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Who knows? It’s possible that the ugliest seafood is also the most delicious.
Image source: Getty Images
To be fair, “weird” is in the eye of the beholder. What seems exotic to us here in the U.S. may be an everyday staple in another country. Still, we thought it would be fun to learn more about the types of things Costco carries in stores outside the U.S.
With 847 stores spread across 14 countries, it’s no wonder the retail goliath boasts nearly 121 million members. You can find a Costco in each of the following countries:
CanadaUnited KingdomTaiwanKoreaJapanAustraliaMexicoSpainIcelandFranceChinaNew ZealandSweden
There’s some overlap in most Costco locations. For example, you’ll see appliances, huge stuffed animals, clothing, and books in nearly all stores. It’s the food items offered that tends to set one Costco apart from another.
1. More candy than is healthy
If you’re in the mood for chocolate, you’ll be glad to know that Costco Australia carries a 22-pound Cadbury Dairy milk chocolate bar. That’s right. You can walk into an Australian Costco, grab a cup of taro milk tea with boba, and stroll through the store in search of a candy bar larger than most young children. On your way out, you’re going to want to stop at the food court for a tub of Vegemite.
2. High-end designer handbags
While it may be jarring to bump into a display of designer handbags while shopping for groceries and a new teapot, that’s what happens when you’re in a Costco in Australia or China. You can find anything from Jimmy Choo, to Prada, to Chanel lined up on tiered tables.
By the way, you might be interested to know that on Costco’s opening day in Shanghai, the store was so overrun with people looking for money-saving deals that traffic was disrupted and the wait time to park was up to three hours. Oh, and due to the crush of people, the store was forced to close early to allow those who’d already made their way in to complete their shopping.
3. Liquor-infused ice cream
What’s not to love about France? Just outside of Paris is one of the country’s two Costco warehouse stores. Inside you’ll find gigantic cheese wheels, huge bottles of wine, bulk crepes, and a liquor-infused ice cream. With an alcohol volume of 3.3%, this is the real stuff. You have a couple of options. To give you a better idea of what you’re looking at, one ice cream option is a salted caramel with Belgian chocolate, and infused with bourbon.
4. Rice, so much rice
In any of the 30 Costco locations in Japan you’ll find the usual suspects: Dried sardines you can eat straight from the bag, salty little snacks called Nori Maki, and fried squid. But you’ll also find rice. While there’s nothing odd about finding rice for sale in a Japanese Costco, it’s the sheer volume that may blow your hair back a little. There’s an entire aisle dedicated to massive bags of rice. It’s seriously impressive.
5. An array of unusual seafood
South Korea is home to 18 Costco stores, and each one carries some of the least attractive seafood to be pulled out of the deep blue sea. There’s the fresh sea cucumber, so ugly it hides on the bottom of the ocean floor. Nearby you’ll find whole, raw octopus, the stuff of children’s nightmares. And finally, there’s abalone, the least attractive of all mollusks, if such a thing is possible. In the right chef’s hands, each of these creatures are undoubtedly delicious. It’s the sight of such a motley array of deep sea creatures that takes some getting used to.
As mentioned, what seems weird to us is considered a delicacy in other countries, and it’s nice that residents of those countries have access to the foods they enjoy. It’s particularly convenient that they can pick them up at a retailer selling everything from mega-packs of socks to pet insurance.
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The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.Dana George has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Costco Wholesale. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
