'Graza By Another Name' — The Trader Joe's Olive Oil The Internet Is Calling A Dupe

Trader Joe's is well-known for selling name-brand food dupes, such as its replica of Takis tortilla chips and imitation KitKats. Recently, the neighborhood grocer added another facsimile to its shelves. Main Squeeze Extra Virgin Olive Oil is cold-pressed EVOO that comes conveniently packaged in a plastic squeeze bottle. It didn't take long after someone disclosed its existence on Instagram for folks to point out the glaring similarity it shares with Graza.

"Graza by another name?" one person asked rhetorically. Another chimed in, "Graza olive oil dupe," and many other comments took that accusatory tone. But in fairness, worse comparisons could be made than equating Trader Joe's new olive oil to a quality brand that enjoys generally favorable reviews like Graza.

Imitation is the highest form of flattery, and instead of trying to reinvent the wheel, Trader Joe's paid a tribute of sorts to Graza by mirroring its packaging. "Riffing on Graza. I'm not mad at this!" one person said in an Instagram comment. Still, people did have questions about TJ's latest product, such as where the olive oil is sourced. Could it be Spain or Greece, or is Main Squeeze another Trader Joe's olive oil made with Italian olives? But the most important question is how the actual flavor of the EVOO stands up to Graza.

It's easy to make something look like a quality product, but mimicking the actual caliber is tricky. Upon realizing Trader Joe's new olive oil was eerily similar in appearance to Graza, some folks questioned whether the flavor was equally comparable. Thankfully, one person examined both as fairly as possible, and, in their mind, there was a clear winner in terms of flavor. They said, "We all tried it and did a blind test between the dupe and Trader Joe's one. The Graza oil won. Oy! Wished it was THE same!"

Looks can be deceiving, but Trader Joe's olive oil does have one thing going for it over Graza: the price. In my neck of the woods, a 25.4-ounce bottle of Graza costs roughly $13.50 at Walmart, but TJ's latest olive oil will only set folks back $10.99. It may be slightly inferior flavor-wise, at least according to one person, but it will leave you with a little more scratch in your pocket. And if you find the taste to be truly lacking, you can always infuse the olive oil with additional flavors to boost its appeal.