Pirate Joe’s, Maverick Distributor of Trader Joe’s Products, Shuts Down -
By CHRISTOPHER MELEJUNE 8, 2017
Shoppers of Pirate Joe’s, the Canadian renegade reseller of groceries from the American chain Trader Joe’s, no
longer have a place to buy products like Organic Carrot Turmeric Juice Blend or Quinoa Cowboy Veggie Burgers.
A Federal District Court in Washington ruled that the violations occurred in Canada, where Trader Joe’s has no stores, and
that Trader Joe’s failed to prove that Pirate Joe’s affected business in the United States.
His bulk shopping trips got the attention of Trader Joe’s,
and in 2013, the company filed a lawsuit against Mr. Hallatt for trademark infringement, unfair competition, false designation of origin and false advertising.
Pirate Joe’s, which for more than five years celebrated its status as an unauthorized importer of Trader Joe’s products with a blend of cheeky humor
and David-versus-Goliath determination, closed its doors at 12:01 a.m. Thursday after a protracted legal battle with the corporation.
Mike Hallatt, the founder of Pirate Joe’s, had an approach
that was both simple and complex: He sought to meet a demand for Trader Joe’s products in Vancouver, British Columbia, by opening a store and selling the goods at inflated prices.
Mr. Hallatt had been banned by Trader Joe’s from stepping foot in its stores,
but he had devised workarounds to shop undetected and keep his enterprise afloat.