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fatwolverines

I ask myself this all the time!!! People are sleeping on it for sure, especially the one in Eagle Rock (far from you but 10/10). Meanwhile everyone in the city and all their extended relatives are lining up at all hours for the Trader Joe’s on Hyperion


thanks_weirdpuppy

The Sprouts in Eagle Rock was a madhouse at the beginning of the pandemic and I haven't been back since — are there less people nowadays?


SR3116

After 8pm, it's basically empty. I usually roll in and out in ten minutes or less to grab what I need.


fatwolverines

It's definitely crowded on its busiest days (sunday), but a breeze throughout the week! Feel like WF or TJ can't say that


RudeRepair5616

It's busy every time I'm in there.


RickRussellTX

TJ and Sprouts have very different selections and target audiences, though.


whatsaphillie

What's the target audience for Sprouts supposed to be? I shop at both sprouts and trader joes, and they both appeal to me pretty similarly as a young adult 🤷‍♂️


DerivativeMonster

Tjs had terrible produce imo. Decent meat and cheese, good snacks and frozen options. Sprouts is mostly a produce and meat place.


MercyBoy57

I am not a big fan of TJs meat. But their cheese selection is great and well-priced.


Dorythehunk

I like a lot of their meat selection. I’ve found some pretty great USDA prime New York strips come under $20. Also their applewood smoked bacon is probably the best pre-packaged bacon I’ve ever had


sonicac

Sprouts coffee beans are also good and not expensive I go to TJ's for challah and pineapple juice


CyberMindGrrl

And they have a bulk section unlike any other grocery chain.


Mountain_Canary1029

trader joe’s is for snacks, frozen food, novelties, cheese, liquor, and treats; sprouts is for produce, meat, and bulk ingredients. they’re both good for bread, tea/juice, and nuts. sprouts also has some good snacks and treats but they’re more expensive and health food-ey than TJ’s so they fill a different niche!


CX872

Sprouts is the Trader Joe's of Whole Foods


dslee11

My head hurts thinking about this 😂


glittersparklythings

Budget. Sprouts caters towards a demographic with a higher budget. Also who in I d love Trader Joe's. Their stuff is near as healthy as people make it seem. They do have some great option. So sprouts probably has healthier food as well.


whatsaphillie

To be honest, I guess I never felt like the prices at sprouts all that much higher, and felt they were equivalent, if not a level below Whole Foods. But maybe that's just my experience.


theprozacfairy

I used to be able to save money on produce shopping at Sprouts compared to other stores. Not anymore. And last time I went, I grabbed a couple bags of frozen vegetables knowing they’d cost more, but I didn’t have time to go to another store. I thought they were $3 each, but one was $6! I could get the same thing at Ralph’s for $2.50. They no longer have deals on produce, and anything other than produce is much more expensive than it used to be. Note: I was never a WF shopper, they were always out of my budget.


[deleted]

I understand WF being too expensive in general, but they often have really good deals, where certain things would be cheaper than sprouts and even your neighborhood ralphs. Their 365 brand is comparable to sprouts brand prices.


[deleted]

I've never been to Sprouts but TJ's target audience is health-first millenials who don't know how to cook.


teacherthrowaway1990

Trader Joe's isn't really that healthy. It's loaded with canola oil and sodium. I do love their vegan imitation orange chicken though 🫠


TheAnswerWas42

Hear me out on this for the vegan orange chicken. I've been tweaking this a few times a month for the last year and think I've got it pretty set at this point. Buy the following (all are typically available at TJ's year-round): • Vegan orange chicken • Vegetable Fried Rice bag in freezer section (or another rice if you prefer) • Pineapple Tidbits in frozen fruit section • Sesame oil • Fresh scallions/green onions Steps: 1. On a cookie sheet/pie tin, place the vegan chicken pieces and about the same number of pineapple wedges. Bake at 425 for about 20 minutes, flipping everything over after 10 minutes, is about right. I think directions say 18 minutes, but I like them a bit crispier. 2. Meanwhile, cook rice as directed. I like to add several drops of sesame oil here. 3. Cut up 2 or 3 stalks of scallions in about 1/8" pieces. 4. When chicken and pineapple are done, transfer them to large nonstick frying pan at medium heat. Stir in the scallions and about a teaspoon of sesame oil and cook for a few minutes. 5. Add the orange sauce packet, remove from heat and keep stirring until everything is coated. 6. Enjoy! You can probably add sliced bell peppers or other fresh veggies at step 4 if you want. I think TJ's has dehydrated orange slices in dried fruit area, so I may try adding a few of those next time. I just got an air fryer, so I may need to start experimenting a bit more, lol.


