Who Makes Kirkland Olive Oil in 2024? (All You Need to Know)
As Costco‘s popular private label brand, Kirkland Signature is known for its exceptional quality standards across a wide range of products, including its award-winning Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO). But who actually makes this affordable yet top-tier oil that flies off Costco shelves?
Why Italian EVOO Stands Out
Italy has essentially perfected olive oil production over thousands of years. Some reasons why Italian EVOO is so revered globally:
- World #2 Olive Oil Producer: Italy accounts for over 15% of total world production, second only to Spain
- The Puglia Powerhouse: The Puglia region itself produces nearly half of all Italian EVOO
- Perfect Growing Conditions: The Mediterranean climate and Italy‘s rich, volcanic soil nourish olive groves
- Artisanal Production: Family-run olive mills use traditional, small batch methods
- Strict Regulation: D.O.P. and other designations enforce superb quality and regional branding
In other words: centuries-old mastery + ideal terroir + meticulous oversight = exceptional EVOO.
Why Specifically Puglia For Kirkland Oil
As Italy‘s olive oil capital located along the Adriatic coast, Puglia offers prime conditions for olives. Kirkland EVOO sources its oil from two key provinces within this region:
Bari: Major seaport known as the "olive oil capital of Puglia". Home to some to Italy‘s largest olive oil producers.
Barletta-Andria-Trani (BT): Fastest growing olive oil producing provinces in Puglia region over last 5 years.
By partnering with producers in Puglia, Kirkland taps into generations of olive farming and oil making excellence.
Kirkland‘s Rigorous Production Oversight
Kirkland invests tremendous efforts reviewing supplier facilities and validating production quality for its EVOO:
- Olive Traceability: Sources only certified PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) Coratina and Cima di Bitonto Italian olive varieties.
- Timely Harvesting: Requires hand picking and pressing of olives within 8-12 hours for maximum freshness.
- On-site Inspections: Kirkland‘s own quality team performs periodic audits of producer mills in Italy.
- Import Testing: Every imported batch goes through sensory analysis and lab tests to certify Kirkland quality specifications are met.
| EVOO Grade | Free Acidity % | Kirkland EVOO |
|---|---|---|
| Extra Virgin | ≤ 0.8 | ≤ 0.3 |
| Virgin | ≤ 2.0 | |
| Refined | > 2.0 |
As this comparison shows, Kirkland EVOO well surpasses the international extra virgin grade with extremely low acidity.
Independent Lab Testing Validates Quality
In 2020, the UC Davis Olive Center conducted a study evaluating the quality of California and imported EVOO available to U.S. consumers. Among all samples, they found:
- Kirkland‘s EVOO passed all purity standards for extra virgin grade.
- Kirkland Signature outperformed nearly 75% of tested brands, including many big names.
This independent analysis from a world renowned olive research institute demonstrates the impressive quality that Kirkland Signature delivers.
Exceptional Quality & Value for Consumers
By controlling sourcing, production, testing and distribution under one roof, Costco offers tremendous value on Kirkland Signature Olive Oil:
-matches premium brands like Colavita and Lucini at a fraction of the price (25% less per ounce).
High intensity of olive fruitiness preferred by 75% of EVOO consumers.
Far exceeds International Olive Council extra virgin criteria.
So next time your pantry runs low on olive oil, head to your local Costco. Skip the middlemen and negligible brand markup of other gourmet EVOOs. Instead, go right for the gold standard in quality and affordability with Kirkland Signature Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
