Are Trader Joe's Gingerbread Ice Cream Sandwiches The Same As Target's?

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It's one thing for a brand to sell similar products, but it's another entirely when those items are indistinguishable. When online commenters began to speculate that Trader Joe's Gingerbread Ice Cream Sandwich is identical to a similar product sold by Target's Favorite Day brand, this cookie cookbook author of "108 Asian Cookies" got a little curious, put on her Sherlock Holmes hat, and did some digging. These gingerbread ice cream sandwiches, after all, are quite popular and have recently gone viral online as a result.

One Reddit user (who tasted both versions to compare) makes this note about the two products: "[They] totally tasted the same and looked the same, including the white bag they came in." Similarly, another user on Facebook conducted a taste test of the two products, noting that, "Looks-wise, they are pretty much identical. So much so, I had to triple-check which was which." After tasting them, the user felt the two vanilla ice creams were quite similar. "Where it gets different is the gingerbread cookie!" the user explained. "Trader Joe's was much softer and, for me, tasted better!"

Back on Reddit, multiple commenters noted that the products are both made in Canada, but the boxes include subtle ingredient and nutrition-panel differences. Trader Joe's gingerbread ice cream sandwich offering (one of this year's holiday favorites) includes vanilla bean specks in the ice cream, while Target's adds carrageenan and omits the vanilla bean specks entirely. Otherwise, the ingredients for both gingerbread cookies appear to be nearly identical.

Additionally, some consumers on Reddit added that the nearly identical appearance, size, packaging format, and country of origin (Canada) strongly suggest a shared private-label source between Trader Joe's and Target — which each boast brands that have earned serious loyalty over the years. One Redditor speculates, "For those that are familiar with private labeling, it's not surprising that many different retailers (including Whole Foods, Target, Costco, etc.) probably share many of the same private-label manufacturers, which would explain some of the similar products." Others argued that the ingredient variations likely indicate two separate formulations, which usually points to two different plants.

After going through a deep dive online and reading through what other internet sleuths had come up with, this cookbook author was unable to confirm that the two products come from the same company in Canada. What I do know, for a fact, is that Trader Joe's carries about 80% of its products from its private label. So, for now, the case of the twin gingerbread ice cream sandwiches from two different stores remains an unsolved but delicious mystery. Now, if you're unable to make a trip to either of the stores this week but have a gingerbread craving, be sure to check out our molasses gingersnap cookies recipe. Be sure to pair it with a good store-bought vanilla ice cream brand.