As a longtime employee, I think the Lego Easter baskets and Nespresso Vertuo Next are two of the best things to get at Costco right now.
Veronica Thatcher
As a longtime Costco employee, I love seeing the new items that arrive each month.
The Elements bug-repelling fans and Koda rock solar lights are perfect for outdoor entertaining.
I think the Kirkland Signature barbecue-chicken mac and cheese looks delicious.
I’ve worked at Costco for 20 years and always love getting to see all the great new items that come into the warehouse.
From delicious food items to spring-hosting essentials, here are nine of the best products I’m seeing on shelves this month.
Get ready for parties with the Balloon Time helium-tank bundle.
Veronica Thatcher
The Balloon Time helium tank is a must for setting up for birthday parties, graduations, baby showers, and more.
It even comes with 50 assorted latex balloons and white ribbon, so you’ll have everything you need to make any celebration special.
Dinner just got a lot easier with the Sweetwood Ranch Angus cheeseburger sliders.
Veronica Thatcher
Warmer weather means the start of barbecue season, but sometimes, firing up the grill can feel like a lot of work.
Luckily, the Sweetwood Ranch Angus cheeseburger sliders provide the perfect solution. These little sandwiches can be cooked in the air fryer, microwave, or oven for a quick and easy meal.
Each patty is topped with American cheese, caramelized onions, and a brioche bun.
The popular Aloha Collection X CleverMade tote screams summer.
Veronica Thatcher
The next item that caught my eye is actually a collaboration between two bag companies: Aloha Collection and CleverMade.
This gorgeous floral tote has been super popular at my store, and I’ve seen lots of chatter about it online. I love that it’s collapsible, making it easy to store in luggage.
Kids will love the premade Lego Easter baskets.
Veronica Thatcher
This month, Costco is carrying beautiful Lego-brand baskets, perfect for Easter or spring birthday gifts.
Each premade basket features a Lego set (available in Minecraft, Super Mario, and Easter bunny varieties) with chocolate and candy.
The best part? It comes in a cute basket and wrapped with a bow.
Illuminate your home or garage with the Enbrigten hexagon-shaped lights.
Veronica Thatcher
If you’re looking for a fun way to upgrade the lighting in your home or garage, the Enbrigten hexagon-shaped lights are a great option.
With the help of included snap-in connectors, the lights can be easily customized depending on your needs. There’s also a handy remote to control the brightness and turn the lights on and off as needed.
The Kirkland Signature barbecue-chicken mac and cheese looks delicious.
Veronica Thatcher
I always love trying Costco’s premade meals in the deli department, and this month, I saw delicious-looking barbecue-chicken mac and cheese.
This ready-to-bake meal is made with cavatappi pasta, Kirkland Signature rotisserie chicken, bacon, shredded cheese, and barbecue sauce.
Bug-repelling fans are a must-have for outdoor events.
Veronica Thatcher
Although nothing screams springtime quite like outdoor meals, bugs can quickly become a nuisance. That’s why the Elements tabletop bug-repelling fans caught my eye.
Each box comes with two fans designed to help keep flies and other insects away. Available in black and silver varieties, these fans can hold a charge for up to 10 hours.
Become an at-home barista with the Nespresso Vertuo Next machine.
Veronica Thatcher
The Nespresso Vertuo Next is a popular item at my store. This versatile machine makes it easy to brew espresso, lattes, and cappuccinos from the comfort of your own home.
The Costco bundle includes everything you need to get started: a milk frother, a variety of coffee capsules, and a $20 voucher to use on the Nespresso website.
Upgrade the lighting in your yard with the Koda rock solar lights.
Veronica Thatcher
These Koda solar lights are designed to look like rocks and seamlessly blend into any landscape. Each box comes with two spotlights that can be adjusted to either warm- or cool-white tones.
On a full charge, the rocks can light up for eight hours at a time.
Costco was not involved in the sourcing or writing of this story. The views contained within represent the author’s personal views.
This story is available exclusively to Business Insider
subscribers. Become an Insider
and start reading now. Have an account? .
As a longtime Costco employee, I love seeing the new items that come into the warehouse each month.
The Shark Stainforce system and BBQ Daddy scrubber are great for spring cleaning.
I saw lots of great food items, like Lesser Evil Moonions and The Only Bean roasted edamame.
I’ve worked at Costco for 20 years, and one of my favorite parts of the job is getting a front-row seat to the great new items that come into the warehouse.
From Hunter backpacks to the Shark Stainforce system, here are seven of the best products I’m seeing on shelves this month.
These stylish Hunter backpacks caught my eye.
