Grab your magnifying glasses and brew yourself a fresh cup of joe while you’re at it (maybe that’ll spark some inspiration) because we’re here to solve a mystery today. Hopefully, it will put an end to the question currently troubling caffeinated Costco shoppers: Who on earth roasts Kirkland coffee?
Until recently, the answer was simple and obvious because it was listed directly on the bags. Kirkland’s coffee roaster was Starbucks until late 2023 or early 2024. But now, with the bags no longer displaying the Starbucks roasted badge, the internet has been in an uproar.
What happened? Did a contract with Starbucks end? Was there a falling out between the companies? Most importantly, did the company roasting Kirkland’s coffee change?
Did Starbucks Stop Roasting Kirkland Signature Coffee?
Customers first started noticing a difference in Kirkland’s coffee in 2024. Along with packaging changes, Redditors started reporting lower prices and significant flavor differences (for the worse) on Kirkland Signature’s coffee bags. The new beans were said by many to taste flavorless and burnt, sparking theories about what in the world happened to the warehouse’s signature beans.
Costco
One Redditor inquired about the change at their local Chicago warehouse, and they were told that Starbucks didn’t renew its contract with Costco and was no longer roasting its coffee. Some commenters took this as a positive sign, but those loyal to the previous version were bummed by the change.
One commenter lamented, “I finally tried my new bag. It’s really sad.”
Another agreed, writing, “The new Kirkland medium roast is not good at all.”
Who Roasts Costco’s Kirkland Signature Coffee?
So, if not Starbucks, then who? Costco shoppers know that almost all products under the iconic Kirkland Signature label are outsourced to industry leaders (for example, the brand behind Kirkland Signature bacon). The Costco-sold goods must meet—or, oftentimes, exceed—the quality of the manufacturer’s original product.
As for its coffee, theories were rampant that a company called Enveritas was the new supplier (after seeing its company name on Kirkland Signature coffee bags), but Enveritas isn’t even a roaster—it’s a nonprofit that helps coffee roasters and consumers in their efforts to produce (and drink) more sustainable cups.
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Ultimately, if you’re trying to identify the specific roaster for a single bag, you might be out of luck. It’s likely that Kirkland sources its coffee from multiple roasters, and Starbucks may still be a key player, even though its branding is no longer visible. Green Mountain Coffee Roasters and Rogers Family Coffee (aka, San Francisco Bay Coffee) have previously supplied some Kirkland coffee products. So perhaps they are also responsible for some of its new blends?
Unfortunately for us, Kirkland doesn’t have to disclose who supplies its private-label products. That said, you can always keep an eye on recall notices, which is a handy way to figure out who supplies these private label products—like some of Trader Joe’s items, too. If coffee beans from a specific supplier are recalled, and that supplier also provides beans for Kirkland, Kirkland will appear on the list of products to watch out for.
We may never know who’s truly behind roasting your favorite coffee bags, but one thing’s certain: We’ll keep our taste buds alert for any updates and report back if we discover new information or breaking news.
