American discount wholesale retailer Costco opened its first store in New Zealand last month.
The store, located north of Auckland in the Westgate suburb, sells hundreds of brands in the departments of food, healthcare products, electronics and furniture. It also includes a pharmacy, optometrist, hearing aid centre and food court.
Managing director Patrick Noone said both international and local brands are available. New Zealand brands Everblue, Manuka Health and Two Islands will be stocked.
A lot of the fresh produce, including its bakery foods, butchery meat, fruit and fish, would be local too.
However, unlike regular supermarkets, the products need to be easy to shelve. So, instead of purchasing loose kiwifruit, customers would need to buy a whole tray.
Noone said that locally sourced rotisserie chickens will also be available, with eight rotisserie chicken ovens working whenever the store was open.
To shop at Costco, customers need to pay $60 a year for a membership, while businesses pay $55.