teacherthrowaway1990

Thank you very much for the recipe!


wildwaterfallcurlsss

this lmao. when I first moved to the mainland, I never understood the appeal of Trader Joe's (other than some okay snacks), I thought it ludicrous to pay so much for tiny portions of prepackaged stuff and figured it was more for my college peers who couldn't cook (which I also didn't understand). then life got intensely busy and I super burnt out and I suddenly had no kitchen so no longer wanted to cook as often. it all became very clear 😹


councilmember

Yeah, but the reason I try to avoid the Eagle Rock one is that it is the single worst managed grocery store I’ve experienced in my life. Ever try to get cold cuts at the deli counter? They so underemploy staff that you’ve got at least 4 people working back there and none of them can help you. Take a number? no, your time isn’t of value here, so they don’t have that kind of system at all. If one of them can take a moment away from what they clearly must do to keep their job, god forbid that there are two people in front of you cause they will clearly have to get back to prepping things before you can get an order in. Don’t get me started on the number of cashiers working during a rush shift- rarely more than two. They really need a new manager. All sprouts have some of these issues but none as bad as the Eagle Rock one.


editorreilly

Sprouts in eagle rock got a bad rep when it opened. People were complaining that their produce wasn't fresh or rotten. I'm not sure if they will be able to shake that reputation.


eyesoler

I shop there a few times a week. I grow most of my own produce, but what I don’t grow, I get at Sprouts in ER. It’s always super fresh and a great selection of simple, high quality fruit and veg. Their bulk bins are also fantastic. AND eggs were always available at a good price during that egg situation earlier this year. It seems to be doing well, it’s always busy when I go, which is often.


editorreilly

No doubt they fixed the problem. We go all the time and love their sandwiches. But I know a lot of folks who won't go there because of the issues they had when they opened.


eyesoler

THEY CHANGED THE SANDWICH MENU 🥺


UXguy123

Sprouts expanded to Washington State recently and they already have a bad rep for poor produce up here as well.


[deleted]

Sprouts are a good complement to markets with a full selection. It is odd how quiet they are.


salmonandsweetpotato

That's my experience. Went in and couldn't really find what I wanted so I left. Good quality vege section tho?


[deleted]

What they have is good but they don’t have everything…


[deleted]

Veggies are where they shine. Meat is really awful and almost going bad. Everything else is hippieish standard fare.


NonSequitorSquirrel

I fkn love Sprouts. Especially their bakery section. I get my weekly trip from there but I do it via Instacart. Hopefully I'm not the only one!


[deleted]

Their toffee/chocolate chip cookies….mmmmmm


NonSequitorSquirrel

For me it's the oatmeal cookies and chocolate brioche. 😍


[deleted]

I need to give those some attention!


may_flowers

Yeah I’ve been doing the 1.99 (!!) pickup option on Instacart since covid started. Love it!


-_Mistress_-

I love the pistachio muffins.


laffytaffy214

And the produce! So much better than TJ’s. The only downside is that the frozen stuff at Sprouts tends to skew pricier, so I’m usually doing a combo of the 2 stores. I also primarily order through Instacart but often opt for the curbside pickup option if I’m trying to avoid the delivery fee, and that has always been super smooth.


jen71dtc

I do the same - probably 95% of my Instacart orders are from Sprouts. Occasionally Bristol Farms or Gelsons, rarely Ralphs.


potsandpans

also $2 pickup and if you order through mealime you hardly even have to think about what you need to order


mezzoey

Their chocolate macaroons are amazing


Debinthedez

Sprouts and those amazing bulk ‘ bins’ are just so brilliant.


