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Food
04 January 2025

Costco's Rosca De Reyes Raises Reselling Controversy

Traditional cake for Día de Reyes faces outrage from consumers amid rampant reselling.

During the early days of January, as families across Mexico prepared to celebrate the Día de Reyes with traditional Rosca de Reyes, controversies erupted surrounding the shortage of this beloved treat. Costco, known for its delectable bakery items, quickly became the epicenter of these disputes as hundreds of eager customers flooded stores, only to find empty shelves and long lines, much to their dismay.

The eruption of anger and frustration from customers traditionally wanting to enjoy the Rosca de Reyes with their families stemmed from the rampant reselling activity observed, particularly by certain individuals who bought up enormous quantities of the pastries. This year's events were so intensely compared by users on social media to the infamous Hunger Games. Videos emerged showing individuals purchasing carts full of the roscas, causing many to lament their luck as they scrolled through various platforms.

One notable case was highlighted through social media when Ximena Figueroa shared her astonishing purchase of 800 roscas from Costco locations around Guadalajara. This ambitious endeavor did not go unnoticed, as she posted, "Que creen?? Me volví acabar todas las ROSCAS DE COSTCO Guadalajara. Manzanillo y Cihuatlán allá vamos! 800 roscas pedidas, llevo solo 50 extras." To facilitate this remarkable haul, she needed to hire trailers for transportation, showing just how serious the demand is for these festive confections.

Unfortunately for families simply seeking to enjoy the treat, this reselling culture drastically altered their typical shopping experience. Instead of leisurely picking up one or two roscas, customers instead faced lengthy queues and, often, nothing to show for their efforts. One disgruntled Costco member even meme’d the situation, saying, "Costco rápidamente se convirtió en tendencia en las redes sociales" as they expressed their continuing frustrations with the process.

Another common criticism among frustrated customers focused on the inflated prices of the resold roscas. The official price for the standard Rosca de Reyes at Costco is set at 379 pesos; nonetheless, resellers have been charging prices ranging from 600 pesos to as high as 1,000 pesos, leading customers to disbelieve the audacity of these margins. One Twitter user cleverly remarked, "No está mal revender, para eso es el COSTCO, pero calculen bien, si no, tendrán que desayunar rosca de Reyes hasta junio, cuates emprendedores." This comment touched on the potential future consequences for resellers attempting to sell priced-out roscas.

Traditionally served on January 6th, the Rosca de Reyes is not just any cake. It symbolizes the arrival of the Three Wise Men and is filled with delicious surprises. Families come together to share slices, and whoever finds the hidden figurine is charged with preparing tamales for Día de la Candelaria on February 2nd. It is undoubtedly held dear to the Mexican celebration of Día de Reyes, yet the current situation surrounding Costco's rosca has placed expectations of camaraderie and celebration under siege.

This combination of anxiety felt by regular customers and those hoping to capitalize on the surge of interest during this time raises questions about consumer responsibility and the ethics surrounding such aggressive reselling approaches. Many are already calling upon fellow shoppers to support local bakeries instead, leaving the resellers behind.

With tensions still high and the competition for roscas intensifying as the crisp January air settles around the country, it remains uncertain how the future of such traditions will evolve. Will consumers band together and resist the lure of short-lived convenience provided by these opportunistic resellers? Only time will tell. But as of now, the communal joy and celebration embedded within the Rosca de Reyes tradition face the challenge of adapting to modern market dynamics amid long-standing cultural significance.