Michael People often ask me what keeps driving me to the Costco supermarket like an addict, and I have to say that part of my motivation is the new products they stock there, following the motto "let's see if anyone will actually buy this exotic product.

In the free American market, supermarkets in general, and Costco in particular, naturally put significant pressure on their suppliers. Once a new product is on the shelf at Costco, entirely new customer bases suddenly open up, and a company that may have been unknown until then is suddenly in the spotlight. As mentioned, this is not only the case with Costco but also with more modest supermarket chains like Safeway or Ralph's, or even in Germany with Aldi: For these grocery giants to even consider placing a new product on their shelves, the producer must first pay a so-called slotting fee. Depending on where the product will be placed--at eye level or down low with the discount brands--the cost varies accordingly.

Now it is a particular pleasure for me to discover such unknown products, to purchase them, and, if they meet my standards, to recommend them secretively. This was the case with the caramel candies from the Montana-based company Bequet. The candies are roughly rectangular caramel chunks with a salty taste. The texture is quite different from the German candy product "Werther's Original," as the latter are rock hard, while the Bequet chunks are buttery soft. You unwrap the individual candies as you would unwrap any candy, by pulling on both sides and twisting the candy open.

The product tastes expensive, and it is, because Costco charges a whopping 15 dollars for a bag with about 30 pieces. But all the sweetness of youth is contained in these candies, and the idea that somewhere in the mountainous state of Montana there is a hippie factory producing such exquisite candies with grotesque effort fuels my imagination even more. I've already purchased two packs, and there's no end in sight as long as Costco continues to carry the product.

• More topics you might be interested in:

  	Power Outage In San Francisco
  	Cesar Chavez and Army Street
  	The Wende Museum, Los Angeles
  	The translation of "Los Angeles - Ein Jahr danach" to English is
  	Bier an der Selbstbedienungskasse" translates to "Beer at the
  	Top Product: The Foldable Steamer Insert
  	Top Product: Foodsaver
  	TSA -- Partially closed

  
  

• More topics you might be interested in:

  	Power Outage In San Francisco
  	Cesar Chavez and Army Street
  	The Wende Museum, Los Angeles
  	The translation of "Los Angeles - Ein Jahr danach" to English is
  	Bier an der Selbstbedienungskasse" translates to "Beer at the
  	Top Product: The Foldable Steamer Insert
  	Top Product: Foodsaver
  	TSA -- Partially closed