The Hunter backpacks come in black and green. Veronica Thatcher
If you’re looking for a durable, water-resistant backpack that can safely carry your belongings for school, work, or travel, I recommend checking out these options from Hunter.
These stylish bags, which come in green and black, have adjustable straps and are great for everyday use.
Turn your home into a locker room with this unique Suncast storage solution.
The Suncast sports locker is a unique way to keep sporting equipment organized.
The spacious middle section is large enough to hang jackets, jerseys, or hats, and can hold anything from a golf bag to tennis rackets. There’s also a liftable seat that makes putting on shoes easy.
You can even connect multiple lockers together, making it the perfect storage solution for sporty families.
The Shark Stainforce system is great for homes with pets or kids.
The Shark Stainforce stain-removal system is cordless and easy to carry around. Veronica Thatcher
The cordless Shark Stainforce stain-removal system makes it easy to clean everything from couches to car seats.
All you have to do is spray the included stain-fighting solution and use the machine to scrub and extract the mess. I love that it comes with a portable caddy, which makes cleaning the entire house easy.
Plus, Costco members get access to extra pieces like a magnetic charger and replacement filters.
The Lesser Evil Moonions look delicious.
Lesser Evil Moonions are coated in onion and garlic seasoning. Veronica Thatcher
For a savory snack made with organic ingredients, I suggest picking up the Lesser Evil Moonions.
Each ring is coated in onion and garlic seasoning, and is made with avocado oil.
Get your grill ready for warmer weather with the BBQ Daddy.
The BBQ Daddy steam-cleaning grill scrubber doesn’t have wire bristles. Veronica Thatcher
The BBQ Daddy steam-cleaning grill scrubber is a great way to maintain your barbecue grill without harsh wire bristles.
It uses Scrub Daddy’s signature water-activated foam to firm up with cool water and gradually soften using steam from the hot grill. Each box comes with one BBQ Daddy system and one scrubbing-head refill.
Egmont Honey makes a great natural sweetener.
Egmont Honey is harvested from New Zealand. Veronica Thatcher
This month, I came across jars of Egmont Honey, which is harvested from New Zealand.
This Mānuka honey is known for its rich and creamy flavor, and tastes great when drizzled on yogurt, stirred into tea, or eaten by the spoonful.
The Only Bean roasted edamame is a great snack.
The Only Bean roasted edamame has 14 grams of protein per serving. Veronica Thatcher
The Only Bean roasted edamame is a great high-protein grab-and-go snack. Loaded with 6 grams of fiber and 14 grams of protein per serving, it’s a treat I can feel good about reaching for.
Costco was not involved in the sourcing or writing of this story. The views contained within represent the author’s personal views.
A sad baby monkey has turned an Ikea plushie into a viral must-have.
Punch, also known as Panchi-kun, is a seven-month-old Japanese macaque born in July. His mother abandoned him shortly after birth, and he was later rejected by other monkeys at Ichikawa City Zoo in Japan. To soothe him, zookeepers gave him a brown orangutan plush from Ikea.
Videos of Punch clinging tightly to the orangutan toy — hugging it after being brushed off by an older monkey, carrying it everywhere, even fending off curious monkeys who try to grab it — have racked up millions of views on TikTok. The clips turned the lonely macaque into an internet star.
Punch found comfort in an Ikea plush.
JIJI PRESS / AFP via Getty Images
A Japanese hashtag that translates to “hang in there, Punch” has also been trending, with users around the world rallying behind the baby monkey.
Viewers identified the plush as Ikea’s Djungelskog orangutan, and now it’s swinging off shelves at top speed.
Javier Quiñones, commercial manager at Ingka Group, which operates Ikea stores worldwide, told Business Insider on Monday that Ikea has “seen a clear increase in sales of the DJUNGELSKOG orangutan toy, particularly in Japan, the US, and South Korea” over the past few days.
The toy is sold out in some stores in those regions, and the company is “making sure that the toy is back in stock as soon as possible,” Quiñones said.
“The toy has long been one of our most sought-after across markets, and the story from Japan is now giving it a little extra love,” he added.
An Ikea spokesperson said the Japan team has reached out to the zoo to explore ways to help Punch.
“On February 17, IKEA donated several soft toys, including additional orangutans, as well as storage items to support Punch and enhance areas for children visiting the zoo,” the spokesperson said.
“Just like the zookeepers, we sincerely hope that Punch will soon become comfortable in an environment with the other monkeys and no longer need the soft toy,” the spokesperson added.
The orangutan plushie retails for $19.99 in the US, both in stores and online. Business Insider’s check of Ikea’s website on Tuesday found the toy out of stock at most US locations, with only about six stores still offering click-and-collect or in-store purchases.
The frenzy also spilled onto resale platforms, where prices climbed quickly.
