
Image credit: Pricing Image credit: Įach 24-pack of Kimnori Seaweed Snacks at Costco are priced at just $7.99. Unfortunately, these chips are not available through and can only be found at certain Costco Warehouse locations. In addition to Kimnori Seaweed Snacks, Costco also carries a brand of Korean-style bugak seaweed chips from a company called C-Weed.Ĭ-Weed offers an organic and non-organic variety of their seaweed chips that are both majorly popular among Costco customers. You can read all about their production process on their website here. Kimnori Seaweed Snacks are made in California. It’s also super good for you, as it’s packed with trace minerals and vitamins that our bodies need to function at peak performance. Instead, it has a rich umami flavor that reminds me more of a well-seasoned vegetable than something that came out of the sea.


And if you’re worried about the flavor, it doesn’t taste fishy the way you might think. It’s salty, savory, and satisfyingly chewy. Seaweed might not be for everyone, but I suggest trying it before you decide you don’t like it. Now, Costco carries Organic Seaweed Snacks from a California-based company called Kimnori. Unfortunately, these snacks came under fire recently when a class-action lawsuit was filed alleging that the product contained dangerously high (and undisclosed) levels of cadmium, a known carcinogen.Īccording to, the 2018 case alleges that “Costco’s failure to disclose the presence of cadmium in its seaweed product was ‘deceptive, misleading, unfair, and/or false’ and allowed the big box retailer to reap ‘enormous profits’ from consumers who paid a premium price for the snack.” As reports, the case was ultimately dismissed in 2022 because the plaintiff was unable to provide sufficient proof that the product was unsafe for human consumption.ĭespite the dismissal, Costco decided to pull the product from its shelves permanently and switch to a different supplier. They were super popular among Costco customers, becoming a staple in many household pantries. employees have worked at Costco for five or more years, with the average wage for hourly workers at about $24.Up until fall 2022, Costco carried its own Kirkland Signature brand of Organic Roasted Seaweed Snacks in a recognizable bright green package. Most stick around long enough to earn a raise or two, though. Its starting wage of $16 is above the $12 offered by Walmart and $15 from Target, but below the $18 now offered by Amazon. It has a reputation for paying employees well, too, which helps keep turnover rates low. Billionaire investor Charlie Munger, who is also a longtime Costco board member, recently commented that the company will “eventually be a huge internet player” capable of rivaling Amazon. It has been bulking up its online assortment and expanding its fulfillment operations to get items to customers’ doorsteps faster.

The retailer has been slow to go online, but has been ramping up its e-commerce investments. Shoppers often drop hundreds of dollars in a single visit, maybe stopping at the food court for a $1.50 hot dog or filling their tank with cheap gas, especially attractive as gas prices have hit a nationwide average of $3.32 a gallon, according to AAA.

Membership renewal rates are over 90%, and the retailer added 10 million members during the pandemic. Costco has managed to hang onto a very loyal customer base, who pay $60 a year to come shop at the chain, even with stiff competition from Amazon and a rise in online shopping amid Covid-19 lockdowns.
