Costco, the wholesale company cherished by thousand of loyal buyers, but some of their favorite products are sadly a thing of the past. Here's a list of the items no longer on the shelves.
Chocolate Soft-Serve
After walking around the large store searching for the best deals, customers used to be able to head over to Costos food court to grab a refreshing ice cream cone. The flavors were simple, classic chocolate and vanilla.
If buyers wanted both, they had the option to swirl. Sadly, the delicious chocolate treat was discontinued by the company in 2018. They made sure to continue providing a different cold snack for exhausted customers. Acai bowls replaced the soft-serve.
Kirkland Signature Light Beer
Costco used to sell Kirkland Signature light beer. Kirkland is the wholesaler's own brand that offers items at a reduced cost. The light beer was available for buyers to purchase for only $22. When compared to the 48 cans that came with the box, it's a steal!
Well, unluckily for those who like beer and good deals, the product stopped being produced. That's a sizable loss, considering that each bottle was worth less than 50 cents. The last chance customers had to buy it was in 2018, based on reports from MoneyWise.
Kirkland Signature Turkey Burgers
While thousands of people enjoy eating hamburgers, they tend to be a bit detrimental to our health. That's probably why Costco began selling their Kirkland Signature turkey burgers. They were flying off the shelves rapidly. For only 200 calories a piece, we too would have run to the store.
When news broke out that the healthier option of burgers were being discontinued, many beloved customers were unhappy. At least the one-stop-shop has hundreds of other low-calorie options to choose from. Like the Columbus brand turkey burgers, which can still be bought to this day.
Costco-Branded Cookbooks
Every holiday season, a cookbook specifically made for Thanksgiving recipes was put out for people to purchase, before the holiday season. The publication lasted nearly 10 years until the company ceased production on Cooking the Costco Way. With it, they took away countless meal ideas.
The company listened to their members and in place of the former cookbook, an online version was published to Costco Connection magazine. With a new cookbook came a new name, the Farm to Table section on the website featured various dishes for each season. We have to admit, maybe this version is better than the past one.
Food Court’s Fresh-Made Gelato
Costco is infamously known for its money-saving deals found inside the warehouse-like stores. But, that's not the only place where customers got a bang for their buck. The company typically had a food court in each of the store's locations, where buyers could purchase freshly made gelato.
A cone was sold for only $1.50, even loose change found in one's pocket was enough to buy 3 big scoops. For an even better steal, a person needed just under $5 to get a quart of ice cream for the whole family to eat. Before it was taken away in 2015, customers had a choice between mixed berry, pistachio, or stracciatella.
Chaokoh Coconut Milk
Many health fanatics may be familiar with drinking coconut water for its hydration benefits, but many may not be aware that coconut milk is also a good option. The Thai drink was available for Costco members to buy up until its removal from shelves in September of 2020.
Chaokoh Coconut Milk was no longer sold because of accusations made by PETA. The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals claimed that the drink was a product of “monkey labor." Even though the Thailand company rejected the accusation, the wholesale company immediately stopped selling the milk in stores.
Kirkland Signature Body Soap
Members of Costco were downhearted after learning Kirkland Signature Body Soap would longer be obtainable to buy. They were so upset that a Reddit discussion about it was created. One user wrote, "Seriously, I nearly broke out in tears when I couldn’t find it."
Customers enjoyed the product so much because it lathered up very well and provided smooth skin. And while the store had similar soaps to choose from, the Kirkland brand was much lower in cost. The beloved item was discontinued because the company believed the soap's smell was too strong to endure.
Food Court Calzones
Those who have been Costco members for a while would probably remember that calzones used to be on the menu. The food court gave customers various flavors to choose from, including beef, pork, sauce, and cheese. For just $6.99, buyers could get two calzones and a side of marinara.
Despite the item's popularity for its delicious taste and cheap price, the wholesale market claimed it wasn't profitable enough for them to keep selling the calzones. Luckily, a similar dish still remains for hungry customers to enjoy; cheese and pepperoni pizza.
Kirkland Signature Five-Pocket Jeans
With so many places to put ones' phone, car keys, wallet, etc., these pants were popular, especially amongst dads. Until Costco pulled their Kirkland Signature five-pocket jeans from their shelves. Customers were very upset about the decision, but little did they know the company had a solid reason.
The jeans weren't being sold for a while because they were undergoing an upgrade. Even when they were finally brought back to stores, buyers remained displeased. The new design received so much criticism from frequent shoppers that they were eventually also discontinued.
Endangered Seafood
To join the sustainability movement, Costco made the choice to stop selling endangered seafood altogether. Due to that decision, the wholesale warehouse stopped selling Atlantic cod, Atlantic halibut, Chilean sea bass, shark, swordfish, and bluefin tuna.
This all occurred in 2011 after Greenpeace, a global campaigning network, persuaded the member-only store to find a better way to support sea animals. Today, Costco mainly sells fish products that were sourced from farmers who use sustainable methods.
Kirkland Signature French Comté
Costco members may be aware of the wide selections of cheeses the store has to offer. One of their most beloved products was the Kirland Signature French Comté. It was actually made in France and took 8 long months for the cheese to achieve its potent taste.