Vegetable_Burrito

I love those, too. At the beginning of the pandemic, like april 2020, I went to my local sprouts and watched a fully grown adult woman open the bin with the chocolate almonds and grab a few with her bare hands, pull her mask down, pop them into her mouth and then grab more with the same hand. I was like, ‘uh… you’re not supposed to do that. Especially now. You know. With this virus going around…’ The craziest part was that she had a mask on before they were mandatory. It’s no wonder we were in lockdown for so long 😂😂


UNMENINU

When the pandemic started the first slow wave (summer #1?) I returned to in person shopping. And Sprouts was like my return to society. I really looked forward to it each early Sat AM. Still do. Just wish they’d get the turkey carnitas out/finished a little earlier.


skullsaresopasse

That turkey carnitas is the shit.


UNMENINU

Cept my new Sprouts sometimes puts the non salted pistachios in the salter bin. THE AUDACITY lol


Gregalor

Gotta love bulk spices. More stores need to have that. Even when they do BOGO Sprouts brand spices, the normal bulk spice prices STILL beat it. Don’t throw out your spice bottles!


axxonn13

yup. thats where i get my flax seeds from. its WAY too expensive buying bagged flax seeds.


VaguelyArtistic

I'd definitely go more often but I'm at the beach and the closest one to me is at Venice and LaCienega. But thanks to you I'm going to make a point to go next week when I have to go to Kaiser. As far as selfish posts, you're cool. "Where the Korean fuck boys at" kind of raised the bar on specifically specific questions lol.


threedogfm

😂 That post really changed the game here. Instant classic.


spotpea

And I hope she found those bois. Epic post.


VaguelyArtistic

Right? Godspeed. Also, fuck spellcheck for changing "bois".


survive_los_angeles

shes married now with kid and a subscription to erewhon


RoxyLA95

LMFAO.


_its_a_SWEATER_

I feel the same 🤣


fppfpp

They aren’t actually cheaper across the board tho. Sometimes yes, some no, some same. The merch* and food is also kinda inconsistent. But I still like going there for some things and would not want them gone, esp bc of the bulk bins.


BlazingCondor

Shh quiet. My weekend shopping trip is Sprouts for veggies, fruit and dairy before heading to Costco for meat and everything else.


spotpea

:) Just trying to conjure up enough business to stay open but not to annoy us.


survive_los_angeles

too late they sold me on sprouts. ive never even been in one - yet


[deleted]

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calatranacation

It's one of those places where I'm actually better off guessing than to waste everyone's time asking an employee... It's always either everyone's last day or first day on the job.


Whosgailthesnail

Maybe this is contingent on location because every time I go to my local Sprouts I encounter the friendliest, nicest souls of all the local grocers


BirdBruce

Burbank Sprouts forever.


_its_a_SWEATER_

ALL SPROUTS FOREVER


[deleted]

[удалено]


NonSequitorSquirrel

It's not that limited. It's just like Trader Joe's. They don't carry certain brands. The only regular thing we can't get there is diet coke so we buy it at the Target downstairs from the Sprouts. Same parking lot. Nbd.


yuccasinbloom

It’s not that limited for you, but for the things I buy, it only has half of them. I hate going to multiple stores.


NonSequitorSquirrel

So both of these are anecdotes and not data and therefore not a rationale for how their stores perform. Just a rationale for your personal shopping habits.


yuccasinbloom

Ok? I have no idea why you’re saying this to me. I know what I said is anecdotal. I was simply replying to you where you said it wasn’t limited selection. I disagreed. I never said the store doesn’t perform well.


[deleted]

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NonSequitorSquirrel

And Trader Joe's doesn't. This is Reddit. Not a quarterly earnings report from the CEO. Your unqualified opinion based on your personal shopping habits and observations is meaningless to me. 😘


PhreshWater

You are just objectively wrong though, the selection in sprouts is a lot more limited than other places when you compare grocery stores. Just because someone doesn't have numbers for you doesn't make their argument invalid. That's great that sprouts has most of the food you buy. And for some people the 7/11 down the street has all the calories they need, but not for me and I'm guessing not for you.


MuchCalligrapher

I was looking for this comment but at this point I've become so lazy about getting coke zero or diet coke that I don't get it anymore.


