Costco (COST) wants its customers to be prepared for… of all things … the end of the world, and it’s selling a strange product that will give customers everything they need to survive.
In a viral video on Instagram, cookbook author Jeffrey Eisner revealed that Costco is selling an “emergency food bucket” containing 132 servings of food that can last up to 25 years.
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“I guess this is for when the apocalypse hits, which could be any time now, right? Who knows?” said Eisner in the video.
Customers shop at a Costco store in Teterboro, New Jersey.
Costco targets preppers
Eisner revealed that the bucket contains food such as teriyaki rice, cheesy macaroni, apple cinnamon cereal, tomato soup, vanilla pudding, etc., and it’s all for $63.
Some Instagram users took to the comment section under Eisner’s video to express fear that Costco is preparing customers for something catastrophic. Others say that the bucket can be used for non-apocalyptic emergencies.
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“Does Costco know something?” wrote one user.
“These stores know something, been seeing a lot of emergency items on the shelf lately. You better grab what you can, ijs,” read another comment.
“Perfect for hurricane season,” claimed another Instagram user.
“People use these for camping,” wrote a user.
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The bucket is made by ReadyWise, and according to Costco’s website, it sells different versions that contain larger or smaller serving sizes of freeze-dried and dehydrated food.
In a version that contains 150 meals, for $80, customers can get 80 servings of entrees and sides, 30 servings of breakfasts, and 40 drink servings.
“In a world where unpredictability has become a constant, our assortment takes on a vital role in emergency preparedness. Imagine the sudden onset of severe weather, the challenges of unexpected job transitions, or the unsettling thought of food shortages,” reads the product description on Costco’s website. “These are the moments when having a reliable source of sustenance becomes a game-changer.”
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Many Americans have ramped up their disaster preparation efforts over the past year. According to a 2023 survey from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, 51% of Americans believe they are prepared for a disaster, and 57% said they took three or more actions to prepare for a disaster within the last year.
The survey also found that 48% of people assembled or updated supplies for a disaster in 2023, an increase from the 33% reported in 2022.
The revelation of Costco’s emergency food bucket comes after the warehouse shocked its members last week by announcing its first price hike in seven years.
Starting Sept. 1, the company is raising its Gold Star annual membership fee by $5 and its Executive membership by $10. The price increase would make the Gold Star membership $65 a year and the Executive membership $130 annually.
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