Trader Joe’s whips up consumer milkshake contest

Trader Joe’s is calling on its loyal shoppers to create a tasty and innovative milkshake using Trader Joe’s products and to post the creation and full recipe list on Instagram.

Lidl also launched an ice cream-based contest over Twitter, as the summer months heat up and in honor of National Ice Cream Day July 18.

The Trader Joe’s effort, however, is similar to its grilled cheese contest. It calls on shoppers to use products only sold in Trader Joe’s stores, in this case five or fewer ingredients, to mix up a milkshake. The shopper then posts an image on Instagram, along with the ingredients used, and the hashtag #TJsMilkshakeContest for a chance to win a $200 Trader Joe’s gift card. The milkshake must include a dairy beverage (milk, chocolate milk, kefir, etc.) or a non-dairy alternative (coconut beverage, almond beverage, oat beverage, etc.) as one of the ingredients. 

Trader Joe’s judges the entries by recreating the shake in its test kitchen and a panel reviews them based on taste, creativity, and the photo and presentation of the submission on Instagram.

The contest runs July 12-18.

One winner receives a $200 Trader Joe’s gift card and have their milkshake recipe featured on the Trader Joe’s website; two winners receive a $100 Trader Joe’s gift card. All winning entries will be featured on the official TJ Instagram account when contest results are announced.