5 days Ago By [email protected] (Kylie Werner)
Costco is the go-to place to shop for many people and honestly, who can blame them? It's very convenient to be able to get most groceries and household supplies in one place, not to mention the store also sells electronics, furniture, apparel, and appliances. In 1995 Costco's co-founder and CEO at the time, Jim Sinegal, made the decision to put all the private-labels the wholesaler sells under one brand, Kirkland Signature. With the brand covering a wide variety of products, and in some cases being more cost effective than the bigger name-brand version, it's no surprise that Kirkland Signature items have become some members' preferred products.
However, after reviewing customer feedback on independent sources, such as Reddit, it has become clear that in recent years there are some food items that just simply aren't the same quality as they were. After analyzing multiple members' reviews we have compiled a list for you of Costco Kirkland Signature foods that don't taste like they used to. Kirkland Signature Microwave Popcorn Microwave popcorn is not only the perfect pairing for a movie night but also a great snack to nibble on when craving something savory.
The Kirkland Signature Microwave Popcorn comes in a 44-count of whole grain popcorn that movie theater butter flavored. Now, a classic buttered popcorn seems hard to mess up but it appears from some customer critiques Costco has managed to. In a about Kirkland products declining quality a poster stated that they have purchased Kirkland popcorn for years but in two recent boxes the popcorn has come out burnt or with an abundance of oily kernels, neither of which are good things, multiple people said they had the same issue and even claimed they had seven bags not pop at all.
In a from 2024, a member noticed the popcorn being pulled from shelves at their store and other customers explained that it might be because of sealing issues with the bags that was causing the margarine oil to leak out not only soaking but causing the popcorn to taste dreadful. Even with the recent issue, one Redditor described the popcorn as always having tasted stale and another stated they stopped buying it long ago due to an overabundance of un-popped kernels. Kirkland Signature Meat If you're looking to buy meat in bulk, whether it be for your family, a party, or meal prep, then Costco usually seems to be the place to go, not only do they have a decent variety to choose from but the pricing isn't bad, either.
However, in recent years there have been some complaints regarding the meat, its quality, and its texture. There was a post made recently titled "Costco used to have the best meat. What happened?" under it people agreed and complained about the chicken being so tough it's inedible, being chewy, and having a woody texture, there were also complaints about there being less prime beef options.
A in a thread about the declining quality in Kirkland products from a couple years ago explained that they had to return a raw meat product to Costco due to smelling rotten when they opened the packaging, a different customer agreed stating that they had been having the same issue recently after years of good-quality meat. The issue with Kirkland chicken declining in quality doesn't seem to be a recent thing, one shopper on had noticed the change two years ago stating by that time it had been happening for over a year where they would buy one pack of chicken breasts per week and get at least two that are woody, noting "it doesn't affect whether the chicken is edible or but the texture is just horrible." Kirkland Signature Eggs At our Costco for the past couple months, it has been next to impossible to find eggs.
We know that the difficulty and shortage is probably due to the bird flu outbreak but. Not so positively for Costco, there have been complaints being made about its eggs since before the bird flu even kicked off in the U.S.
The Kirkland brand offers organic cage free eggs, regular cage free eggs, and organic free-range eggs. In 2024, there was one who complained about the Kirkland organic eggs having pale and powdery yolks which they thought indicated a lower quality feed. There was a in October of 2023 about the quality of Kirkland's cage free eggs getting worse where the original poster stated that the shells were extremely thin, the yolk was almost indistinguishable from the whites, and having multiple broken eggs in each pack, commenters agreed saying the quality of the eggs and yolks were terrible.
A former employee and 25-year Costco member on also asserted that the eggs have declined in quality, and had another shopper add that they switched to Eggland's Best due to Kirkland eggs lacking flavor. Kirkland Signature Shredded Mozzarella Cheese Another Kirkland Signature food item that members recognized as having dwindled in quality is the pre-shredded mozzarella cheese. The Kirkland Signature Shredded Mozzarella Cheese is sold in a pair of 2.
