacy. Those eggs, whether sourced by Carol's Eggs or the modern Pete & Gerry's label, come from hens living well on farms that are always striving to do their best.