Costco shoppers are crying foul as beef prices soar to dizzying heights, with even bulk buyers feeling the squeeze.
One South Carolina customer walked into a Columbia store and nearly dropped their cart: USDA Choice Beef Tenderloin was selling for $29.99 a pound.
“When salmon costs less than chuck, something’s broken,” another shopper quipped.
A Perfect Storm of Supply Shocks
The price pain isn’t new—it’s been building for half a decade. Record droughts in 2019 and 2020, followed by pandemic chaos, forced ranchers to shrink their herds.
Recovery has been glacial. Add tariffs to the mix, and the pipeline looks permanently clogged. “Those herds never came back,” one industry observer explained. “It takes years.”
The Packing Monopoly
Meanwhile, feed costs surged and the auction market turned upside down. “In 2019, I sold calves for $500. Now it’s $2,500,” said one insider.
Yet four meatpackers control 85% of the market, allowing them to squeeze buyers while charging consumers a hefty markup. To many, it feels less like supply and demand and more like David vs. Goliath.
Pivoting to Alternatives
Faced with sticker shock, shoppers are experimenting. Salmon burgers—$20 for a dozen, wild-caught and boneless—are flying off freezer shelves.
Others are turning to plant-based standbys like Kirkland Organic Extra Firm Tofu, which home cooks say transforms in texture when frozen and even moonlights in tacos.
For Costco’s faithful, the message is clear: beef may be off the menu, but dinner innovation is on the rise.
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