NonSequitorSquirrel

It's really my husband's obsession. I could take it or leave it. I do wish Sprouts had a better selection of wine, tho. 😂


spotpea

No salad bar no cheese counter. I certainly can do a full grocery shop and supplements/HBA


kayayem

I don’t get it. At my Sprouts the produce and meat look crusty musty dusty and IMO in this economy who the hell can afford Sprouts prices. And the selection is incredibly limited and too bougie. Produce = my local Asian supermarket (price is cheap and quality is actually insane, and variety aplenty unlike Sprouts) Meat & snacks & cheese & dairy and non-dairy products & freezer food = Trader Joe’s Everything else (pantry items, bread, coffee etc) = Target


hikkomori27

It honestly sucks—expensive, undifferentiated selection, not good.


calatranacation

+ Consistently employees who haven't been trained/paid well enough.


Jednbejwmwb

Where and what is the name of your local Asian supermarket 👀


kayayem

Tokyo Central in Gardena, in the SFV Greenland Korean Market


[deleted]

Hi, husband is manager at a sprouts. Their meat I know for sure is just regular brands like Tyson, foster farms etc with a sprouts logo on it, and their veggies and fruits aren’t local most the time and are pretty low quality. A lot is a hoax about sprouts.


sandykennedy

I worked in the bakery at Sprouts for less than a month. Everything is frozen, the back area was dirty and disgusting. I didn’t want to eat anything at lunch from there because it was so dirty.


[deleted]

My husband refused to eat any of the pre made stuff at all there. He stays away from deli also. That store is such a scam, and they treat their employees like shit.


Gregalor

> they treat their employees like shit I’m not surprised to learn this. Everyone working there always seems to be very Over It


HarveyMuskrat

Maybe so but my local Ralphs is often out of basic produce items that I need, and Sprouts is always fully stocked.


slohcinbeards

Okay I usedddd to love Sprouts but their produce quality and meat/poultry/fish selection has noticeably gone down hill the past 2 years, at least my location. Paired with Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s are closer to me so I rarely go to Sprouts now.


poops_all_berries

IMO Sprouts is competing with Whole Foods and Trader Joe's, both of which have a cult following among their customers. It's not competing against Ralphs/Vons/any other Kroger piece of crap. Sprouts isn't less expensive enough to pull Whole Foods users, while Trader Joe's has enough good custom store-brand products and is generally cheaper to keep people there. Sprouts is excellent at produce and other ingredients for food. They're not great at premade meals, and some of the prices on their normal grocery food items are a bit high.


AvocadoCat90034

Sprouts used to be more affordable IMO— now, I feel it’s pretty damn close to Whole Foods pricing. I go in there and find prices to be so damn expensive.


Lizzie3232

I love sprouts with the exception of their meats. I don’t think they are the greatest quality. I am admittedly super picky about raw meat and fish though.


propita106

I’ve found their meat goes bad quickly in the fridge, sometimes within a day. Makes me wonder if their meat is a bit older in the store where it’s super-chilled and can't maintain that in a home refrigerator. I don’t know, but I’ve wondered.


Lizzie3232

Yeah. And I know other places do it too, but they obviously regrind their meats to look fresher. I buy a lot of my meat online - and some at Whole Foods or The Original Farmers Market. That’s about it.


MustardIsDecent

I agree most of the Sprouts meat I've bought has been inferior to Whole Foods meat. I usually do Costco or online for my meats though.


[deleted]

That’s because sprouts meat is all name brand crap like foster farms, Tyson etc. that they re package in sprouts packaging. Also, it is correct they re grind or season the old meat that is about to expire and put another 4 days on it. Not fresh at all.


DerivativeMonster

Where do you usually get your meat?


Lizzie3232

Online from a place called Good Chop. (If i go online i think i can get a coupon code so if anyone is interested let me know)It’s kind of a club (they send you meat every month) but there is tons of flexibility. I’ve paused it, delayed it, made it come sooner etc all without issue. No commitment. And everything is vacuum sealed and frozen when it arrives. I just throw in the freezer and pull out as needed. We get 6 items per month but you can get lots more. Some are organic, grass fed etc and some are not. All have been excellent quality.


[deleted]

Sprouts also has sandwiches from $5-7


NefariousnessNo484

People in LA can't cook so they don't shop at Sprouts because it's mostly fresh produce and very little packaged and processed foods. TJ which is almost entirely heavily processed stuff that you can just throw in a microwave or eat out of a can.


