Say what you will about Trader Joe’s, but they nailed it with their version of Takis. Trader Joe’s Takis may not be identical to their name-brand counterpart, but they are a damn good chip. In some ways, Trader Joe’s Takis (technically called Chili & Lime-Flavored Rolled Corn Tortilla Chips) are even better than the OG Takis. They taste less like MSG and citric acid, and more like actual chilis, onion, and lime. Most of all, they are very corn forward. So when news that this beloved product is about be discontinued spread online last week, people were not happy.
What?! When?! Why?! And how do we know Trader Joe’s Takis are being discontinued?
Well, it all started last week when someone posted a photo on Reddit of what appears to be a “soon to be discontinued” sign in front of the shelf containing Trader Joe’s Chili & Lime-Flavored Rolled Corn Tortilla Chips. That’s when our entire world turned upside down. Or I guess I should say, my entire world turned upside down (to be fair, there’s not a whole lot going on in my life right now).
Apparently the popular chips have been noticeably absent or sparse at Trader Joe’s locations across the country for a while now. So while the news didn’t come without warning, it still left many TJ’s shoppers, like myself, devastated. How could TJ’s discontinue the snack that first turned my spark of love for Trader Joe’s into a fiery inferno?! Why would they stop selling what is in my opinion (and apparently many other people’s opinions, too) one of their best products? It is beyond me.
However, there is still hope! According to a Reddit commenter who works in a TJ’s warehouse, their warehouse is scheduled to get a new shipment of Chili & Lime-Flavored Rolled Corn Tortilla Chips by the end of the week, and the snack is not showing up as discontinued in the system. Other Trader Joe’s crew members weighed in to assure people that, at least at their locations, the chips are temporarily out of stock but not gone for good. Another commenter explained that different Trader Joe’s locations have different discontinuation dates, and sometimes items will be discontinued in one part of the U.S. while remaining in stock in the rest of the country, at least for a while. Yet another TJ’s employee said that sometimes a product gets temporarily discontinued before it is brought back with a different supplier.
So while all signs point to Trader Joe’s Takis being discontinued, at least from this supplier, that doesn’t mean goodbye forever. Still, if you see them, you might want to buy them while you can. And if they’re already gone from your local TJ’s, first of all, I’m sorry. And secondly, here are some other good spicy(ish) Trader Joe’s chip and snack options that I recommend to fill the Trader Joe’s Taki-sized hole in your heart, in order of how much I enjoy them: Elote Corn Chip Dippers (really flavorful and fairly spicy), Salsa Verde Chips (really flavorful and mildly spicy), Ghost Pepper Potato Chips (flavor is great, spice varies widely bag to bag), Stepping it Up Spicy Snack Bar Mix (both spicy and flavorful if you can find it), Spicy Chakri Mix (not the spiciest but great flavor), and lastly, Spicy Mochi Nuggets (not super flavorful but very spicy). May we all snack in remembrance of a great one.
Thoughts? Questions? Complete disagreement? Leave a comment!