The Brand Likely Responsible For Costco's Kirkland Brand Greek Yogurt

Consumers with a Costco membership might argue they shop at the wholesaler for high-quality private label products under the one and only Kirkland label. Next to the added benefit of buying in bulk, the reason why Costco's Kirkland Signature products are so cheap has everything to do with Costco's ability to score varying brands' high-quality products at lower prices. Next to Jelly Belly jelly beans and Duracell batteries, which happen to have their specific brand names next to the Kirkland label on Costco's packaging, some beloved products that carry the customer-approved Kirkland label are a real mystery. Whether you're a fan of Greek yogurt for its taste or its nutritional qualities, you may be regularly purchasing Kirkland's Greek yogurt on your bi-monthly shopping trips to Costco. While the brand behind Kirkland's Greek yogurt hasn't been confirmed or denied, some speculate that Ehrmann Commonwealth Dairy may be responsible for supplying Kirkland's Greek yogurt.

Before discussing why knowing the exact brands behind Costco Kirkland products is not always necessary, let's dive into the speculation regarding the relationship between Ehrmann Commonwealth Dairy and Costco's Kirkland Greek yogurt. Several clues seem to point to a potential partnership.

Ehrmann AG has been a mainstay in the dairy business since 1920, when the first facility opened in Germany. The U.S. branch of Ehrmann, known as Ehrmann Commonwealth Dairy, took off in the early 2000s and produces yogurts under the Green Mountain Creamery and Liebe brand names. There are a few likely reasons this prominent company is producing Costco Kirkland's Greek Yogurt.

In 2014 Ehrmann debuted their newest product: organic strained Greek yogurt. A 2014 press release claims the company first released this popular product to Costco locations on the West Coast in California before distributing the yogurt to other major retailers. This potential relationship has also been suggested by Peter Cohan in his 2017 book "Disciplined Growth Strategies" via MoneyWise.

While Costco hasn't validated any supplier-related rumors, this partnership is even more likely since Ehrmann was purchased by a large dairy supplier based out of France, Lactalis. Not only has Ehrmann been producing Green Mountain Creamery yogurt, but the Lactalis company owns and manufactures popular yogurt brands such as Stoneyfield, Siggi's, and Black Diamond. Even though no real confirmation has been given as to whether or not Ehrmann supplies Costco with its signature yogurt, you can rest assured with your purchase of Kirkland-labeled products.

Costco takes its private label, Kirkland Signature, very seriously, so you don't necessarily need to wonder too much about the supplier behind the brand's popular Greek yogurt. While this information can be helpful, Costco has been able to remain a top retailer in the U.S. market due to the company's efficiency and ability to deliver high-quality products under the Kirkland label at affordable price points without compromising quality.

Although Costco's Kirkland brand was almost called something way different, most consumers who commit to a membership primarily care about the wholesale discounts. Not only does Costco create many of its private-label products, but the company also scores deals with major name-brand companies that usually assure top-quality goods. Most big-name businesses have extra products on their hands, so instead of eating the cost, they will sell to external retailers to be later sold at discounted prices thanks to private labels. Also, when you consider the companies that co-brand Costco's Kirkland products such as Starbucks, Chinet, and Huggies, you can feel somewhat safe that the yogurt you're purchasing will be of similar quality. While some shoppers suggest you might be better off buying certain items like toilet paper, rice, and milk elsewhere, more often than not, the Kirkland label comes with a quality assurance guarantee.