Costco Shoppers Are Ecstatic For The Return Of A Fan-Favorite Summer Treat

Fans of candy-flavored fruit are rejoicing after some eagle-eyed Costco shoppers spotted a seasonal favorite back in stock at select warehouse stores. In a Reddit post, an excited Costco shopper posted a photo of the popular "cotton candy" grapes stocked at their local Tukwila, Washington location.

The specialty grape variety, which got its name from the notably sweet, airy flavor of the fruit, was developed over a decade ago by horticulturalist David Cain and has since grown a cult following (via NPR). The hybrid fruit, which was originally distributed by the California-based company Grapery exclusively, was created through the process of crossbreeding two different grape species to achieve a candy-like flavor. According to interviews with Grapery, the super-sweet fruit completely stumped early blind taste testers (via Gothamist). "They taste exactly like cotton candy. We've had quite a few blind tastings where we don't tell people what it is they're going to be tasting, the first thing they say is cotton candy," the company's CEO said.

Since their creation, the original cotton candy grapes have become a hit with sugar-loving shoppers. Each year, shoppers keep a close eye on the produce aisle for the annual release of the bite-sized fruit. Although the original Grapery cotton candy grapes aren't available until the late summer months, a competing brand, Divine Flavor, has developed a cotton candy grape that's in season during May and June, allowing for the fruit's swifter-than-expected return.

Grape enthusiasts quickly took to the comments on the Reddit post to share their excitement for the fruit's annual debut, with numerous users noting that the grapes are particularly delicious frozen. "They are amazing frozen," one Redditor wrote, while another chimed in, "For a real treat, freeze them. Marble sized popsicles."

One enthusiastic review of the grapes posted to Reddit proclaimed, "Literally the best thing I've put in my mouth. Delightfully sweet with a hint of vanilla, these really do taste like cotton candy." In the comment section, other Redditors backed up the user's claim, with one user writing, "I have had a lot of these. Personally I think they taste exactly like cotton candy ... and much less like grapes. I enjoy them significantly more than normal grapes."

Although the hybrid fruit that Taste of Home described as "the grapes of the future" comes with a higher price tag than your run-of-the-mill grapes (they were cited by Redditors as one of the most expensive items bought at Trader Joe's), the fruit's fanbase is willing to shell out the big bucks for an early release of the healthful treat. While it's unclear just how many Costco stores or other competing retailers are currently stocking the candy-flavored fruit, hopefully the popular seasonal grapes will make their return to shelves nationwide soon.