The Popular Brand Behind Some Of Costco's Bacon

A lot of stores offer private-label goods to keep prices reasonable. Costco is no exception, as the grocery store chain features numerous items under its Kirkland Signature label. These products feature the same quality ingredients as brand names, but at a much lower price. And in some cases, the manufacturers of well-known products also produce items for private-label brands. As explained by The Ascent, big national brands can act as third-party manufacturers for private labels like Kirkland Signature. And some big names, such as Bumble Bee Tuna and Starbucks, are associated with the Costco brand. Costco's beloved Kirkland bacon is also linked to a huge brand, one synonymous with assorted meat products.

Third-party manufacturing naturally benefits consumers, as it allows them to access quality goods at more affordable prices. However, national brands also benefit from the process. For instance, companies save money on branding and marketing, since private-label products are already branded. And in the event of a tumultuous economic outlook, companies can rest assured that customers will still purchase private-label goods, even if they can't afford name-brand items. These factors may explain the curious co-branding between Costco and Hormel that once appeared on Kirkland Signature bacon.

As reported by Moneywise, the question of what company produced Kirkland Signature bacon used to be a lot easier to answer. The warehouse retail chain offered a one-pound pack of bacon in 2004 that featured both the Kirkland Signature and Hormel label. Costco customers raved about the product because it featured thicker slices, but sadly it can no longer be found in American Costco stores. While the product is still available online in Canada, U.S. shoppers must satisfy their bacon cravings with the Kirkland Signature bacon currently available at American locations.

As for who manufactures Kirkland Signature bacon these days, it's somewhat tough to tell. It was believed that Hormel was still producing bacon for Costco back in 2005, but that claim has never been verified. Additionally, some shoppers complained about quality issues once Costco's bacon ceased being co-branded with Hormel. However, a widely respected consumer protection organization considers the Kirkland Signature product to be among the top picks for bacon.

Like all private-label brands, not all Costco items will be huge hits when it comes to taste and quality. When it comes to Kirkland Signature products, some items are best left on store shelves (dishwasher gel and coffee included). Others are considered "safe bets," which is exactly where Kirkland bacon ranks, based on an investigation conducted by Consumer Reports.

According to product testing performed by Consumer Reports, Kirkland Signature Regular bacon was the best of all products sampled. It even ranked higher than Hormel Black Label products that were included in the same taste test. Kirkland Signature was described as an "excellent product," with good fat content and subtle sweetness in the smoky flavoring. Conversely, Consumer Reports ranked big brands like Oscar Mayer low on the list, despite its higher price tag. These results show that the name on the label has little bearing on the quality of a product.