5 pound bags and on its packaging lists that it is part skim as well as low moisture. One customer took to recently after purchasing the mozzarella and for the second time having it be spoiled upon opening even though it was well before the best by date, a commenter under the post stated that they stopped buying the cheese after having the same thing happen to them and others complained about quality issues with Costco products in general. A different shopper responded to a post about Kirkland products falling short of premium quality listing the shredded mozzarella and citing the reason as Costco increasing the amount of cellulose and additives in the cheese causing it to melt differently.
in another discussion also complained about the cheese melting differently as well as it being dustier and lacking flavor, with one poster even comparing its taste to plastic. Kirkland Signature Pepperoni Pizza Much to some members' disappointment, . There is a possible alternative for shoppers: the Kirkland Signature Pepperoni Pizza, which is a thin crust pizza that claims to be made with 100% real cheese and comes in a four count.
Unfortunately, not only has this Kirkland product received complaints about its taste changing it has also been dubbed one of the . One shopper on noticed a change in the pizza seven to eight years ago stating that it used to be fabulous but has been horrible ever since. Others under the post agreed, with one noting that it used to be their go-to in college, and another adding that they noticed that somehow some but not all of the pepperonis on the pizza will taste spoiled.
Multiple other also complained about the flavor of the pepperoni, with that the pepperoni pizza used to be their favorite before the meat was changed about two years ago and now tastes incredibly gamey. Kirkland Signature Salsa A couple of years ago Costco changed the packaging and size of its Kirkland Signature Organic Salsa from a plastic 38-ounce jar to a glass 35-ounce jar. With the change in packaging there was also apparently a change in the taste of the salsa, which in some members opinion was not an improvement.
In a that addressed the change, there were commenters who were dedicated buyers and fans of the original salsa that expressed their disappointment with the change as they claimed that the new version was considerably more spicy which for them was a downgrade. of the discussion even stated they were debating sending respectful criticism to see if Costco would send a pallet of the old salsa — wishful thinking on their part — and another joked about asking for a raise at work so they could afford Mateos, a different brand of salsa. A member under a different emphasized that the Kirkland brand salsa tastes notably worse than it used to.
Kirkland Signature Butter During the 2023 holiday season, some Costco members' baked goods were ruined when it appears that the wholesaler changed the water content of its Kirkland Signature Butter, and therefore the quality. Which we are sure was incredibly frustrating for those members considering butter is one of the . Now we will admit reviews about the butter have been mixed with some shoppers noticing a change and others not, however, there were enough complaints we felt it was important to cover.
In one , there were multiple customers who did have issues and explained that they used the butter when baking and had pie crusts turn out too crumbly, therefore not holding up, as well as brownies not baking properly and ending up grainy. When some of the bakers redid the same recipe with a different butter, such as Kerrygold, the baked goods turned out as they were supposed to. Another had their family state that the butter tasted strange and differently than it used to, noting that when they checked the label to see if something had changed they found it to be confusing, not clearly listing the ingredients this caused them to switch to a brand that is more transparent about its butter's contents.
In a different , some members who have purchased the butter consistently complained about it melting differently, almost like margarine, and not becoming soft and as spreadable as it has in the past, and altering the results of baked cookies. Kirkland Signature Lightly Breaded Chicken Breast Chunks For long or even lazy days where all you want to do is throw something easy in the oven, microwave, or air fryer, frozen breaded chicken is almost always a good option — put some sauce and fries on the side and you've got a cheaper version of a fast food chicken nugget meal. For Costco members, one option to choose from is the Kirkland Signature Lightly Breaded Chicken Breast Chunks that come in a 4-pound bag and are supposed to be boneless and skinless.
Unfortunately, shoppers who have been regularly buying these have noticed a decline in the taste and quality of the chicken. Customers in a stated that the first handful of bags they bought were great but the most recent ones have had chicken pieces that are tough and chewy as well as breading that is a weird consistency and powdery, one person even found two pieces on bones in their chicken. In a separate a member said that for them the rubbery pieces make up almost a fourth of the bag, a commenter having the same issues added that the chicken also falls apart easily when thawing, and they have also experienced finding chunks of bone and cartilage in the chicken.
Kirkland Signature Rotisserie Chicken The Kirkland Signature Rotisserie Chicken is one of Costco's most popular and well-known products. This is not only due to its low price for a whole chicken but also the versatility of the chicken as some members will deconstruct it and . While there are some ride or die fans who will stand by the chicken no matter what, there are customers who don't enjoy the chicken anymore after noticing a change in its taste.
