Costco drops key grocery product and members aren't happy

There's a reason Costco has long maintained a loyal customer base despite charging an annual membership fee whose cost is notably higher than rival Sam's Club. Costco prides itself on a superior member experience. It's constantly looking for ways to expand member benefits while keeping both product and membership prices as low as possible.

Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter In fact, Costco's philosophy is that if it can't offer a given product at a price it's happy with, it simply won't carry it.Related: Costco CFO sounds the alarm on company’s biggest challengeIt's for this reason that Costco warehouses, despite their mammoth size, only carry about 4,000 SKUs (stock keeping units). By contrast, shoppers might find seven times that number of products at a traditional supermarket.



Another reason Costco is able to keep prices so low is that it uses membership fee revenue to offset its costs. The chain can ease up on margins when it's collecting billions per year in fees alone. Costco makes an inventory change that saddens members.

Bloomberg/Getty Images Costco's rotating inventory is a sore spot for membersBecause Costco is so committed to keeping prices low, it won't hesitate to remove items from its inventory if the numbers don't work out. As such, it's not unusual for a fan favorite to disappear, sometimes without much warning. Costco's food court has undergone recent changes that have been met with mixed reactions.

Last year, the warehouse club giant ditched its famous churros and replaced them with an oversized chocolate chip cookie. Many fans complained not just about the switch, but also, the $2.49 price point.

Related: The one way to shop at Costco without a membership cardCostco also overhauled its Kirkland Signature muffins last year, swapping its giant mix-and-match six packs for smaller eight packs. Adding insult to injury, the new muffin offerings aren't the same flavors as the old ones. Costco has also done away with its Kirkland-brand chocolate chips -- a change that home bakers have no doubt bemoaned.

And seasoned Costco fans may remember the famous Kirkland deluxe American cheese slices -- a product that hasn't graced the shelves in years. Costco dumps a key product and saddens customersOne Costco product to recently disappear from shelves is Kirkland Signature soy milk. Consumers seeking dairy alternatives, or those with dairy allergies and intolerances, commonly rely on soy milk as a comparable alternative.

One Reddit user decided to contact Costco directly to find out what had happened to their beloved soy milk. At times, items can disappear temporarily due to supplier issues.Related: Costco CFO sounds the alarm on cost increaseBut Costco responded to that Reddit user and confirmed the worst — it had made the intentional decision to pull the plug on its Kirkland Signature soy milk due to slow sales.

The news wasn't all bad, though. The user was informed that Costco is making plans to introduce a branded soy milk as an item rotation throughout the year, and that customers could see it hit the shelves as early as August. Still, Costco fans took to Reddit to express their displeasure.

"My husband LOVES this soy milk, and we have been looking for it the last few trips! Very sad," one person commented. Another said, "That's terrible. I am in shambles right now.

The price cannot be beat and I mix it with my protein shake daily."More Retail:Walmart, Target, Costco make major 2025 announcementFormerly bankrupt retailer makes painful decision to close more storesTop investor takes firm stance on troubled retail brandWalmart and Costco making major change affecting all customersMany consumers have found themselves cash-strapped in recent years thanks to lingering inflation. And a large number can't afford to pay more for what may be an essential item on their grocery list.

But if there's one thing Costco is good at, it's listening to customers. If enough members reach out and share their disappointment over the end of Kirkland Signature soy milk, there's a chance the item may be resurrected at some point in the future. If not, members can take comfort in the fact that any branded soy milk Costco sources will likely be priced competitively in its own right.

Maurie Backman owns shares of Costco..