Kirkland Coffee: Why Costco’s own brand is better than you think

crazy by Editorial Staff | Updated on April 26th, 2023

When you walk into a Costco store, you’ll notice that the Kirkland Signature brand is right in the middle of the store. They make everything from detergent to paper towels.


But there’s something special about the Kirkland Signature brand of coffee. See, the Kirkland Signature brand of coffee is the answer to the question, “What’s the best coffee in the world?”

costco kirkland

Who makes Kirkland coffee for Costco?

Ever wondered who the team is behind the javas of Kirkland? This may be true if you love their coffees as I do. Now, I’ll let you in on a little secret:

Who makes Kirkland coffee? The team behind some of these coffees we can buy from Costco is no other than our beloved Starbucks. Yes! You read that right.

Starbucks produces the following Kirkland coffee beans:

  • Kirkland Signature House Blend Medium Roast
  • Decaf House Blend Medium Roast
  • Espresso Blend Dark Roast

To know if the specific one you’re looking for is from Starbucks, check the label for “Custom roasted by Starbucks.” They are typically sold in a couple of ½-pound bags and are loved by many. So if you want to know more about Kirkland javas’ wonders, hop on in!

Kirkland coffee

Kirkland coffee is a brand that Costco carries. Costco is a wholesale and retail chain found all over the USA. It is a membership-only store, and they are, as discussed, partnered with Starbucks to roast some of their blends. Kirkland coffee is available in whole and pre-ground forms, whichever works better for you. Take note as well that the brand is fair trade compliant, so you can ensure that it should not harm your health. 

Kirkland coffee comes in medium and dark roasts; most are made of 100% Arabica beans. However, remember that their Signature Supremo Colombian Coffee is made of 100% Colombian beans.

We can also rely on Kirkland coffee to be of top quality, especially since we now know that it’s custom roasted by a top-quality coffee brand. If you haven’t tried Kirkland coffee yet, we highly recommend that you do, especially if you love medium or dark roasts. 

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Distinct flavor

Starbucks coffees are known for their smokey and rich flavors, and that’s exactly what you can expect with Kirkland coffee variants. On the other hand, Starbucks does not carry much of the fruity and floral notes for their dark roast. Thus, you will find that these coffees are on the burnt taste side of the story, but the type of burn you’d keep coming back to. 

The Kirkland Signature House Blend, on the other hand, is a medium roasted coffee with important notes and flavors: burnt cedar, almond, citrus aroma, sweet earth, and darl chocolate.

Complex aroma blend

You can expect diverse aromas in these coffees. Aromatic almond and dark chocolate notes are well noted in the Signature Medium Roast while charred rick notes are present in the Starbucks Dark Roast. 

Organic- and fair trade-compliant

To ensure safe consumption, Kirkland coffees are organic- and fair-trade compliant. They do not use pesticides and insecticides, and they are cultivated organically. Another great thing is that they are committed to supporting their farmers towards fairness and equality. I don’t know about you, but that means the world!

Roast quality

As discussed, Starbucks houses some signature aroma and flavor that leans towards the smokey and burnt side. While some say that this fact tends to overpower the roast’s nature, many consumers keep coming back for this very reason. Now, imagine having this delicious coffee without the premium price. That’s exactly what you’ll get if you try Kirkland coffee. 

Reasonable price tags

Compared to other fair-trade brands, Kirkland offers their coffee for a more affordable price and competitive price points without sacrificing the quality.

Kirkland House Coffee

Kirkland generally has these coffee series:

  • Kirkland House Blends
  • Kirkland Specialty Coffee
  • Kirkland Signature Series

For this article, let’s talk about the Kirkland House Blends!

Best Costco coffee – Kirkland coffee review

House Blend Medium Roast by Kirkland Signature 

This is by far the most famous Kirkland coffee sold on Amazon. It is top-rated by users because of its quality and enticing price point. The coffee houses a balanced flavor with sweet, earthy, citrus, and chocolatey notes. In addition, the silky texture further elevates the coffee experience. Despite the citrus notes, this is fortunately not overly acidic. 

Pros

  • Not bitter
  • Not acidic
  • Rich flavor and body
  • Top quality
  • Affordable

Cons

  • Closer to dark roast than medium
  • Some finds it too bitter

Kirkland Signature Medium Roast Decaf House Blend Coffee

If you tend to crave coffee at night, you know decaf is the way to go. So, with courage, try the Kirkland Signature Medium Roast Decaf House Blend. Unfortunately, however, it’s no longer available in many Costco branches. But if you encounter one, throw it into that cart!

Pros

  • Smooth
  • Flavorful
  • Not bitter nor fruity
  • Bold flavor
  • Relatively affordable

Cons

  • Some still finds it pricey
  • Body of coffee can be improved

Kirkland Signature Dark Roast Espresso Blend Coffee

With its bright red packaging, we’re sure you’ll easily spot the Kirkland Signature Dark Roast Espresso Blend. You can rely on the delicious and flavorful cup this can offer you. Since it’s an espresso roast, expect it to be dark but mild and smooth.

Pros

  • Not acidic
  • Rich flavor and body
  • Top quality
  • Attractive price

Cons

  • Some says that it’s too bitter

While those above mentioned are the most popular, if you want something a bit more exotic, you’ll want to try these two:

Kirkland Signature 100% Colombian Supremo Coffee

Kirkland Signature Rwandan Dark Roast

The best coffee from Costco

Have you tried most of these and want to try something else from beloved Costco? That is not from Kirkland? Then here are our recommendations (you don’t have to drive to Costco to get these, you can get these on Amazon as well):

Conclusion

Costco offers a wide variety of coffees, and we find Kirkland to be one of the best brands in the store. Well, it is only roasted by Starbucks, so we should not expect any less. But keep in mind that there are other coffees to try too! Who knows? Your favorite cup may find its way to you inside the beauty that is Costco. But now you know who makes Kirkland coffee and the best Costco coffee you can buy.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase using these links. Remember to support us by purchasing through the Amazon/Walmart/Impact Radius links provided. Last update on 2024-04-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Disclosure: No compensation or free products were received in exchange for writing this review.

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Editorial Staff

The editorial staff at Crazy Coffee Crave is a team of coffee enthusiasts & Baristas who enjoy the one thing we all think about as soon as we get up in the morning. Trusted by thousands of readers worldwide.