In a titled "What's up with the rotisserie chicken lately?" commenters who claim to have been buying the chicken for years complained about it all of a sudden having a strong chemical and soap flavor, with one even adding that her cat suddenly started refusing the chicken after eating it as her primary food source for an extended period of time. A in a different discussion called the change in taste heartbreaking stating "it's like finding out your favorite relative is a serial killer." There were Costco employees who popped up in the original thread and explained that the wholesaler uses two different brands of chicken, its in-house and another distributor, sometimes Foster Farms, and has one that they refer to as the bad chicken as it doesn't cook or taste the same.
Kirkland Signature Extra Fancy Mixed Nuts A few years ago Costco switched the packaging of its Kirkland Signature Extra Fancy Mixed Nuts — which comes with salted cashews, almonds, pecans, brazil nuts, and macadamia nuts — from a plastic jar to a resealable bag. It might not be related to the packaging but some shoppers have also noticed a change in not only the taste but also the quality of the nuts in the mix. A on the Costco website had been buying the mixed nuts for years before the packaging was changed and said that they weren't sure if the supplier changed with the packaging but now the only nut that has a recognizable flavor is the pecan.
Another customer took to the site to complain that the nuts don't taste as fresh as they used to, adding that due to this they have for the most part stopped buying the nuts. In a about the decline in snack's quality shoppers criticized the nuts for being rancid before the best by date, the ones that aren't spoiled not tasting as distinct, being smaller than they used to, as well as having more dust in the bag. Kirkland Signature Bacon Crumbles For some bacon bits might not seem like an item they would regularly put on their grocery list but they can be an easy as well as tasty addition to things like potatoes, salads, eggs, and more.
Costco sells its Kirkland Signature Bacon Crumbles that are naturally smoked and ready to go in a 20-ounce resealable bag. However, members have noticed a change with the product. In one , shoppers said that they stopped buying the bacon crumbles after the bags regularly had more fat, chewy, gristly, and hard pieces.
Customers on agreed that the bits had changed as they used to stay soft in the fridge for months and now become rock hard after a week, another poster declared them a very different product. Members in another had the same complaints that there was now an abundance of fatty pieces in the bags, one Redditor even complained about there being mold in two separate bags they had purchased. Kirkland Signature Bacon Unfortunately, the decline in quality isn't confined just to the bacon crumbles, there has also been dissatisfaction with the Kirkland Signature Bacon both the hickory smoked that comes in the four-count as well as the thick sliced.
This isn't necessarily shocking considering the bacon is one of the . Customers in a have complained regular sliced bacon being thin and flimsy, one poster said it was "so paper thin I can't even hold it up without it falling apart," another commenter added "the last pack I opened had the structure of Halloween decor cobwebs." There was another where members claimed the thick sliced bacon had also changed, explaining that packages they bought had a spoiled, gamey flavor, were stringy, and mostly fat, one parent noted that their bacon-loving toddler has even started spitting it out.
There were also complaints from a few about the bacon being too salty. Kirkland Signature Bakery Items Most often located at the back of the store next to the deli, the Costco bakery section has a wide selection of both sweet treats and regular baked goods, such as bread and bagels, for members to choose from. However, some of the bakery's products have received criticism from shoppers and are actually one of the .
One was complaining about the lemon blueberry loaf being flavorless and stated that they used to love and swear by Costco's baked goods but questioned if it was the products that changed or them. Some customers in a even complained that Costco's cookies were giving them digestive issues. Another member on added that the baked goods to them have been extremely tough and that they're not sure if it's due to them being overcooked or simply dry.
Costco also recently replaced its beloved muffins and members on have not been happy about it, describing them as dry, having a weird aftertaste, and molding quickly. A different simply stated, "it's like they've forgotten what real, fresh bakery items are supposed to taste like." Kirkland Signature Deli Chicken Pot Pie The Kirkland Signature Deli Chicken Pot Pie is another one of Costco's easy dinner take home options for members.
In fact, the pot pie is actually made with . In the last year or so though, the pot pie has received disapproval from members. In a about the pot pie declining in quality the original poster stated that they have issues with the savory pie three times explaining that the first time there were fragments on the crust that tasted like lemon or borax, the second time it was so salty it was inedible, and the third it smelled as if it was spoiled.
A person in the comments said they had a one that was grainy, had dry filling, and was also incredibly salty, a different Redditor noted that when Costco switched to using the rotisserie chicken they found bones in the pot pie multiple times. Recommended.
