Who Supplies Costco With Mini Watermelons?

Mini watermelons have been stealing the hearts of fruit lovers for decades. These personal-sized melons are about the size of a cantaloupe and weigh up to 7 pounds. Costco sells two varieties in 2-count packages: pink-fleshed watermelons that resemble regular-sized versions and yellow-fleshed mini watermelons. The membership grocer sources all those mini melons from various regional suppliers. Exactly where they come from depends on the type and season.

Divine Flavor supplies Costco with organic mini watermelons, but the brand's conventional and organic versions are only available for part of the year. Costco customers have also spotted yellow mini watermelons from Dulcinea Farms, which is owned by Pacific Trellis Fruit. Its regular seedless and yellow mini watermelons are grown in the U.S., Mexico, and Guatemala. 

Some shoppers name a mini watermelon variety called "Kandy" as a favorite occasional Costco find. These are distributed by Arizona-based Martori Farms, a fourth-generation family-owned operation and the nation's largest melon farming company. California's Del Mar supplies personal-sized watermelons to Costco as well as other major grocers. Hawaiian locations get mini watermelons by partnering with local growers, like Sugarland Farms on Oahu and Aloun Farms on Oahu and Kauai.

Some say you should never buy watermelon at Costco because it's not the best deal, isn't' very sweet, and has a mushy or mealy texture. On the other hand, members seem to love the size and taste of mini watermelons, especially the yellow seedless ones, which have been described as juicier and sweeter than expected. If they're on the list of watermelon varieties you didn't know existed, reviewers make it sound like a top-tier fruit-eating experience. "It tastes so different from watermelon," one person gushed on TikTok, "but it's equally as delicious." 

Most people carve mini watermelons in a similar fashion to the larger ones, but they're small enough that you could eat half out of the rind with a spoon. There are all sorts of creative ways to level up their presentation, too. Use them in an easy vodka-spiked watermelon recipe and wow your friends with chilled slices of boozy fruit. Or, explore delicious ways to season watermelon. Some of the more unexpected pairings include ginger, balsamic vinegar, and curry powder.