Shoppers were so unhappy with its discontinuation that they even started a petition on Change.com. One person wrote, "A meal without French cheese like Comte is a sad meal. We used to buy it at each visit- Please bring back the Comte cheese!" Seems like Costco might have made a mistake taking away this product.
Roundup
Typically, Costco received backlash from its shoppers for taking away products. But, for this item, there was an opposite situation. Before being discontinued, Roundup was often bought as a weed-killer until one couple decided to sue the wholesale store.
They claimed the product had cancerous effects due to the number of chemicals used to make it. They weren't the only ones who protested for the removal of Roundup. A Change.com petition was signed by nearly 90,000 people. Eventually, Costco lost the legal case for $2 billion and stopped selling the grass killer.
Food Court’s Chocolate-Dipped Ice Cream Bars
Sometimes the deals found at Costco were too good to be true! In this case, it was the food court chocolate-dipped ice cream bars. Customers could buy this delicious treat for $1.50. The best part was that it was made to order. First, the vanilla ice cream was dipped in chocolate, and then the optional choice of adding almonds.
It's been speculated that the reason Costco pulled the ice cream from its menu was because of the price of almonds and chocolate, which had increased. Fans of the item were so displeased that not one, but two petitions were started. One on Change.com and the other on Facebook. Despite their efforts, the treat never returned.
Kirkland Signature Cinnamon Roll Protein Bars
It can be difficult to successfully incorporate the right amount of protein into our diets. That's why protein bars have done so well in the health market. The small snack could reach up to 20 or more grams of protein. The best part of this product was its yummy flavor, cinnamon roll.
It's no wonder why Costco was selling these bad boys so fast, it tasted like a treat but still helped consumers maintain their health goals. Sadly, this fan-favorite flavor was discontinued, but the company still sells the chocolate peanut butter chunk, cookies and cream, chocolate brownie, and chocolate chip cookie dough bars.
Half-sheet Cakes
For many years, Costco provided its customers with tasty half-sheet cakes. They were often bought for special occasions like birthdays, graduations, and other celebrations. Buyers could even request for specific text to be added on top of the cake. Until the classic dessert was removed from the store in July of 2020.
The news was announced on USA Today with a statement from the store that read, “Currently we’re not selling [the product] at any U.S. locations and as of right now, we have no immediate plans to bring [it] back. We’re focusing on our smaller chocolate cakes that seem to be resonating with our members.”
Kirkland Signature Trek Mix
With so many treats found in a single bag, it's sure to be well sought after. The Kirkland Signature trek mix included chocolate chips, almonds, granola, cranberries, cashews, and pumpkin seeds. The product was admired amongst many customers who enjoyed combining the taste of sweet and salty flavors.
Not only was it delicious, but it was also nutritious since one serving was just 150 calories. Even more so, the price was unbeatable, for every two pounds, buyers had to spend $7.99. Now we understand why Costco members were so upset when the snack was removed from the shelves.
Kirkland Signature Frozen Four-cheese Ravioli
Kirkland Signature frozen four-cheese ravioli was a well-liked product sold at Costco. For good reason too, because not only was the blend of Asiago, Ricotta, Grand Padano, and Parmesan delicious, but preparing it was fast and easy. Shoppers were heartbroken when they learned the 4-pound bag of ravioli was discontinued.
Many Facebook users asked the company to bring back the frozen item. One person wrote, "Four-cheese ravioli, Kirkland brand....please bring it back. Google it and you will find many pleas for this. If you get that many requests from people, you can multiply it many times over for those that miss and don't take time to write."
Food Court’s BBQ Beef Brisket Sandwiches
Not every Costco location was fortunate enough to serve the BBQ beef brisket sandwich. Members that had the chance to try one of these juicy meat-filled buns should consider themselves lucky. Because now, no one will ever have the opportunity to order this item.
The sandwich wasn't like any other basic ones found at most restaurants. The Costco food court included crispy coleslaw, tender meat, and delicious BBQ sauce. All the flavors worked magically together to create an enjoyable meal for the affordable cost of $4.99. We understand why customers still miss this product today.
All-American Chocolate Cake
Costco used to sell All-American chocolate cakes that were gigantic. Each one had at least 13,000 calories and nearly weighed the size of a baby at 7 pounds! It was able to feed many people, which is why it was often bought by shoppers for birthdays and other celebratory events.
In 2019, Costco members were upset after they realized the chocolate cake was no longer being sold. They took to Change.com to express their annoyance with the decision through a petition. It didn't bring back the product, and till today no one knows why they discontinued the dense cake.
Kirkland Signature American Cheese
A big perk of being a Costco member is being able to buy large quantities of stuff for a reduced price. The Kirkland Signature American Cheese pack was the perfect example of a great deal. Each package weighed nearly 5 pounds and included 120 slices.
That may sound like a lot of cheese, but because it was so delicious, consumers could easily go through the pack before it became expired. It's sad to say but, the tasty product was taken off of shelves since Kraft singles were found to be sold more.
