But many Canadians are still unfamiliar with a specialized arm of the retail giant: costco business ca. Designed to serve small businesses, office managers, and high-volume buyers, Costco Business Centers are a different breed from the standard Costco warehouses Canadians are used to.

As of 2025, Canada hosts a limited but growing number of Costco Business Center locations, with the flagship Canadian Business Center in Scarborough, Ontario. This article will explore what the Costco Business Center is, how it differs from regular Costco warehouses, what you can find there, and whether it’s worth a visit—even if you don’t own a business.

What is a Costco Business Center?

Costco Business Center is a variant of the traditional Costco warehouse club, designed specifically with business customers in mind. While it operates on the same membership system as regular Costco (you can use the same membership card at both), the product mix, store layout, and shopping experience are quite different.

The Business Center focuses primarily on products that businesses and commercial buyers need in bulk, including office supplies, janitorial goods, food service products, and packaging materials. It's essentially Costco with a more focused approach to volume-based business needs.

Key Differences from Regular Costco Warehouses

If you're picturing the same wide aisles, sample stations, and pallets of electronics, you’ll be surprised. Costco Business Centers have several unique characteristics:

1. Product Selection

The most notable difference is in product selection. Costco Business Centers stock over 70% unique items not found in traditional Costco warehouses. These include:

• Commercial-grade kitchen supplies

• Restaurant-sized food packaging

• Disposable food containers and utensils

• Cleaning supplies in industrial sizes

• Office and breakroom essentials

You won’t find clothing, books, seasonal decor, or the majority of electronics here. That said, the Business Center still offers a broad selection of snacks, beverages, and frozen goods—just in much larger quantities.

2. No Food Court or Pharmacy

One of the staples of a regular Costco—the famous food court—is absent in the Business Center. You also won’t find an optical department, pharmacy, or photo center. These locations are streamlined for business-focused efficiency.

3. Early Store Hours

Costco Business Centers typically open earlier than standard warehouses. The Scarborough location, for example, opens at 7 a.m. on weekdays, catering to business owners who need to stock up before opening shop. These hours make it convenient for food trucks, caterers, or office managers to beat the regular Costco rush.

4. Delivery Service

Perhaps one of the biggest advantages is the Business Delivery Service. Eligible businesses can place orders online and have them delivered directly to their place of business, often within 2-3 business days. This is a huge win for businesses with limited storage or transportation capacity.

Who Shops at Costco Business Center?

You don’t need to own a business to shop at a costco business ca. As long as you have a valid Costco membership, you're welcome to shop there.

However, the store is clearly optimized for:

• Restaurant Owners: With bulk food products, industrial kitchen equipment, and disposable packaging, it’s a one-stop shop for restaurants, cafes, and food trucks.

• Retailers and Convenience Stores: Items like bottled beverages, snacks, and candies in display-ready packaging make reselling easy.

• Offices and Corporate Buyers: From coffee to copier paper, it has everything an office needs to keep employees happy and productive.

• Cleaning Companies: Industrial cleaning chemicals and janitorial supplies are available in bulk at lower costs.

• Event Planners and Caterers: Disposable plates, cups, utensils, and party supplies are sold in massive quantities for big events.

That said, even large families or savvy shoppers might find it beneficial to visit, especially if they host frequent gatherings or just want to save by buying in bulk.

Popular Items at the Canadian Business Center

While some items overlap with regular warehouses, many are exclusive to the Business Center. Here’s a snapshot of what you might find:

• Food Service Items: 50 lb bags of flour, restaurant-grade fryers, bulk spices, industrial-sized ketchup and condiments

• Drinks: Pallets of soda, juice, energy drinks, and bottled water

• Cleaning Supplies: 5-gallon buckets of sanitizer, floor cleaning tools, mop heads in bulk

• Packaging: Disposable takeout containers, cling wrap, and aluminum trays

• Office Supplies: Large boxes of pens, paper, toner cartridges, and more

Pricing and Value

Like traditional Costco locations, the Business Center is built on the foundation of offering value through volume. If you have the storage space and the need for large quantities, the per-unit cost at Costco Business Center can be significantly lower than retail stores or restaurant supply chains.

The only caveat is that these stores assume you're buying in large quantities. So instead of a pack of 12 granola bars, you might be looking at a case of 144. That works well for businesses, but not so much for the average household with limited pantry space.

Tips for First-Time Visitors

• Bring a List: With so many unique items, it’s easy to overspend. Go with a plan.

• Shop Early: Take advantage of early hours to avoid crowds and long checkout lines.

• Use a Large Vehicle: Many items are bulky or sold by the case. A compact car may not cut it.

• Ask About Delivery: If you’re a business, inquire about delivery services—especially for heavy items like bottled beverages or freezer goods.

Final Thoughts: Is It Worth It?

If you run any kind of business—or even just host a lot of gatherings—Costco Business Center in Canada is absolutely worth exploring. It provides a unique shopping experience that caters to practicality, bulk savings, and operational efficiency.

Even for regular Costco fans, a trip to the Business Center is eye-opening. It’s a stripped-down, no-frills, high-efficiency version of the warehouse model. While you won’t find the latest TVs or rotisserie chickens, you’ll discover a goldmine of specialty items designed to help businesses thrive.

And remember: no special membership is required. If you have a regular Costco card, you already have access. Whether you're feeding an office or stocking a restaurant, the Costco Business Center may just be your new favorite supplier.