Costco is officially opening more Kirkland Signature sushi counters in its stores nationwide, following the success of the big box retailer’s first in-house sushi counter at its flagship warehouse in Issaquah, Washington.
According to a report by Today, the news of the sushi counter expansion was confirmed by Costco CFO Richard Galanti during a Q2 earnings call on March 7. Galanti said Costco has “two more planned to open in the very near future.”
“The sushi program has proven to be a category where we can be successful in both quality and price, and we’re looking forward to seeing more of that in the future,” he said during the call. Galanti also explained that Costco locations in several Asian countries have operated sushi counters “for years.” Some Hawaii Costco locations also make sushi in-house.
Per the Seattle Times, Costco began working on its sushi counter concept for U.S.-based warehouses in October 2022. The corporation’s culinary team reportedly traveled to Japan to study with “rice masters” and perfect a grain “that would retain its moisture and not dry out over the course of a day like other grocery chains’ sushi,” an unnamed, high-ranking source told the outlet. Costco was hoping for a quiet success, but when the sushi counter finally opened in June 2023, it was a major hit across social media. So much so that the Seattle Times said “the Issaquah Costco has arguably become the most talked-about restaurant on the Eastside.”
At this time, it’s unclear which Costco branches — or how many of them — will open up sushi-making operations.
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