What Brand Is Behind Costco's Kirkland Canned Albacore Tuna?

Big box discount stores like Costco and Sam's Club have their perks. Namely, you can buy a lot of something you use frequently and save money in the long run. However, the savings are only reasonable if the product lasts and matches the quality of name-brand items. While Costco is known for its wide variety of name-brand bulk items, its Kirkland label often remains an enigmatic contender in terms of value. Many of Kirkland's items are manufactured by big, well-known brands with high-quality products. While some of these sources remain a secret, others are well-known if you know where to look. Case in point: Kirkland Signature's Albacore Solid White Tuna is made by none other than the famous Bumble Bee brand.

Canned tuna is a perfect item to stock up on from Costco since it has a long shelf life. Moreover, the savings are substantial, especially for households that consume a significant amount of tuna. At Costco, you can get eight cans of Kirkland Albacore tuna for $19.99, while the same product from Bumble Bee costs $26.99 on Amazon. That's a saving of $7 per purchase!

According to CNN Money, back in 2002 when Costco felt the need for a superior tuna in the market, it partnered with Bumble Bee to create one. Costco aimed to develop a better product that was also more affordable so it struck a deal with Bumble Bee, which already had a reputation for producing high-quality tuna.

However, there are indications that the Kirkland brand might not be identical to the Bumble Bee product. In its initial production in 2002, the Costco version seemed to be manufactured at a separate plant. Nevertheless, it does use higher-quality albacore tuna as its base. While Bumble Bee tuna sold on Amazon carries the label "Premium Tuna," the Costco tuna lacks this designation. Nevertheless, it proudly claims to be "Traceable from Sea to Shelf" and "Wild Caught," with seemingly similar ingredients. However, it's worth noting that some of the canned Bumble Bee Albacore tuna options do not contain sodium pyrophosphate as a preservative. And notably, the Kirkland label no longer includes the "Dolphin Safe" designation, a term that recently caused trouble for the store, leading to a lawsuit due to allegations of possibly using non-dolphin-safe fishing practices.

While you can get eight cans of Kirkland Albacore for around $20 on the Costco website, you could also purchase 12 cans of Chicken of the Sea Chunk Light for the same price. Is albacore tuna actually better? The definition of "better" is subjective, and your choice between the two types of tuna will depend on your personal preference. That said, albacore is considered a higher quality product overall. If you're not a fan of fishy-tasting tuna, then albacore or chunk white will likely be your top choice. Fishier varieties include skipjack and the aforementioned chunk light.

Cans labeled as albacore or white will always contain 100% albacore fish. According to the Bumble Bee website, albacore has a firmer texture and a milder flavor compared to the product labeled as light tuna. In contrast, the tuna labeled as light can be a mix of different smaller tuna species, including skipjack, yellowfin, tongol, or big-eye, which are cheaper overall. Light tuna is best suited for salads, where the stronger taste of the tuna can be balanced by other ingredients. For those seeking a more sustainable tuna product at Costco, there's also the option to consider Wild Planet Albacore. Though more expensive, it might provide peace of mind until the ongoing lawsuit about the company's fishing practices is resolved.