Here's Why Every Costco Product Is Called "Kirkland Signature" (2024)

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Here's Why Every Costco Product Is Called "Kirkland Signature"? ›

Kirkland Signature is Costco's private label brand, featured on a wide array of products sold across Costco's warehouses and its website. Launched in 1995, the brand takes its name from the original location of Costco's corporate headquarters in Kirkland, Washington.

Kirkland Signature is Costco's proprietary trademark for its house brand merchandise. The name comes from the location of Costco's original headquarters in Kirkland, Washington. This brand is used only on merchandise sold at Costco stores or through its web sites. You can't get anything with that label anywhere else.

Named after the company's original Washington State headquarters, Kirkland was created as an umbrella for Costco's different private labels. Since then, it has become one of the most recognizable brands in the U.S.

If you've ever shopped at Costco, you've likely purchased something from its premium in-house brand, Kirkland Signature, which has become a household name and a great way to save money.

Kirkland Signature

This label, familiar to Costco shoppers, is actually the company's house brand and a Costco subsidiary. It produces dozens of products under the Kirkland Signature brand name, including groceries and packaged food items.

So, despite not being a part of Costco, Kirkland's has 8,000 employees and 9, 000012,000 active products across web and brick-and-mortar store channels. Speaking of Costco, here are 12 things you should buy there. And here are 12 things Costco employees won't tell you. In need of a home decor revamp?

So how did Kirkland products end up on Amazon? The process is probably similar to retail arbitrage, which recently caused a dust-up with Trader Joe's. The products are legitimately purchased in store, and then people post and re-sell them on Amazon at a higher price.

Costco has more stores across the globe, is expanding rapidly, and generally offers cheaper prices than Sam's Club does, although the latter charges slightly less for membership, has a bigger presence in the U.S., and stocks more name brands.

But Kirkland Signature isn't just popular because of the affordable deals. It's considered a premium in-house brand, with more than 350 products at a high-quality caliber. And if sales are an indicator of success, the brand alone brings in a whopping $58 billion annually.

Who makes Costco batteries? ›

Duracell batteries: In a 2016 interview with Atlanta station WSB-TV, Costco CEO Craig Jelinek revealed that Duracell is the manufacturer of Kirkland Signature Batteries. A 48-count package of Kirkland Signature AA Alkaline Batteries costs $16.49, or $0.34 per battery.

Much of the revenue is generated by membership fees of which there are nearly 128 million worldwide. These factors have made the company one of the largest corporations in the US. Costco is a publicly traded company, meaning it is owned by its shareholders. There is no single owner.

You may have heard a rumor that the Kirkland Signature™ brand vodka sold at Costco is actually GREY GOOSE® Vodka, just in different packaging. We can definitively put this myth to rest. This viral claim is completely false, and GREY GOOSE® Vodka does not produce nor privately label Kirkland vodka.

The aim of the Kirkland Signature brand was to offer products with brand name quality at discounted prices. Recognizing the typical consumer skepticism common with private labels, Costco has adopted a strategy of co-branding certain items with well-known manufacturers to bolster consumer trust.

Costco is a publicly traded company, while Sam's Club is a subsidiary of Walmart. Costco's membership fees are more expensive, but its prices are slightly lower—thanks in part to its private branded products, such as Kirkland.

Kirkland Signature was named after the location of Costco's former headquarters. In 1987, the upstart Costco company relocated its corporate headquarters to the city of Kirkland, Washington, located on the outskirts of Seattle (via Seattle Business Magazine).

This is because many of the top national brands are also the third-party manufacturers for Kirkland Signature products, the only difference being the lower price and the distinct black, red, and white label and packaging. Costco's secret comes down to its meticulous selection process.

Kirkland is a gender-neutral name of English origin. It originated as a surname combining the Norse kirkja, meaning “church,” with “land.” This name was historically given to residents living on church-owned land.

The success of a private label like Kirkland Signature helps Costco stick to this markup model. The company saves money through the private brand by purchasing products directly from the supplier rather than dealing with any middlemen.

Costco's decision to name all its private-label brands under "Kirkland Signature" was a strategic move to create a unified, recognizable brand identity. As they expanded globally, having a single, strong brand name eliminated potential legal complications.