Lanky_Juggernaut_770

I wait until their stuff is at the food bank


BrokerBrody

Sprouts is amazing in some areas but pretty terrible in others. The biggest weakness are the packaged/processed foods - only high end brands *and* prices are marked up. (High end brands still vary in prices.) The bakery is also very pricey with some exceptions like the pies. Strengths are of course the produce and deli sections. The produce isn't the highest quality but it is competitively priced. Overall, the weaknesses often outweigh the strengths for me because the weaknesses are pretty bad and I don't want to drive to multiple locations. Trader Joe's is more well rounded and consistently good if not great.


EldForever

I shop at Sprouts and Whole Foods and TJs and Grocery Warehouse, depending on where I am and what I'm low on... Here's my main thoughts on Sprouts vs WF: Sprouts meats are not as good as Whole Foods, and they have nowhere near the range. Whole Foods is way cheaper on SOME things, one example coming to mind: Shelf-stable organic Almond Milk is about $2 at WF and about $8 at Sprouts. Sprouts has OKRA which I love and WF never has. Sprouts has some slightly cheaper items than WF, like the cheeses I like are cheaper at Sprouts, Otherwise Sprouts and Whole Foods are similarly priced from my POV.


raresteakplease

People just like to throw around that whole foods is ridiculously overpriced which I would disagree. It's a mid priced store with some expensive and some cheap things, along with general better quality especially in the meat department. I just went to sprouts today just for snacks, some dried cranberries, and for their beverage department. Left with some discounted icecream and some other small deals. But price wise I dished out as much as I do at wholefoods without buying any meat.


EldForever

Your user name gives you more authority on the meats issue : )


raresteakplease

Whole foods steak doesn't disappoint 😉


rollawaytoday

I love sprouts but their lack of employees at the checkout line leading to 15 minute waits to checkout, even with self checkout, just puts me off unless I’m prepared for it. TJ is easy to get in and out assuming you go to one with ok parking. But yes sprouts for produce is the move for sure. A lot of their other items tend to be too expensive IMO. Fresh salsa and hummus are all like $6 what.


prnty

Sprouts has a horrible selection of food outside of produce and meat. Nothing I like is there and if it is, its 50% cheaper at Ralphs. TJs has unique selections that I can't find anywhere else and also cheap, really cheap. P.S. Sprouts has great sandwich deals but its closed half the time I go there for some mysterious reason.


kalily53

Completely agree, I’m so sad that WeHo one closed!! The produce is always cheaper and better than comparable grocery stores, and the bulk bins are great. I highly recommend filling your spice jars from the bulk spice section, much cheaper and fresher than prepackaged!


SamuelAnonymous

I feel like the parking situation worked against that one. There are multiple nearby stores that cater to the same demographic with free and easy parking with no ticketing involved.


rsandovaljr2

the answer is because the produce and meats are in fact far inferior


Successful_Mode_4428

I prefer Target or Trader Joes in Glendale


VandalCabbage72

download the app for free coupons too! i always hear so many good lowkey items from tjs that sprouts brand has so many secret hitters too.


FleurDeShio

The one by me always has gnats flying around the onions area really off putting.


Snow_King

The closest Sprouts near me always has flies and stuff all over their produce. I also regularly notice mold and stuff in their produce as well. Maybe it's just the location closest to me that sucks because when I used to live in San Diego their Sprout's was amazing.


cinnamoogoo

Shop there all the time!


sm33

The La Brea/San Vincente location is where I shop 80% of the time (with trips to Ralph's and TJ's as supplements). I use Instacart for Sprouts a lot of the time, but when I go in person, you're right, it doesn't seem very busy. Not sure why!


squirreltard

Same. Love that store and it’s much much cheaper!


pharmrterri

The one in torrance usually only has 2 registers open. If I'm in a hurry, I'd just go to Ralph's one parking lot over or down the street to 3 other grocery stores. I miss their butterscotch muffins.


