"Trader Joe’s is known for its Hawaiian shirts, good deals and quirky mix of products—many of which come with environmental claims. But the grocer's eco-conscious consumers are often dismayed to find that it's owned by a global corporation run by one of the richest tycoons in the world. Those in the green business world find it even more surprising that while the company’s stores attract plenty of eco-minded consumers, it spends no money marketing the stores as 'green.' So how did the Monrovia, Calif.–based company that started in 1969 as a chain of Los Angeles–based convenience stores rise to the top of environmentally conscious customers’ lists?"

Amy Westervelt reports for Sustainable Industries May 3, 2010. [2]