If you're a Costco member, one thing you've probably noticed is that the store's inventory is always changing.
You could hit the bakery section one day to find a new layer cake on the shelves, or visit the cheese department and stumble upon a new gourmet assortment.
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Costco makes changes to its prepared foods on a regular basis, too.
Earlier this month, Costco debuted its shrimp ceviche. Customer reviews were mixed, with some members saying the dish was more like a shrimp salad. But others said they were happy with the new take-home entree.
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Costco customers tend to appreciate the store's rotating inventory. And it's a big part of Costco's management team's strategy.
Costco has long embraced the “treasure hunt” concept because it knows members want good value in exchange for the annual fees they pay. So the company tries its best to keep things interesting so that members are excited to explore the warehouse and try new things.
Costco inventory changes can mean saying goodbye to your favorite items
Although part of Costco's member-first strategy is to continuously introduce new products, there's a downside.
To make room for new items, Costco often has to take products out of its inventory lineup.
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Costco, unlike other retailers, intentionally tries to limit its inventory to about 4,000 SKUs (stock keeping units). That way, Costco can keep a better eye on product quality and also position itself to negotiate the best prices for members.
But sometimes, discontinuing products can be a sore spot for members.
Last year, Costco stopped selling the jumbo muffins its bakery was known for and replaced them with a smaller version. Fans didn't necessarily mind the new size but were devastated to learn that their favorite flavors had gotten an unwanted overhaul.
Costco also made the decision earlier this year to stop selling its Kirkland Signature soy milk. The company pulled that product due to sluggish sales, disappointing members who relied on their beloved soy milk as a dairy alternative.
Costco quietly pulls a popular snack item from shelves
If there's one section of Costco members tend to love, it's the snack aisles.
Costco's snack aisles are loaded with everything from national brands to original Kirkland mixes. And the low prices make it easy for members to keep their snack rotations interesting without breaking the bank.
Related: Costco members angry over very personal product change
One Kirkland snack mix that gained popularity was the Sweet Heat mix. It featured a blend of barbecue-coated almonds, spiced cashews, honey roasted sesame sticks, glazed pecans, and corn nuggets.
What made Kirkland's Sweet Heat mix so spectacular was the perfect mix of sugar and spice. The honey in the sesame sticks and glazed pecans helped offset the kick of the more spicy cashews and almonds.
But now, it seems like the Sweet Heat mix has gone the way of Kirkland Signature soy milk, because fans can't seem to find it on the shelves. And a search on Costco.com reveals that the product is no longer available in a number of markets.
One user reported on Reddit that they were so disappointed to see the snack blend disappear that they asked a Costco associate to look up the item and give an update. The Costco employee confirmed that the item was marked for deletion in the store's system, which is basically a step away from it being discontinued.
Naturally, the news was not well-received.
“This was my favorite one,” one Reddit user wrote.
“I tried it once and loved it,” another user wrote. “Went a week later to buy more and no longer selling.”
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Of course, if there's one thing Costco is known for, it's the company's customer-first attitude. So if enough people reach out to Costco begging for the return of the Sweet Heat mix, it could start hitting the shelves again.
Otherwise, members will have to sit tight and wait for the next fantastic Costco snack product to arrive.
Maurie Backman owns shares of Costco.