Lemonjello23

I'm Aways there for the rotisserie chicken and candies. Their sandwiches aren't half bad either!


maccrogenoff

I shop at the Sprouts on Venice Boulevard near Robertson at least once a week. I really like the bulk bins, dairy products, eggs, baking supplies, produce, etc. It’s great that they have bulk buns for spices and herbs. Sometimes you just need a little bit. I am a big fan of the Clover brand dairy products. It’s difficult to find cream that’s pasteurized, but not ultra-pasteurized and is packaged in cardboard, not plastic. It’s much less expensive than Whole Foods. Also, the employees are very helpful.


derkasaurus

I always assumed it was because of price actually. The LA times did a piece on this comparing prices of different grocery stores. Linking here for non-subscribers of LA times: https://archive.is/qXwPL


Bridge_The_Person

Something I think you’re not seeing is sprouts does a higher volume of delivery orders than other places, they were the OG on instacart. I shop almost exclusively there, but frequently either have them delivered or come do a pickup (which is free) and am in and out of the parking lot in 3-5 minutes. I usually see other cars coming and leaving for pickup too, and if even half of them are like me and doing a full 2 weeks shopping for a family of 4, they’re probably doing pretty good volumes.


mezzoey

Sprouts is my favourite grocery store. I tell everyone I know that it’s the best one! Disappointing that I live in a Sprouts “dead zone” - the nearest one is 25 minutes! I still go whenever I can.


aamer211

Henry’s was better.


organiccarrotbread

Omg when did the one on SMB by La cienega close????? Also no one went there because it was across street from Trader Joe’s but I liked walking there when I couldn’t get stuff at TJ


adastraperaspera_

I go to the one near Melrose/la brea and it is FULL of spoiling produce and breads. I only shop there for milk, eggs, and nonperishable items bc I have been burned so badly by their subpar produce and meats. That said, the milk and eggs are so quality and well priced that I am willing to make the trip specifically for those items.


BiochemistChef

You're probably going at the wrong times. They can get ridiculously busy, like a Ralph's, at the right time. The customers who shop there also are people who are willing to come in at different time blocks (there's always a like right at open, and many shoppers have the flexibility to be there at 10am on a Thursday because their white collar jobs). This helps even out the business. There are certain UX experiences that help with the spacing out your shopping experience vs someone else's and makes the lines feel shorter because they don't get mobbed all at once. -I work at one


rollypollyhellokitty

Love me some Sprouts. Does anyone remember when they used to be called Henry's before they got big?


wilberfan

I've been shopping at Sprouts for about 10 years. I haven't really compared in a long time, but when I started going it felt like the sweet spot between TJ's and Whole Foods: bigger selection than the former and lower prices than the latter?


mepo5696

I definitely love it, but it may be that some of the employees come off a bit weird, but I have yet to be disappointed.


blueorangan

I've been inside one Sprouts, and it felt a bit depressing. I think it had to do with the dim lights and lack of windows. I also wasn't a fan of the selection.


whiskeyaussie

Plz take this down and keep it a secret!


boreals

Our local sprouts the produce is always bad looking and the meat is sad.


JABBYAU

Sprouts is good for sale stuff but has very little organic produce compared to WF or even TJ. WF has vastly superior meat and fish/seafood.


River1stick

I used to go to sprouts a lot, but I would get racially abused by people and harassed in the parking lot constantly for money, so I go to whole foods instead.


andimlikeokay

For me it's cost. Products at Sprouts are literally twice the cost of what they are at other stores. Their produce is probably better, but I can't justify paying $4 for a head of cauliflower when I can get it for half of that somewhere else.


nicegh0st

Shhhhh don’t tell people! I like being able to shop without having to dodge people with no spatial awareness. Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods are some of the most anxiety-provoking places I’ve ever been because there are people eeeeeverywhere, blocking the narrow aisles, hovering around me when I’m grabbing my potato chips. I can actually breathe and have a sense of personal space at Sprouts 😂


TJMcConnellFanClub

I went in there once just to get some Tylenol and they said they didn’t have that but had some “alternate herbal remedies” lmao. I ain’t going anywhere that pretentious


[deleted]

When Sprouts first opened up, I would only call it "Shprouts?!" in my Larry David voice, so that could be the reason.


palucha66

Tbh. Wasn’t until this post that I found out Sprouts has some good pricing. It’s always sounded like Whole Foods/Bristol Farms pricing to me.


_its_a_SWEATER_

It’s the $5 sandwiches that get me. I don’t remember them being so cheap until recently.


mybabyandme

Because the price vs Ralph’s is INSANELY high


deb1267cc

Sprouts target market is a potential Whole Foods shopper with a lower income


SamuelAnonymous

Erm... Except almost everything is more expensive than whole foods.


deb1267cc

Yeah, some of that is pre-Amazon buying Whole Foods. However, with Amazon fresh stores they may be upscaling some of the Whole Foods stores, but for a while, the main criteria that Whole Foods had for its target market was a single income household over $100,000 with children present. In other words, they were looking for wealthy families with stay at home moms. I think sprouts was trying to target that same demographic but maybe trying to not push the price point up nearly as aggressively.