Food Court’s Polish Dogs
Polish hot dogs were once one of Costco's best-selling items sold at their food court. Despite its popularity, the wholesale company ultimately stopped providing customers with the $1.50 delicious meal in 2018. The decision was hit with a ton of backlash from many customers.
So much so, that the Costco website even made an entire webpage that explained why it was discontinued. It said, "To simplify our menu and make room for healthier options. Though we understand many members loved the Polish Dog, we hope you enjoy our new offerings." The food court served all-beef hot dogs in replacement.
Food Court's Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels
After shopping in the large warehouse-like market, shoppers liked to enjoy a special treat at Costco's food court. And while they still provide members with a delicious cinnamon churro, there were once more dessert options. Such as their cinnamon sugar-covered soft pretzels, which were sure to cure a sweet tooth.
Not only was it full of sweet spice, but it was also drenched in butter, which of course, added another layer of yum! But, ever since the company made it a mission of theirs to serve healthier options, they, unfortunately, stopped selling the caloric pretzel.
Conventionally Caged Eggs
Costco has previously announced that they will no longer be selling eggs that were in produced in conventional cages. This means that the hens were free and could roam around as they pleased. Choosing to only sell cage-free eggs is a way to support animal welfare.
They said, "Costco is committed to procuring cage-free eggs and continues to increase the percentage of cage-free eggs its sells worldwide… In addition, Kirkland Signature™ Liquid Eggs are 100% cage-free. The transition to cage-free eggs will continue to increase with added availability and capacity of cage-free production.”
Krusteaz Pumpkin Spice Bread 4 Pack
Costco is infamously known for its amazing deals. Typically members could buy items in bulk to receive a better bang for their buck. One product that was high in quantity but low in price was the Krusteaz pumpkin spice bread that came in a pack of 4.
Sadly, the delicious item was taken off shelves and left fans needing to find a new favorite holiday product to purchase. Although, it may be possible that those who bought it previously still have a few left in their pantries since it came with so many packs.
Itaberco Chocolate Salted Caramel Sauce
This double-pack deal came with both a salted caramel sauce and a chocolate sauce. What else could a person need? Put it on popcorn, pancakes, ice cream, etc. the options were limitless. That is until Costco pulled the sweet product from its shelves.
The entire package was sold for 5 dollars, so when customers became aware they would longer have the option to purchase this sweet deal, they were bummed. Luckily for Costco members, the wholesale store still offers a ton of other desserts options and various types of chocolate and caramel sauces.
Parmigiano Reggiano Wedges
Costco has a huge variety of cheese, from goat, brie, and cheddar, the options are endless. One well-liked cheese was the Kirkland Signature Parmigiano Reggiano, which is just a fancy way of saying Parmesan cheese. It could be used on nearly anything, pizza, pasta, chicken, and more.
The time to use the delicious dairy product is now just a thing of the past, because Costco stopped producing it. Many loyal customers took to Reddit to express how displeased they were with the discontinuation of the block of cheese. The only way to get parmesan at Costco now is to purchase the big wheel, which costs $950.
Rao's Alfredo Sauce
Rao is a brand that's arguably best known for its delicious sauces. They have different flavors, like classic red and alfredo, that could easily give any pasta dish an amazing flavor. Costco used to sell a pack of two for $6.97, until of course, they removed it from their shelves.
A sad loss for many Costco members for a few reasons. One was, it was a sweet deal, for such a low price tag, buyers got to take home 2 jars. Secondly, alfredo sauces tend to be high in calories and filled with preservatives, but Rao's opted for more simple and clean ingredients.
Primal Kitchen Buffalo Sauce
This versatile sauce was a fan-favorite item that could be used in basically anything. For chicken recipes, pasta, as a dip for veggies, etc. Lets' not forget that the Primal Kitchen buffalo sauce used minimal ingredients, meaning it was a healthier alternative when compared to other brands.
It's a gluten-free, dairy-free, and low-carb product, but regardless of that, the flavors are amazing! Costco used to sell a pack of two for just under 10 dollars before they discontinued selling the item. It can still be found at other grocery stores around the nation.
Pocky Chocolate Biscuit Sticks
This sweet snack was arguably very popular amongst children, it was an easy snack for parents to toss into a lunch box. Not only were they delicious, as well as convenient, but the Pocky chocolate biscuit sticks were sold for a great price at Costco.
A pack of 12 would only set a person back a little less than 9 dollars. Parents were upset to learn that the product received a "death star" from the company in October. Meaning they would soon be discontinued for good. Pocky sticks can fortunately still be bought at many Asian supermarkets.
Kauai Coffee Company Whole Bean Medium Roast Coffee
Kaui Coffee Medium Roast has been described as, "a smooth, delicious flavor and amazing aroma," by the companies website. Unfortunately, these coffee beans can no longer be found at Costco. Many loyal fans of the blend found out the news through an Instagram post.
User @costco.love shared a picture that revealed the wholesale company had tagged the product with an asterisk, which was also dubbed the "death star." When a Costco item has this signal, it means it will soon be discontinued. And they were right, Kauai coffee has been removed from stores.