Costco Wholesale is creating a new concept for its Toronto customers that is essentially a throwback to its origins as a wholesaler.

The Costco Business Centre caters to the small business owner looking to stock up on snacks and beverages, restaurant-grade food, utensils and dishes or bulk food ingredients intended for the foodservice industry. It strips out what’s become regular Costco mainstays, such as toys, clothing, a pharmacy and even a cafeteria. In fact, 80-90 per cent of products found at the Business Centre won’t be available at regular stores. 

“We have very big hopes that this concept will please our members,” said Marc-André Bally, vice-president of Costco Wholesale Business Centre at Costco Wholesale Canada, in an interview with BNN. “We hope to be in all major Canadian cities where we have a good Costco presence.”

The first Costco Business Centre opened on Friday in Scarborough. If there’s enough demand, the company plans to roll out more centres across the country, possibly within the next three to five years.

Costco currently has 95 locations across Canada, with nearly 10 million people holding Costco memberships – a higher per capita penetration rate than in the United States.

“We’re essentially going back to our roots, how we started in Canada,” said Bally. “We hope to attract a lot of restaurants, convenience store owners who, over the years, we weren’t serving very well.”

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10 unique finds at Costco Business Centre

Costco’s new Business Centre is not your typical Costco. The stores are not open in the evenings or on Sundays and about 80-90 per cent of the product offerings are different from your neighbourhood Costco.  But that doesn’t mean there isn’t a bounty of bulk merchandise for shoppers to crave.

1. A 15 kg wheel of Parmesan Cheese ($375)

Costco Business Centre says many of its small business customers are restaurant owners looking for pieces that are functional yet add to the aesthetic.  

2. A barrel of Kalamata Olives ($599)

Olives are in high demand in the catchment area of the first Costco Business Centre in Scarborough, Ontario. The price per gallon of this giant tub of olives is priced for restaurant owners who might otherwise stock up on olives on sale at nearby discount grocery stores.

3. Boxes of Shrimp Crackers

Each Costco Wholesale location has separate buyers that cater to stores based on neighbourhoods and regional tastes. This product caters for convenience store owners with customers seeking Asian foods.

4. Cases of SmartWater

The typical Costco shopper won’t likely to get swayed to shell out nearly $600 for a barrel of olives, but might welcome a quick stop to pick up some SmartWater if they tire of the Kirkland Signature.

5. Chocolate – and lots of it

Over the years Costco shifted its focus away from its original core customer, the small business owner. The selection of chocolate and candy at these stores reflect this customer’s need for individually packaged goods versus the bulk packs you’ll find in an everyday Costco.

6. A barrel of olive oil ($999)

These barrels of oil greet shoppers at the main entrance of the Costco Business Centre – and costs nearly 15 times more than a barrel of West Texas Intermediate Crude.

7. 25 KG of monosodium glutamate ($39.99)

Enough said.

8. A case of Jarritos Pop for ($22.99)

This popular Mexican soft drink is a staple of any good Mexican restaurant, but hard to find at your neighbourhood Costco.

9. A gallon tub of 100% organic coconut oil ($39.99)

While Costco Wholesale is renowned for its bulk goods, these giant pails won’t make their way into a regular store. Giant sizes like these cater to the foodservice industry, but for the coconut oil lover the price becomes a bargain.

10. A pail of Nutella, anyone? ($19.99) 

The sight of a three-kilogram pail of Nutalla would delight children and scare soccer moms across Canada. But the price tag will have restaurant-owners salivating.