Anyone shop at Fresh & Easy yet?
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free skin care · Sun Mar 09, 2008 12:12 am

I have been a couple times and I have to say I love it! I have always been a fan of Trader Joe's but find my local one pretty congested and out of stock of a lot of items so when a Fresh & Easy opened up I went in to explore and I have to say I like their food and prices a lot better than TJs. Never thought i would say that.

What I like at F&E are the chicken caesar salad, tiramisu and their organic baby carrots to name a few. I am beginning to like everything about the store and their produce is actually quite affordable unlike TJs.

I think it's going to my staple grocery store from now on!

Kris Very Happy

free skin care · Sun Mar 09, 2008 1:51 pm

I'm so glad you asked. I work at TJ's, and F&E is opening stores specifically to challenge TJs customer base. It will be interesting to see what happens. Their products are actually the same as TJs -- same vendors, just different labels.

Where the customers go will be based on priorities. What will appeal to folks is that F&E is not crowded, nor are their parking lots. Prices come out about the same, actually -- at least in the F&E near me. What F&E does not offer is the "community aspect" or Fun Factor in shopping. And no one can outdo TJs in customer service. We were just ranked 5th nationally for company with the best customer service. The only grocery store to be cited.

(And the company sent every single employee a $20 TJs gift card, as thanks. They don't have to do that. More than the $20 is the effort it took to put all those gift cards through the system and stuff the envelopes. Geez Louise.)

F&E pays their employees much more, but doesn't offer the creative and fun workplace or benefits or gratitude.

Some TJs employees have gone to F&E (we were very aggressively courted). Others would never leave TJs, for the reasons cited above.

There should, of course, be room for both. Choice is good.

free skin care · Sun Mar 09, 2008 7:12 pm

Fresh and Easy opened up recently so I wouldn't think they would be included in any national surveys as of yet. F & E isn't crowded yet because it's new and a lot of people are just beginning to discover the chain.

A lot of the food I have bought looks different, the ingredients are different and I know they taste different to me. I wouldn't say they are the same products at all. F & E sells brands that TJ does not carry such as Triscuit and a lot of their juices are totally different from TJs. I understand that you are of course, loyal to TJ's as they are your employer, but i don't think it's fair some of the statements you're making.

I will of course, still be going to TJs for a few items such as shampoo and conditioner (i love theirs) and their plain yogurt has better ingredients, but i think all in all, i am switching more to F & E for the reasons I stated in the first post.

ETA: for those curious about the new chain Smile

:

http://naturalspecialtyfoodsmemo.blogspot.com/2007/11/tesco-fresh-easy-update-theyre-open.html

free skin care · Mon Mar 10, 2008 1:19 am

I think I was very fair. Your reply simply proves my point. Some people will want to shop for products and prices, some will want to go for the whole shopping experience. The TJs shopping experience is unique, as is their connection to the community; if it's not for you, that's fine. As I said; it depends on what's more important to you.

Some people shop at Whole Foods -- for the products, the wide aisles and the pristine floors. None of which would be on my list of must-haves. But their business is booming. As is Costco's -- the anti-Whole Foods. There's room for everyone.

free skin care · Mon Mar 10, 2008 2:13 am

By the way, while it's true you will not find Triscuits at your local TJ's, you will find Woven Wheat crackers -- which are the same thing, only substantially cheaper. And the reduced fat Woven Wheat crackers should be right next to them.

What you will not find at TJ's is plastic wrap, garbage bags, foil, bread crumbs, miso, seaweed, molasses, chai tea in a bag, or cayenne pepper. You'll have to go somewhere else to buy those.

The cayenne pepper particularly baffles us all. Everything for the master cleanse but cayenne pepper. Confused

free skin care · Mon Mar 10, 2008 4:09 pm

I tried out a Fresh & Easy just last weekend. The prices were great but there's no way it'll replace my Trader Joe's. I don't like grocery shopping ; I begrudge the task when I have to go to Albertson's or Stater Bros. But I'll drive out of my way twice a month to my nearest TJ's because an ordinary grocery excursion is transcended to a trip around the world. Not only do I anticipate the staples I pick up every time I visit, but the discovery of something new is always possible. TJ's has tapped into is the possibility of the possible! Because TJ's also offers such a great value for my $$, Whole Foods and Wild Oats have never been a viable alternative for me.

Where else can you go where it's considered part of the experience for the person standing behind you in line to peek into your basket and says "ooh that looks good where did you find it?" Or how often have YOU peeked into someone's shopping cart and said the same thing. People simply don't do that at Ralph's, Albertsons or anywhere else. I don't know why it is, whether I'm simply more relaxed or more into the "vibe", but I'm much more likely to fall into an interesting conversation at TJ's than I am at Albertson's. Is there something in the air or the water that makes it so?

I've only had one negative customer service experience at TJ's in all the years I've shopped there; can't count all the piss-poor CS I've encountered at other stores. It's obvious TJ's has a pretty thorough screening process to weed out people who really don't like other people Smile

And yes, there is a place for both TJ's and Fresh & Easy but I know where my

and wallet will be!

free skin care · Tue Mar 11, 2008 12:19 am

I think your post is VERY biased. NO ONE was knocking on TJ's customer service.

F&E has fresh food, some organic, unique items at great prices. It's not a regular grocery store like you paint it as it is. I discover unique goodies everytime I go there. It's an experience for me, same as when I first discovered TJ, but more affordable.

Seriously, you totally sound like you're protecting your interest but to state flat out lies about F&E carrying the exact same products as TJ is going too far and libel in fact. I am sure TJ would be embarrassed to hear such statements from an employee.

Of course, you are protecting your interest, but seriously lighten up Rolling Eyes

. I didn't mean this thread as attacking TJ, it is a great store, but for now, I prefer F & E overall.

free skin care · Tue Mar 11, 2008 9:06 am

Wha?? skincare, I am not sure if you are referring to me or Sidda? Other than stating a definite preference for one store over another, I don't understand your objections to Sidda's comments. As stated, there is certainly room for both.

I wanted to comment on one thing; If I were the hiring manager for a grocery store I would probably raid TJ's staff as well. The people they hire speak volumes about their screening process because TJ's staff really, truly "gets" CS.

I don't think your preference for F&E is "knocking" TJ's anymore than my definite bias for TJ's is knocking F&E. It's just a preference we're all entitled to Very Happy

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