New York City's Community Farmworker Alliance launched the opening salvo of its Trader Joe's campaign with a spirited action on the West Side of Manhattan.

In line with the Campaign for Fair Food's growing focus on the supermarket industry, the New York crew is targeting the highly profitable (to the tune of $8 billion in annual sales) "cheap-chic" food retailer that is frequently praised as one of the "world's most ethical companies."

Pictured above, the crowd begins assembling around 6pm. By the culmination of the protest, nearly 150 Fair Food allies from across New York had made their way to the chain's recently opened supermarket on 6th Avenue in Chelsea, attracting both local and national media attention to the launch of the campaign.

Despite Trader Joe's assurances to the contrary, the spectacle -- complete with its own marching band and an abundance of contagious energy -- ensured that the shopping experience that evening was anything but "distraction-free."

It was all smiles once the demonstration got underway...

... thanks in large part to the great soundtrack provided by the Rude Mechanical Orchestra.

Watch this short video to get a sense of the scene!

The picket line was comprised of a broad array of New York allies, including members of grassroots groups Make the Road, Picture the Homeless, and the Poverty Initiative, as well as several union locals and youth organizations.

The crowd was also peppered with green Farmworker Freedom March t-shirts, as the demonstration served as an informal reunion for caravan participants who made the long trek down I-95 to march under the Florida sun four months ago.

Protestors' messaging was tight and aimed squarely at Trader Joe's niche consumer base.

Incredibly, so many people -- both passers-by and store customers -- wanted information that organizers had to make multiple copyshop runs simply to keep up with the voracious demand for flyers!

... the New York crew displayed a rather humorously over-sized version of the ubiquitous Campaign for Fair Food manager letter and delivered a smaller copy to the store managers on duty.

And although the protestors shared music and laughter throughout the evening, they also embodied a strong sense of purpose given their awareness of the severity of the decades-old human rights crisis in Florida's fields.

Now, if only Trader Joe's realized the seriousness of the stakes, as well.