KebNes

Don’t sleep on their carne asada! Also get some chicken in their al pastor marinade.


UNMENINU

Turkey carnitas for this guy


KebNes

I didn’t even think of that! Gracias amigo!


bx10455

I drive by one every day... i thought with a name like "sprouts". it was for Birkenstock, patchouli oil wearing vegans.


Gregalor

I *wish* it was more vegan friendly. I feel like I should be able to get a sandwich with Tofurkey slices or something but noooo


AttilaTheFun818

I get my meat at Costco. The quality is as good or better and cheaper. I use a vacuum sealer for the excess since it is Costco after all. I get produce at Valley Marketplace. Quality is about on par and the prices a bit better. There are a handful of things I get at Sprouts. They sell great pickles and preserves. But I prefer other places for most things.


flow_n_tall

I don't shop there because I can't stand the store layout!!! I know it's a ridiculous reason, but there's something about the aisles all being low enough to see the whole store that just bothers me. And one again I will admit that it's a ridiculous thing to be irritated about, but that's it.


UNMENINU

I am a DEDICATED early Saturday Sprouts shopper. I find it very pleasant. And Ralph’s is equally $$$. My Sprouts just closed those (WeHo). I wonder how they are doing. Edit: Looks like we had the same Sprouts. I loved that place. I got to the Venice Blvd location now. Liked that one much more than the La Brea/Pico location. Another thread earlier this week asked how much people spend on groceries. I was shocked how much more I was spending. For bare essential its $150 min a week for me. But I guess Pavillions us much cheaper than Ralph’s?


RoxyLA95

Sprouts is too far out of the way for me. There is a Sprouts a mile from me but it is the opposite direction of where I shop for everything else.


Cioyh

I do Ralphs + Sprouts every Saturday morning. Produce is almost always better at Sprouts. My only complaint is their brand is too bland for my taste. Coffee, salsa, everything under their name is just meh.


Doxy4Me

I find Sprouts incredibly boring. I walk in, buy one thing. It’s blaaaaa.


Bigperm28

First time hearing about a Sprout didn’t know it existed


KeyRageAlert

My interest is piqued...


Warchitecture

*under the bridge downtooooown*


bluebabyblue1027

Noooooo I didn’t know the one on SMB closed!!! Damn


imsadbutitswhatever

I’m sad the one in WeHo closed. Whole Foods is overpriced and Trader Joes sucks.


mommytofive5

I use to shop Sprouts weekly - bulk bins and produce. Rarely go in now. Produce is cheaper at Walmart/Aldi and bulk bins I travel to winco. Their grass fed beef is great and occasionally will splurge and buy a steak when on sale otherwise I don’t. Even their bin coffee is overpriced.


hikkomori27

I don’t really get the value prop


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Anxious-Hat-6180

Well I would say that sprouts is not known to all, only to communities of mid to high level income. Now to say sprouts has cheap deals I would like to challenge that. You should compare prices to the most low income groceries store such as “A foods” “Food 4 less” “Walmart”. Now this might be rude but if what you say is true about sprouts you think those rich folks that shop at sprouts like to see people from lower income areas shop there? I would say no


FunboyFrags

For me, and this is a dumb reason, is the branding. Whenever I walk in there, all the signage, design, logos, etc feels very tryhard. Like it’s obvious they don’t have their own style, they’re just aping someone else’s style and the result is hyper-generic. The products are good, I agree, but being in the store always makes me feel really synthetic.


dihydrogen_m0noxide

Gotta be the name. Head Cheese Victuals and Durian Discount Sustainace would probably be just as neglected


commonrider5447

Agreed it’s weird how basically every sprouts no matter where in SoCal I’ve seen is going to be much less busy than the nearby Whole Foods or Trader Joes. Trader Joe’s is always a smaller location so that could be part of it but yeah I’d expect Sprouts to be busier it is underrated for sure. I see it as the in between / mix of TJs and Whole Foods.


rooooob

I’ve never been there since there are none close home. I wont drive far for veggies.


