10 Costco Business Center Products You Can't Get At A Regular Warehouse Store

You may want to take a peek at Costco Business Center next time you're near one — after all, they are considerably harder to find with around 27 locations as opposed to over 800 Costcos across the globe. But what exactly can you find there, and how does Costco Business Center differ from your average Costco store? Well, as the name suggests, Costco Business Center is more business-oriented in its products. You won't spot any books, toys, or clothes like at a standard Costco warehouse; instead, you'll see a focus on food, beverages, and other business-esque products like janitorial supplies, office furniture, and restaurant equipment. It has a wider range of selected items, too, like several kinds of butter, as opposed to the small collection at a regular Costco. 

In addition to the increased selection, there are also items that Costco does not have at all. We scoured the website to compare the two and found some awesome products that we only wished Costco had in stock. From drinks and dairy to seafood and spices, we spotted interesting finds you can only snag at Costco Business Center. All information was correct at the time of writing and is subject to change — as we know, Costco and Costco Business Center may bring or drop items at any point.

Costco has a handful of yogurt and dairy options, but there's no sign of the thick and rich labne in its stores. Costco Business Center, however, has a 3-pound tub of Karoun labne kefir cheese to use as you please. It's kind of like a thicker, drier yogurt with a more luxurious mouthfeel. Compared to yogurt, it's more spreadable and concentrated, so it's not something you eat by the cupful like you'd do with regular yogurt.

One serving is 2 tablespoons compared to ⅔-cup of Kirkland's Greek yogurt, which means this container gives you a whopping 45 servings (the Greek yogurt only has eight). This amount is ideal if you have a larger family or plan to make a few tasty dishes with it, such as labne marinated chicken or an herb-forward labne dip. The Karoun labne is halal and contains live probiotic cultures, which can potentially help reduce inflammation, give an immunity boost, and keep you regular — if you catch our drift.

DaVinci Gourmet, one of the popular coffee syrup brands, has many convenient options to sweeten your concoctions, but you can't just pick any at your standard Costco warehouse. Costco Business Center, on the other hand, carries a shocking range of the brand's syrups, allowing customers to create some scrumptious creations (whether that's at home or at place of business). The brand's classic French Vanilla syrup can be a versatile option for coffee and shakes, but it's also a great topper for pancakes. 

But Costco Business Center carries many other intriguing options, such as sugar-free DaVinci syrups (raspberry, hazelnut, and vanilla, for instance) for those who don't want added sugar in their products. Whether you need green apple and strawberry syrup for dirty sodas or cane sugar and coconut syrup for cocktails, there's a little bit of everything. You'll get 25.4 ounces of product for a steal of a deal; other brands cost just as much for half the amount at places like Target or Walmart. Make sure to stock up because these DaVinci Gourmet syrups are a stellar bargain that you'll find a lot of use for.

AriZona Iced Tea is a household name, something you probably snagged at the gas station every once in a while (particularly as a road trip quencher). But you don't have to pick it up at a rest stop anymore. Costco Business Center has three of the brand's beverages; the best offer is the variety pack that comes with 24 cans total: eight Arnold Palmer, eight Green Tea, four Lemon Tea, and four Peach Tea flavors. Each 15-ounce can is ready to sip on. Costco Business Center is a great place to stock up on the brand if you don't want to go to different stores trying to locate various flavors conveniently included in this variety pack. 

For those who love AriZona Arnold Palmer, you can get a 24-count of the 22-ounce canned Lite Half & Half Iced Tea Lemonade or the bottled 16-ounce version. The price per can is virtually the same as grabbing it at a grocery store, but hey, at least you can buy it in bulk. The bottles are slightly better value per ounce than some grocery stores. Surprisingly, you can't find any AriZona options at your regular Costco.

Clamshell containers are perfect for business owners who sell food, those stocking a work office, or for anyone who prefers to have some convenient to-go options at home. There are no clamshells at Costco, but our dear Costco Business Center has you covered. There are three options, and the main difference between them is the sizing — 9 inches by 9 inches, 8 inches by 8 inches, and then a thinner one that's called a hoagie container, perfect for sandwiches or small bites like tacos. 

But they also have different temperatures that they can handle, which can be a big factor in deciding which to get (along with what you plan to put in them). A couple are microwave and freezer-safe, while one isn't. What they have in common, though, is that they all come in packs of 100 and are made from compostable fiber. You've likely seen this type of product at your favorite restaurant, and now you know where they potentially could have gotten it and where to get it yourself.

We consider buttermilk a grocery essential that has many uses in the kitchen, but, interestingly, it's nowhere to be found at your average Costco. The warehouse stocks things like whole milk, oat, or almond milk, but there's no buttermilk in sight. So, next time you're at the Costco Business Center make sure to grab a half-gallon jug of low-fat buttermilk. You can find four buttermilk brands: Darigold, Superior, Anderson Dairy, and Producers Dairy, but the brand varies by location.

