Travelling offers an escape from the familiar—a chance to explore new landscapes, cultures, and experiences that ignite the senses and awaken the spirit of adventure within.

In a serendipitous encounter halfway across the globe, this traveller’s surprising find in an unlikely setting offers a glimpse into the remarkable convergence of global travels and everyday comforts.

An Australian traveller, who was enjoying a holiday in Costa Rica, discovered a familiar item in an unexpected location—a Kmart Anko bowl in the communal kitchen of their hostel.

The Kmart enthusiast quickly snapped a photo of the Anko logo on the bottom of the bowl and posted it online saying, ‘I genuinely thought it was only a Kmart thing. Wikipedia says it's sold by Kmart and a now-defunct shop in Canada.’

An Australian traveller shared a photo of an Anko bowl he found at a hostel in Costa Rica. Credits: Reddit / u/skafaceXIII

However, people were not surprised that the bowl ended up halfway across the globe.

‘Kmart owns Target now. It's a pity, because I [have] always found the Target branded stuff to be better quality than Anko,' one wrote.

'It's actually pretty common to find discontinued/closed-out or even returned items from the USA or Canada for sale in Central America,' another replied.

‘We once found expired sunscreen from a Meijer store for sale in Belize. Meijer is a relatively small regional chain similar to a BIG W.’

Before the widely recognized Anko brand emerged on Australian shelves, Kmart stocked a diverse array of products under various ‘&Co’ labels, including ‘Home&Co’, ‘Kids&Co’, ‘Clothing&Co’, and ‘Active&Co’.

The various categories ensured that the products were ‘clearly identifiable’ in stores, spanning from homeware and children's items to clothing and fitness gear.

However, in 2018, the discount retailer quietly transitioned from '&Co' to 'Anko,' symbolically altering the letter 'c' to 'k' ‘to pay homage to where it all started—Kmart Australia’.

The popular label also signifies 'A New Kind Of' (Anko), reflecting the evolution the retailer has experienced since 2008.

This adjustment was implemented ahead of Kmart's 50-year milestone to provide its range with the 'recognition and celebration it deserves'.

While Kmart is a household name in Australia, it's less known that the brand has expanded its reach to international markets.

Anko, Kmart's own brand, has found success not only in Australia and New Zealand but also in Canada, India, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Samoa, and Singapore. You can read more about how they did it here.

This expansion has been made possible through strategic retail partnerships, allowing Anko products to find homes in kitchens, living rooms, and bedrooms around the world.

This unexpected discovery of an Anko bowl in a Costa Rican hostel is a testament to the quality and appeal of Australian products.

It's a reminder that no matter how far you travel, you might just find a little piece of home waiting for you.

Key Takeaways

• An Australian shopper found a Kmart Anko bowl unexpectedly while on holiday at a hostel in Costa Rica.
• Anko is Kmart's own-brand label, which is sold not just in Australia and New Zealand but also internationally through various partnerships.
• The name 'Anko' is a rebranding of Kmart's '&Co' labels and stands for 'A New Kind Of', reflecting the evolution of Kmart's product range.
• Social media users were not surprised that Kmart items are found overseas, with some discussing how international stores often sell discontinued or closed-out products from Western retail chains.

What can you say about this traveller’s unexpected find? Have you ever found Australian items while travelling overseas? Share your stories with us in the comments below.

 

[Cyberchook]

I recall Kmart and Target were both from US companies. I remember when Target came to Sydney in the 70s and we marvelled at the array of stock and low prices. Woolies had competition then!!