GEN Korean BBQ Lands First Costco Purchase Order for 40 SoCal and Hawaii Warehouses
GEN Korean BBQ received its first direct retail purchase order from Costco’s Southern California team, securing freezer aisle placement in about 40 SoCal and Hawaii warehouses. This marks a key milestone in the restaurant operator’s consumer packaged goods expansion strategy and underscores established regional demand and retail execution.
1. Direct Costco Purchase Order
GEN Korean BBQ secured its first direct purchase order from Costco’s Southern California regional buying team, earning freezer aisle placement across approximately 40 warehouse locations spanning Southern California and Hawaii. This placement bypassed the usual regional roadshow requirement, reflecting the brand’s strong consumer demand and proven retail execution record.
2. Consumer Packaged Goods Expansion
The Costco order represents a foundational step in GEN’s broader consumer packaged goods strategy, following its multi-region roadshow demonstration program launched earlier this month in Oregon, Washington, Alaska and Texas. GEN plans to host in-store activations at the new Costco locations to drive awareness, accelerate consumer trial and support initial sales velocity.
3. Established Regional Brand Presence
GEN Korean BBQ leverages its high concentration of restaurant locations and existing retail partnerships with major grocery chains—such as Albertsons, Vons and Safeway—and a strong gift card performance at warehouse clubs. The established market position and documented sell-through history of 100–300 units per four-hour supermarket event provided the demand visibility needed for Costco’s expedited buy decision.