Buying Kirkland? These big-name brands are behind the Costco label — and it means you’re saving more than you think

When Costco customers see the red and black Kirkland Signature label, they know they’re going to get a good product at a great price. But they don’t always know who’s making it.

Many consumers may not know that store-brand products like Costco’s Kirkland are typically manufactured by third parties, not the store itself. Many of these behind-the-scenes companies are actually famous retail titans, so you can save big when you shop without losing quality.

Key points:

• Costco’s Kirkland brand often partners with recognizable brands like Starbucks, Bee Maid and Jelly Belly.
• Costco's goal is to offer competitive pricing, consistent product quality and brand-quality to members, in order to maintain customer loyalty.
• The Costco brand, Kirkland, represents a growing portion of Costco's overall sales, accounting for 28% of Costco’s total revenue (or US$67 billion) in 2023.

Here are some well-known brands, a few of them Canadian, that have partnered with Kirkland to create an identical substitute for the original product, and the price differences between the two.

Canadian companies Kirkland sources from

1. Kirkland Signature 100% Maple Syrup

Multiple companies, including The Maple Treat and Citadelle, help produce this iconic Canadian delicacy for Costco. Both are major maple syrup suppliers, with The Maple Treat comprising about a quarter of the global market.

Kirkland Signature 100% Pure Maple Syrup gets tapped from maple trees in Quebec between mid-March to mid-April. The rich amber syrup is free of additional sweeteners and flavours, according The Costco Connection, the brand's print magazine.

So if you’re buying Kirkland, make sure you refrigerate after opening. It’s the real stuff.

Love Kirkland? Here's how to buy Costco stock in Canada.

2. Kirkland Signature Lasagna

Since 2019, Zinetti Foods, a gourmet meal producer from Richmond, British Columbia, has supplied Kirkland Signature’s Italian Sausage & Beef Lasagna. The company is known for handcrafted, layered lasagnas — and Zinetti even sells its own version in Costco stores alongside Kirkland’s.

B.C.-based Zinetti Foods has been around since 1985 and prepares gourmet pastas and entrees under its own name and private labels.

Like its branded counterparts, the Kirkland Signature version of Zinetti's lasagne is packed with cheese, meats and hand-layered pasta.

If you live in Western Canada and you’d like to compare the products for yourself, just pick up a Zinetti "Meat Lasagna with 4 Cheeses" from your local Costco warehouse and try to spot the difference.

Read More: Want to support "made in Canada" efforts but still shop at your local Costco? Here's the rundown on Costco Canada

3. Costco honey (hint: BeeMaid Honey)

Better bee-lieve it.

Costco’s honey is supplied by Bee Maid, a farmer-owned co-op with over 300 Canadian beekeepers. It provides pure, unblended Canadian honey that also appears under Bee Maid’s own label in grocery stores. Snag a bottle of BeeMaid 100% Pure Liquid Honey from another store and see if you can taste the difference.

Since more than 300 beekeepers work to harvest the sticky, sweet substance, Canadian Costco shoppers can rest assured that their honey is 100% Canadian.

4. Kirkland nut bars

You’ll recognize this Canadian company for its bestselling Célébration butter cookies, but Leclerc Foods makes some popular nut bars, too.

Fox Business reports that Costco developed the Kirkland Signature Nut Bars with Leclerc when almond prices dropped in 2016. Each snack box holds 24 bars made from almonds, cashews and pecans, flavoured with cocoa drizzle and sea salt.

The Quebec-based snack food company produces cookies, crackers and snack bars, including its own Let’s Go Nuts! nut bar line.

5. Costco soy beverage (hint: Natura Soy Beverage)

Whether you’re lactose intolerant, vegan or just enjoy the taste, this dairy alternative could be a delectable and inexpensive option.

In 2017, Nutrisoya Foods Inc. — more commonly known as Natura Foods — issued a recall of Kirkland Signature Organic Soy Beverage due to swelling cartons.

The Quebec-based company produces soy, rice and almond beverages in a variety of flavours under its Natur-a brand.

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Everything else

6. Costco cooking oils

Costco sources its cooking oils from multiple companies all over the globe, including Certified Origins, which started as a collective of olive farmers in rural Italy that now operates in Spain and the US, as well. It markets its own brands — Bellucci and Rootie — but is responsible for some Kirkland Signature olive oils, too.

Gerard Jara, a co-founder of Certified Origins, told The Costco Connection that Kirkland Signature olive oil is “among the freshest available” since the wholesaler can move its products so quickly.

While Kirkland’s organic coconut oil is supplied by Bridgewell Agribusiness — a U.S.-based company — the global coconut oil supplier is known for ethically sourced oils. Costco's coconut oil is USDA Organic and non-GMO certified, appealing to health-conscious shoppers.

7. Kirkland spices

At least some Kirkland Signature spices originate from “the largest manufacturer of salt and pepper mills in the world” — a European-based supplier, Olde Thompson.

The company produces seasonings, shakers, grinders, racks and refills under multiple private labels, and you can find its own brand of spices and sets marketed through Amazon and other retailers.

In an act of globetrotting, the pepper used in Kirkland Signature products comes from a farm in Vietnam that Olde Thompson sources its supply from, according to The Costco Connection.

However, some of the sources for Olde Thompson spices do come from US growers and providers. To help you narrow down where to buy (and what to buy), consider the following spice map from the Old Thompson website.

For Canadians looking to avoid buying US products, consider skipping the following:

• garlic
• onion
• paprika

Instead, look for spices with origins from Mexico, South America or Europe.

