The Company Behind Costco's Kirkland Brand Bottled Water

For many people, there's something about Kirkland brand products. Costco established Kirkland, its very own private-label brand, in 1995. In the nearly 30 years since the Kirkland brand has roused a strong following amongst the wholesale store's devout customers. Some Kirkland products, such as its vodka, have managed to become cult favorites with many fans claiming that the bulk brand vodka is, in fact, the high-end Grey Goose (it isn't).

One of the less flashy but equally beloved beverages Costco sells is Kirkland bottled water. Yes, Kirkland bottled water has stirred up quite the following on Reddit, and in the real world as well. Given the uproar on social media, it's no wonder why. The bulk brand water bottles are inexpensive and feature a clean, quality taste that has garnered it a devoted fan base.

However, exactly who bottles Kirkland water is a mystery for some people. It's well-known that many Kirkland products are made by name-brand companies and sold at a lower price under the Kirkland name. So what brand is behind Costco's Kirkland water? Well, that would be Niagara Bottling.

Niagara Bottling isn't only known for making Kirkland bottled water. Niagara Bottling was established in 1963 and sells several bottled water products. Originally, the company only sold water under its name but in the 1990s, Niagara began bottling water for Costco under the Kirkland label. Costco isn't the only store that sources its private-label water from Niagara. Other companies such as Walmart also source their bottled water from the brand, making Niagara the largest supplier of private-label water in the United States.

How has Niagara set itself apart from other bottled water brands? Well, apart from its method of offering water to other brands under a private label, Niagara also prides itself on its purification methods, which include microfiltration and reverse osmosis. Niagara's water is sourced from various wells, springs, and municipal water sources before going through a purification process. Niagara also adds minerals to water before bottling to help improve taste. However, the exact details of their water sourcing and processing methods remain inexact.

Niagara Bottling isn't the only name brand behind Costco's Kirkland Brand products. The wholesale corporation, which sells its bulk offerings in a members-only format (remember your Costco card next time you make a trip), sells a whole swath of items under its Kirkland label. Many of these products come from some pretty famous name brands. Kirkland coffee for example is made by Starbucks, the iconic Seattle-based coffee brand and cafe chain. In particular, Starbucks makes Kirkland's Signature House Blend Medium Roast, Espresso Blend Dark Roast, and Decaf House Blend Medium Roast.

Another iconic brand behind Kirkland products is Jelly Belly, the candy company behind the popular jelly bean candies. However, this partnership is a bit more obvious as the Jelly Belly logo is included on the product right alongside the Kirkland label. Other brands that make products for Kirkland include Duracell batteries and Bumble Bee tuna products. Although Grey Goose is not the brand behind Kirkland's vodka, it is clear that the private label brand does have some pretty big names up its sleeves.