Getting your product into Costco is one thing.

Building a program that performs, scales, and stays there is something else entirely.

For years, we’ve worked alongside brands developing packaging, displays, and retail programs for some of the country’s largest retailers—including Costco. Along the way, we’ve noticed a pattern.

Many suppliers understand their product.

Far fewer understand how Costco actually works.

That’s why we’re excited to introduce the Bay Cities Costco Supplier Hub—a new educational platform designed to help brands looking to better understand Costco’s operating model, buyer expectations, packaging requirements, and the foundations for long-term program success.

This isn’t another collection of generic retail tips.

It’s a growing library of practical resources designed to help suppliers think the way Costco thinks.

Why We Built the Costco Supplier Hub

If you’ve ever searched online for answers to questions like:

• How do Costco buyers evaluate suppliers?
• How do I get my product into Costco?
• Why was my Costco program rejected?
• Does my packaging need to be redesigned for Costco?
• What does Costco expect from suppliers?

…you’ve probably discovered there’s very little practical guidance available.

Most resources focus on the pitch.

Very few explain everything that comes before and after the buyer meeting.

From our experience, that’s where many suppliers struggle—not because they don’t have a strong product, but because they don’t fully understand the operational expectations behind a successful Costco program.

The Costco Supplier Hub was built to help close that gap.

What You’ll Find Inside

The Hub brings together educational content developed from real-world experience working with Costco programs and supporting brands throughout the packaging, manufacturing, and retail execution process. 

Resources include: 

The Costco Supplier Playbook Series   

Our three-part Costco Supplier Playbook Series walks through the critical phases of preparing for, launching, and maintaining a successful Costco program. 

Playbook 1: How Do Costco Buyers Actually Think? 

Learn what buyers are evaluating beyond the product itself, including operational readiness, scalability, supplier stability, packaging, and long-term member value. 

Playbook 2: How Do I Get Approved? 

Explore the operational requirements that influence approval and discover why execution readiness often matters just as much as product quality. 

Playbook 3: The Most Common Mistakes Costco Suppliers Make 

Understand the operational, packaging, compliance, and execution issues that can quietly erode momentum—and how to identify them before they become larger problems. 

Frequently Asked Questions   

One of the most valuable parts of the Costco Supplier Hub is a growing collection of answers to the questions suppliers ask us most often. 

Whether you’re trying to understand Costco’s packaging expectations, supplier requirements, sustainability initiatives, or common program challenges, the Hub provides practical guidance grounded in real-world experience. 

As the Costco landscape evolves, we’ll continue adding new FAQs and resources to help suppliers stay informed and prepared. 

Why Packaging Plays Such an Important Role 

One of the biggest misconceptions about Costco is that packaging is simply about presentation. 

In reality, packaging influences much more than shelf appeal. 

It affects: 

• Operational efficiency 
• Freight utilization
• Pallet configuration 
• Warehouse labor 
• Product protection 
• Sustainability 
• Scalability 
• Member perception of value 

Sustainability and EPR requirements are moving fast, and it’s tempting to treat them as a compliance checkbox. But suppliers who get ahead of these requirements — rather than reacting to them — often end up with a real advantage: lower long-term packaging costs, stronger retailer relationships, and fewer scrambles when regulations shift. That’s less about ticking a box and more about building an adaptable program from the start. 

Because Costco operates with a high-volume, low-margin business model, packaging becomes part of the overall value equation—not just the product experience. 

That’s one reason we’ve made packaging such a central theme throughout the Costco Supplier Hub. 

Built Around Education, Not Sales   

While we’re proud of our experience designing, manufacturing, testing, and executing retail packaging and displays, this Hub wasn’t created as a product catalog. 

It was created because we believe suppliers benefit from understanding why Costco makes the decisions it does. 

The more suppliers understand Costco’s operating model, the better equipped they are to build programs that reduce operational friction, protect margin, and create long-term value. 

Whether you ultimately work with Bay Cities or not, our goal is for these resources to help you make more informed decisions. 

Designed for Suppliers Who Want to Scale   

The Costco Supplier Hub is especially valuable for brands that are: 

• Preparing for their first Costco buyer meeting 
• Developing packaging for a Costco program 
• Planning a regional or national rollout 
• Looking to improve operational efficiency 
• Navigating sustainability and compliance requirements 
• Optimizing packaging for freight, palletization, and warehouse execution 

Because succeeding at Costco requires more than a compelling product. 

It requires preparation. 

This Is Just the Beginning   

We’ll continue expanding the Costco Supplier Hub with new resources covering topics like: 

• Costco buyer expectations 
• Packaging best practices 
• Sustainability and EPR 
• Kirkland Signature development 
• Roadshows 
• Retail program execution 
• Common supplier challenges 
• Operational readiness 

Explore the Costco Supplier Hub

If you’re preparing for Costco—or looking to strengthen an existing program—we invite you to explore the Bay Cities Costco Supplier Hub. 

Download the playbooks. 

Read the FAQs. 

The suppliers who succeed at Costco aren’t the ones with the best product — they’re the ones who understand the model. If you want that understanding on your team, we’re here.

Because understanding how Costco works is the first step toward building a program that works there, too.