Costco’s Latest Deli Find Is Already Dividing Customers

We check in with Costco’s deli section pretty much every week – but how could we not? There’s just so much to say! Costco’s deli is a constantly busy place, and if its customers aren’t praising their favorite underrated items, they’re feverishly discussing its new releases, in all their light and shade. Sometimes, the consensus is that it’s stuck the landing and brought out a new classic; other times, the people are left wanting. 

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The latter seems to have occurred this week, with a new deli drop that’s prompting a lot of chatter online. It’s a shame; this could have been one of the greats. 

Costco Spam Musubi

This week, Costco-focused content creator @costcohotfinds revealed that Costco has just dropped new Spam Musubi in its deli section. This new option packs four chunky pieces of the Hawaiian dish into each tray, with a brick of rice topped with furikake, a slab of Spam Less Sodium, and a sweet sauce, wrapped in sushi nori. Each pack costs $9.99 per pound, averaging out at around $12 per purchase. 

As ever, this option may not be available in every Costco just yet; the store tends to target its new releases to specific (often larger stores), and more populated metropolitan areas typically see this kind of thing first. So far, though, it’s been spotted at stores in Texas and California.

You Said It Was Causing Chatter…

Oh, boy, is it causing chatter. @costcohotfinds’ post on Costco’s new Spam Musubi prompted a flurry of comments about both the quality and the value of this dish, with many people saying that both were lacking. The consensus from many was that the price is just too high. “Almost $12? This takes like 15 minutes to make and about $2 in raw ingredients for that same amount,” said one comment. Elsewhere, people criticized the ratio of Spam to rice – and it’s true that by the looks of things, there’s a lot of the latter, and not a great deal of the former.

The authenticity of this Spam Musubi was also brought into question. “AS A NATIVE OF HAWAI’I WE DO NOT CLAIM THIS AS A MUSUBI,” stated another commenter. On the flip side, a Costco worker in an Instagram post by @hawaiinewsreport came out to bat for the Spam Musubi, saying that while it’s definitely better (and cheaper) to make it at home, this is a tasty option if you’re on the go.

As someone with very limited knowledge of Spam Musubi myself, it doesn’t feel appropriate to wade into what’s authentic or not. That said, I can definitely understand the complaints about the price. In theory, both Spam and rice are inexpensive ingredients, and while there’s more to it than putting the two together, it does feel like you’re paying for convenience here. Plus, making food at home is always going to be more satisfying, right?