On June 4, 2026, Costco filed a motion to dismiss a proposed class-action lawsuit in California federal court over claims that its $4.99 rotisserie chicken is falsely advertised as preservative-free. While the retail giant fights that battle in court, podcasters are dissecting its massive market power and bizarrely diverse inventory.
On the history front, No Such Thing As A Fish host Andrew Hunter Murray recalled the company's aggressive consolidation, explaining that the original Price Club was "later bought by Costco, but then Sol Price was forced out," referring to the legendary retail pioneer Sol Price.
That scale is exactly what makes the distributor a kingmaker for emerging brands. On Business Wars, host David Brown detailed how Chobani founder Hamdi Ulukaya plotted his retail expansion, determined "to get Chobani into big chains like Costco" to survive.
But the warehouse giant's offerings go far beyond bulk food. On The Ramsey Show, financial expert Dave Ramsey pointed to the chain as a surprising hack for end-of-life savings, telling listeners that "Costco's got caskets" priced at an affordable $1,800. Whether you are buying greek yogurt or planning a budget funeral, the brand remains inescapable.