A search on eBay on Tuesday showed multiple listings for the orangutan plush, with one seller asking as much as $328, more than 16 times the retail price.
Preparations are underway as over half of all US states brace for what could be a historic winter storm this weekend.
Across the country, Americans are stocking up on essentials and picking store shelves clean as they brace for Winter Storm Fern, which is expected to span from the South and Mid-Atlantic to the Northeast and Midwest, starting Friday morning.
Local authorities have begun salting roads and establishing emergency protocols in anticipation of potential power outages and limited travel.
Experts and authorities are advising people in affected states to stock up on food items that don’t need to be cooked or refrigerated, and to have at least one gallon of water per person or pet per day. They are also recommending that people charge all electronic communication devices in case of power outages. They’re warning to watch out for pipes bursting, snow blocking exhaust vents, and iced-over roads.
The Weather Channel predicted Thursday that wintry conditions, including ice, snow, and dangerous wind chills, could affect up to 230 million people — or two-thirds of the country’s population — across the US.
The Midwest will experience the coldest temperatures as a polar vortex dips south, with lows possibly reaching -50 degrees Fahrenheit in states like North Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, the Associated Press reported Thursday.
The Appalachians and the Northeast Corridor could see the most snow accumulation, with the mountains of Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia expected to receive at least a foot of snow over the weekend.
From Texas to the Carolinas, the South and Southeast can expect ice accumulation on roads and power lines. Local authorities are warning of potential multi-day power outages in the region.
See how Americans are preparing for what could be a historic storm, from stocking up on necessities to salting roads.
Shelves in a North Carolina Walmart were almost completely empty on Thursday as residents stocked up ahead of the storm.
A Morganton, North Carolina, Walmart had empty bread aisles by Thursday afternoon ahead of winter storm Fern. Jesse Barber for BI
In Marietta, Georgia, residents also cleared a store’s shelves of bottled water.
Experts advise storing at least 1 gallon of water per person or pet per day during the storm. AP Photo/Mike Stewart
In Nashville, locals are following the “bread, milk, eggs” approach in their pre-storm shopping.
Eggs often sell out before winter storms, even though they require refrigeration and power to cook. AP Photo/George Walker IV
Experts recommend stocking up on items that don’t need to be cooked or refrigerated.
Shoppers in Marietta, Georgia, are selling out bread from local supermarkets in preparation. AP Photo/Mike Stewart
This supermarket in Nashville was also low on fresh produce on Wednesday.
Bananas are selling out in Nashville ahead of Winter Storm Fern. AP Photo/George Walker IV
Many are preparing to be stuck at home for days, with forecasts warning of roads icing over.
Travel will likely be limited in places like Nashville during the storm. AP Photo/George Walker IV
A sign outside a Lowe’s in North Carolina listed storm-supply items that had sold out.
A sign outside a Lowe’s in North Carolina announced to shoppers that the store had run out of a variety of storm-prep supplies. Jesse Barber for BI
Other hardware stores advertised available supplies.
Residents of the North Carolina town rushed to buy supplies before the storm hit on Friday. Jesse Barber for BI
Shoppers in Morganton, North Carolina, bought up supplies like ice melt ahead of the storm.
Many North Carolina residents went to stores like Ace Hardware in preparation for heavy snow. Jesse Barber for BI
Lines for gas also formed as residents stocked up.
Residents in Morganton, North Carolina, stocked up on cooking gas ahead of the storm. Jesse Barber for BI
Others bought up wood as the storm threatened power outages across multiple states.
Morganton residents stocked up on lumber and gas as alternative heating methods in case of power outages. Jesse Barber for BI
A “Winter storm special” was even available at one North Carolina store.
In the North Carolina town, some hardware stores ran specials for supplies like fuel. Jesse Barber for BI
In Richardson, Texas, authorities were salting roads on Wednesday in anticipation of the storm.
Texas is expected to see freezing rain and sleet beginning Friday. AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez
Illinois and other Midwestern states could be hit with life-threatening wind chills.
Wind chills in the Midwest are expected to drop to -30°F in some areas, posing a threat of frostbite in exposed skin in as little as 10 minutes. AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh
Nashville was also mobilizing salt trucks as of Thursday.
Nashville could see heavy snow, ice accumulation, and record-low temperatures during the storm. AP Photo/George Walker IV
Salt brine helps prevent roads from icing ahead of snowstorms.
The National Weather Service said that travel during the storm could be “impossible” in Nashville. AP Photo/George Walker IV
Some parts of New York are expected to see heavy snow accumulation in the double digits.
In Lowville, New York, snow has begun to accumulate as of Thursday, before the storm arrives. AP Photo/Cara Anna