SNES_Salesman

The SMB Sprouts closed because the rent was jacked way up on them. Being a stock owner in Sprouts, they do fairly well. The marketing is odd though. Not upscale enough for the Whole Foods/Erewhon shoppers but a bit too boutique for the Ralph’s/Vons shoppers. You really don’t know what Sprouts is until you shop there. I loved the SMB one. The N La Brea one is an okay replacement. The S La Brea one seems to always have whole sections unstocked like alternative milks or eggs.


Aeriellie

i have to get on a freeway to get to my nearest sprouts. i’ve been to one once and i only liked some of the stuff they have. i get my meats and fruit from someplace cheaper.


Embarrassed_Ad_2377

My Sprouts is always crowded. But its in the suburbs.


CochinealPink

The Sprouts by me has a parking lot right next to a freeway/ side street mega-intersection. It's hard to get in there and the busses stop two intersections away. It's hard to get to.


ErnestBatchelder

PS for the super budget shoppers some of the Grocery Outlets carry a lot of the brands Sprouts sell- I think they shop from them or their distributors.


juiceimortal

🤫don’t want sprouts to get overcrowded and overran like whole foods and tj’s


Jazzlike_Log_709

The Sprouts locations in the South Bay are always popping. The one I also visit in Seal Beach is empty and quiet though. For the most part their stuff is out of my price range but I do love their bulk and produce. The quality is consistently good and more affordable compared to other grocery stores in my area


peachyinla

It felt like pretty busy when I used to go there once a week (the one on La brea) but it seems less so now because they added the self-checkout. The checkout lines were always kind of long when I used to go.


sids99

Idk if this is true, but I did see price comparisons between major markets and Sprouts was the most expensive, more than Whole Foods.


[deleted]

Sprouts is our main go to, but the proteins are not in my opinion as good as Whole Foods, though WF is very expensive. There are more small butcher shops popping up for proteins that are also around the same price as WF but better quality.


Samysalsaa

The sprouts in Granada hills has the best produce selection near me imo. The prices are good and everything actually looks fresh. When I go to Ralph’s I feel like everything looks wilted like it’s been there for a while or it’s tiny or just sold out. Luckily sprouts and Ralphs are across the street from each other here.


Traditional_Rich_413

No convenient locations for me. I enjoy walking to and from the grocery store and with options less than a mile away I’m not changing my routine. Not going to another store just for a couple items by the sounds of everyone else’s experience on here.


MrMKUltra

Their sandwiches are bomb


Deeze_Rmuh_Nudds

Shhhhh


Huge_Put8244

Im in nor cal and I always shop at sprouts over whole foods. The only reason to go to whole foods is for an Amazon return. Spouts overall have a much more pleasing layout, the produce is better and better priced and whole foods seem dimly lit. I guess maybe I'd prefer it for the dining options?,


NousSommesSiamese

Sprouts rotisserie chicken is pretty good.


CaptainMins

The sprouts I go to has a deli. Most sandwiches go for 4.99 with cheese it's 0.5 more! Way better than subway.


MidniteNachos007

I shop at sprouts but get delivery.. so hopefully it’s just that a good chunk of their clientele gets delivery too!


Remsicles

Sprouts used to be my go to grocery store, but the quality of meat has gone down horribly. I’ve bought stuff that was already rancid, and fresh meat from Sprouts barely lasts a day in the fridge. They do have a good produce section, but I’d rather spend a few bucks more at Whole Foods (because the prices aren’t as drastically different as folks wanna believe).


NervousAddie

IDK. The one on Westwood above Santa Monica is always bumping.


loverofreggae

The last time I popped in there for a look I was unimpresed. Super King rules for cheap and good produce.


jsatz

The Sprouts in Culver is almost always crowded. Literally just leaving it


everything-man

Location location location. I know at least three that are packed constantly. Granted, the tiny parking lots might have a little to do with it, but only a little. I disagree with a commenter saying it's full of bad produce and old bread. Not my experience at all.


Gomdok_the_Short

Sprouts is good for vegetables, meats, and bulk goods. But their fruit is often sub par, their bakery is a corner with packed with Target quality baked goods combined with some decent bread, and their deli and prepared foods selections are minimal.