Costco Has New Poke — But Customers Are Already Annoyed

How you feel about Costco’s seafood will probably depend on where you are. The big-box store makes a decent effort to offer revolving seafood and fish options in its fresh and deli sections (as well as in its frozen one, of course), and items like its sushi burrito have caused a lot of stir in the last year – although not always for the right reasons. In the case of that one, it was the price that people quibbled with. The main gripe people have, though, is that its seafood selection can be inconsistent from store to store. And that doesn’t necessarily mean that people on the West Coast have more options (although if you’re in Hawaii, you’re in luck).  

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This has been seen yet again this week, with the arrival of Costco’s new poke – which some customers are saying they’ll never see. Let’s discuss.

Costco Poke: Here For Some, Not For Others

The conversation around Costco’s new poke started with, of course, the very fact that there is new poke. On Instagram, Laura Jayne Lamb, aka @costcohotfinds, posted a Reel revealing that her local Costco was selling new Creamy Ahi Wasabi Poke in its fresh seafood section, on sale for the not-insignificant price of $21.99 per pound. This poke definitely looks good, and Lamb stated that it was tender and fresh – before piling it onto a hot dog, a move that caused more than a hint of controversy in the comment section. 

Some people, though, were quick to state that they’ve never seen this kind of thing in their local Costco. “Where was this mythical poke?” they wondered. Lamb, who bought the poke from an in-person counter, pointed out that some Costcos may not sell it fresh, but most, if not all, will prepackage it and put it in the deli section. Other people, though, said that even though this might be the case, their Costcos won’t get this new option. 

Location By Location

Here’s the kicker: You’d expect a fresh seafood dish like this to be found in Costcos along the Southern West Coast and in Hawaii – basically, in locations close to where ahi tuna is typically found. However, Lamb said she found this poke at a Costco in Lee’s Summit, Missouri. So what’s the deal? Why are landlocked Costcos hundreds of miles away from the coast getting these dishes, and others aren’t? It’s likely down to several things, with supply chains and store size being just two of them. If you’re specifically looking for dishes like this poke, your best bet is to try to find the biggest Costco near you, where you’ll probably have the most success.