8. Kirkland baby wipes

Those hefty, nine-pack boxes of Tencel baby wipes are a staple for new parents, and with good reason.

The Costco product is ultra-soft, fragrance-free and hypoallergenic, with 99% naturally derived ingredients.

Wet wipe manufacturer Nice-Pak, known for brands such as Nice ‘N Clean, Grime Boss and Wet Nap, also supplies baby wipes under the Kirkland Signature label.

9. Kirkland Himalayan Salt Potato Chips (hint: Kettle Brand chips)

It’s pretty hard to miss the massive Kettle Brand logo on those bags of Kirkland Signature Himalayan Salt Kettle Chips.

The bags also feature Kettle Brand’s trademarked Krinkle Cut label, denoting the ruffled cut of the chip.

Kettle Brand markets a variety of potato chip flavours, from Maple Bacon to Wasabi Ranch. It has its own version of Himalayan Salt potato chips, but it’s cooked in avocado oil and doesn’t fall under its Krinkle Cut collection.

10. Costco prunes (hint: Sunsweet)

Like the Kettle Brand potato chips, Costco makes no secret of its Sunsweet pitted prunes.

The bright yellow Kirkland Signature bags come in a much bigger size, however, at 1.6 kg. Compare that to Sunsweet’s own Amaz!n Prunes line, which only offers 8 oz (0.23 kg) resealable bags and 16 oz (0.45 kg) canisters.

Sunsweet Growers, a California-based company with the largest dried tree fruit plant in the world, produces prunes, juices and specialty dried fruit like apricots and mangoes.

11. Kirkland pet food (hint: Diamond Pet Foods)

Websites including Dog Food Insider claim that Kirkland Signature Dog Food is actually manufactured by Diamond Pet Foods, also known as Schell and Kampeter, Inc.

That might not be enough evidence on its own, but in 2012 the Kirkland brand was part of a recall for Diamond dry pet foods following a salmonella outbreak at Diamond’s production plant in South Carolina. Various Kirkland Signature and Nature’s Domain dog food formulas and one cat food formula were named.

There’s been no word of a break with Diamond following the incident, and the Kirkland brand remains popular with pet lovers.

12. Costco coffee (hint: Starbucks)

Even coffee snobs may be intrigued by a few of Costco’s relatively inexpensive house blends, which boast of their ties to the world’s largest coffeehouse chain.

Kirkland offers certain varieties of its house blend with the stamp, “Custom roasted by Starbucks,” including the House Blend Medium Roast and Espresso Blend Dark Roast.

The two-and-a-half-pound Starbucks-affiliated bags include Kirkland’s Signature House Blend Medium Roast and Espresso Blend Dark Roast.

13. Costco disposable cups (hint: Chinet and Big Red cups)

A staple at house parties, Costco’s giant packs of disposable red cups come from a familiar place.

The packaging clearly bears the blue Chinet logo under “Kirkland Signature” and next to the bold title “The Big Red Cup.”

The American company, Chinet, has produced disposable tableware such as plates, bowls and cutlery for over 90 years and sells them through other big retailers like Walmart.

14. Kirkland motor oil

Warren Oil Company is speculated to be the manufacturer behind Walmart’s Super Tech and Amazon’s AmazonBasics motor oils, but we can confirm it supplies the Kirkland variety.

Kirkland Signature Full Synthetic SAE 5W-30 Motor Oil displays its maker in fine print on the back of the jug: “Manufactured by Warren Distribution, Inc.”

Warren, which claims to be one of North America’s largest independent lubricant manufacturers, markets its products around the world under several brands, such as MAG 1, and under private labels as well.

15. Kirkland mattress (hint: Stearns & Foster mattress)

Mattresses probably aren’t the first item on your Costco shopping list, but the company does offer a generous selection that includes Novaform and Sleep Science, as well as its own Kirkland brand.

The Kirkland Signature mattress, however, is the result of Costco’s partnership with Stearns & Foster. The Kirkland Signature by Stearns & Foster Lakeridge Mattress uses memory foam and gel foam and comes in king, California king and queen sizes.

The company dates back to 1846, when Seth Foster and G.S. Stearns got together to manufacture cotton goods for horse carriage upholstery. They later moved on to hotel mattresses.

Double up on savings at Costco using a cashback Mastercard

Costco only accepts Mastercard at its stores, so Costco members need to own and use at least one Mastercard to shop at the warehouse. To get the most of this expenditure, Costco members should consider what card to use — pick the right one for your needs and you could cash-in on cashback or quickly accumulate loyalty points. Search the Money.ca guide to the credit cards best used for Costco purchases.

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How to tell if a Kirkland product is made by a major brand

When you're shopping, you can often spot a Kirkland product that's made by a major brand using the following tips:

• Look for subtle labels, like the labels used on coffee bean products sold under Kirkland, but stating: “Custom Roasted by Starbucks”
• Look for manufacturing locations that are the same as large, well-known suppliers
• Compare product packaging — Kirkland and brand-name versions are often nearly identical in size, shape, or batch codes
• Search on The Costco Connection (Costco’s magazine) for packaging disclosures

Bottom line

Behind the Kirkland Signature label lies a network of trusted brand-name manufacturers — from Starbucks and Bee Maid to Zinetti and Stearns & Foster.

For savvy shoppers, knowing who actually makes these products can unlock serious savings without sacrificing quality. Whether you’re picking up honey, lasagna, or even motor oil, the value of Kirkland comes not just from the price tag, but from the brand power quietly backing it.

Next time you shop at Costco, you won’t just be buying in bulk — you’ll be buying smart.

— with files from Serah Louis and Romana King

Sources

1. Costco: Investor Relations