The great thing is that buttermilk can be used in sweet and savory recipes; it doesn't have to be relegated to buttermilk pancakes, although those are admittedly quite delicious. You can whip up anything from buttermilk fried chicken spiced up with paprika and cayenne to sweet and tangy buttermilk scones with blackberries. The prices are much better here than at your average grocery store, where it can cost more to get a quart, which is not cost-effective for the average person. 

Whether you want to roast tomatillos for a slightly sweeter, richer salsa or include the green fruit in a tomatillo and white bean chili, you won't be able to make your purchase at your local Costco. Instead, you have to venture to Costco Business Center. If you don't have a Mexican or international market next to you (where you'll probably get the best deal on tomatillos), the Business Center can be a great place to stock up on your tomatillo needs. In typical Costco fashion, you can't purchase a couple of little tomatillos, but you can load up on a 5-pound box of the produce. 

Given the quantity, it's clear that this item is for caterers, restaurant chefs, or anyone who plans to cook with it in larger quantities. Theoretically, you could buy a 5-pound box to split among friends and family members. It can be an affordable way to get them because other grocery stores sell them per tomatillo or per pound, which ends up being more expensive.

It's expensive enough to buy crab meat, so it's always great if you can get it from warehouses like Costco Business Center that offer larger, but not too gigantic quantities. Snag a 16-ounce can of Handy or Chicken of the Sea pasteurized premium crab claw meat, perfect for anything from casseroles to soups. It's considerably better priced per ounce than other popular grocery stores. 

While not all crab dishes are best with this type of meat, there are still lots of mouthwatering dishes you can make, like crab claw sushi rolls or a captivating leek and crab claw pie. A crab cioppino is the best way to use the full 1-pound can in one go, and you might even have to buy more depending on how much you're making. 

Handy also sells lump crab meat, which is perfect for something like classic Maryland crab cakes, where you can use the full pound to make eight servings. Regular Costco sells some online-only crab options that you can get delivered to your home, but nothing of the canned variety. We think this is a terrific option rather than buying canned crab from other stores.

Costco carries some dried spices and herbs, like cumin, turmeric, and cinnamon, but the Business Center's options are much wider. This makes sense because of its focus on businesses that may need a much broader selection. So, what can you find there that our regular Costco doesn't have? Well, some classic spices and herbs like parsley, bay leaf, and oregano. For one, you can get a pound of dried parsley, which is a fantastic option if you're a restaurateur or often cook for a large family or like to host parties. But you can use parsley in just about anything. It goes great with rice and pasta dishes, but it's also perfect for veggies and makes an excellent addition to rich compound butter.

Costco Business Center also sells an even larger jar of dried oregano and 10.6-ounce pack of bay leaves, among other items. Browse through the selection if you know that you will use herbs and spices in bulk. Another great idea is to vacuum-seal and freeze spices in smaller portions to extend their shelf life. But as it is, many dried herbs and spices can last for up to three or four years. Just make sure to store them away from sunlight in a dry and cool environment.

The average consumer may not need dozens of pounds of lard, but some eateries use it frequently. So, if lard is calling your business's name, then you can get a couple of options at Costco Business Center. Viva General Purpose Lard comes with 48 pounds of the stuff, while South Chicago Packing Lard All-Purpose Shortening is 42 ounces and comes with a touch of rosemary extract — the latter may be more feasible for home cooks. 

Lard is a versatile item perfect for grilling, sauteing, frying, or baking. We like to use lard in pie crusts because it creates a delicate and flaky result that can rival your favorite upscale restaurant; the same idea goes for adding lard to pizza dough. But you could use it in anything from gooey, sweet chocolate chip cookies to savory meatballs. Costco sells things like ghee or beef tallow, but there's no lard on the docket at the moment — you'll have to grab it at the Business Center.

It's pretty unusual that Costco doesn't stock Tabasco (it does have Cholula, though) as it's such a widespread and popular brand. We deemed the classic Red Pepper Sauce flavor as the best in a taste test of every Tabasco hot sauce flavor, and that's exactly what Costco Business Center sells. Red Pepper is a staple because of its familiar profile and versatility, whereas Tabasco options like Garlic Pepper or Raspberry Chipotle may be harder to find uses for. 

You can get 15 ounces of the non-GMO, gluten-free sauce to use as you please. Unlike many other products available at Costco, it's quite easy to make your way through one of these if you'd like to include it on things like eggs or beans; you could also add Tabasco to ketchup for a spicier, more enticing condiment. That way, you can simply buy one larger bottle at the Business Center rather than stocking up on three 5-ounce versions from grocery stores, which ends up shaving off a couple of dollars from your total.