[NYPOST] Trader Joe’s plans to remove ethnic brand names from its products as a petition calling for their removal gains steam.The Caliphornia, an impregnable bastion of the Democratic Party,-based grocery chain said it’s working to phase out foreign names it has attached to ethnic foods, such as "Trader José’s" for Mexican cuisine, "Trader Ming’s" for Chinese products and "Arabian Joe’s" for Middle Eastern dishes.
"Gathers steam" = 2200 signatures?
"While this approach to product naming may have been rooted in a lighthearted attempt at inclusiveness, we recognize that it may now have the opposite effect — one that is contrary to the welcoming, rewarding customer experience we strive to create every day," Trader Joe’s spokeswoman Kenya Friend-Daniel said in a statement.
Trader Joe’s revealed the plans after the launch of an online petition urging the company to ditch "racist" brand names that prop up ethnic stereotypes and treat other cultures as exotic.
The petition — which had racked up more than 2,200 signatures as of Monday morning — also raises concerns about the roots of the Trader Joe’s name itself. The brand was inspired by Disneyland’s "Jungle Trip" ride and the 1919 book "White Shadows in the South Seas," which both contain racist depictions of indigenous people, according to the petition.
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