Let’s continue our tour of Costco stores around the world (Costco in Canada (International Series #1)); (Costco in South Korea (International Series #2)); (Costco in Iceland (International Series #3)); (Costco in Australia (International Series #4)); (Costco in the United Kingdom (International Series #5)); (Costco in Japan (International Series #6)); (Costco in France (International Series #7)); (Costco in China (International Series #8))) with a visit to the one Costco warehouse in New Zealand.
This article was written right before the store opened in the summer of 2022. As a reporter, he was invited to take a pre-opening tour with the Prime Minister.
Information About the New Zealand Costco
1. Many Local Products
The article reports that the visit for the Prime Minister was largely to show her the local goods available at Costco, including berries, potatoes and eggs. Although not necessarily the same as the samples offered at Costco during regular open hours ((A day in the life of a “Sample Giver”; (What kind of “sampler” are you?)), the author commented that these products formed “the weirdest grazing table” he had seen.
Not surprisingly, it seems that most international stores carry local items. I don’t associate the products mentioned with New Zealand, but I’m also not an expert on what is grown or produced there.
2. Impressive Bakery Items
The author noticed the large amount of bakery items, including cakes and pastries.
The specific items were not mentioned so I don’t know how similar they are to those provided in the United States.
3. Appearance and Layout
The warehouse in New Zealand is 14,740 square metres and has products on pallets rather than shelves.
At first I thought “wow, this store is teeny” before realizing that it is the metric system. The store is almost 160,000 square feet, which is slightly larger than the average warehouse in the United States (146,000 square feet).
4. Same Membership Fee as US
The yearly membership fee is $60.
There was no mention of whether there are different levels of membership, as in the US (Costco Executives).
5. Popular Brands Available
The article mentions the availability of name brand items including Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, and Lego.
Not surprising, given the products offered in the US.
6. Similar Departments as in US
The author reports on the different departments within the warehouse. In addition to shopping for food and other household items, members can visit the Optical Department, the pharmacy, and auto department for tire changes.
Again, with a few exceptions (e.g., no pharmacy in the United Kingdom (Costco in the United Kingdom (International Series #5))), it seems that most international stores have similar departments.
7. No Alcohol
According to the article, because the Costco is located within the West Auckland trust zone, it is not permitted to sell alcohol.
I had not heard of these trust zones so I looked it up. There are certain areas within the country in which it is illegal to sell alcohol. As there is only one Costco in New Zealand, members cannot benefit from the large alcohol selection at other Costco stores, such as in the US ((Alcohol at Costco (Part 1 of 2) ; (Alcohol at Costco (Part 2 of 2))
8. Food court
The author highlights the food court and the availability of hot dogs.
Of course…the famous food court hot dogs ((An assortment of Costco facts (Part 2 of 2); (Things you didn’t know you didn’t know about Costco!))
What do you think about this information about the New Zealand Costco? Have you been to it?
Cruising Costco 