The Costco Peanut Butter That Doubles As A Trader Joe's Copycat

Costco's Kirkland brand offers affordable, quality products in sizes that'll last for months. From Kirkland vanilla ice cream and parmigiano reggiano cheese to bottled water and Kirkland brand scotch, Costco's premium in-house brand has been selling a wide array of products since 1995. Kirkland is clearly popular among customers — in 2021, the brand earned nearly $60 billion in sales, amounting to about a quarter of Costco's total earnings for the year. It stands to reason that the private label is popular partially because the products remind shoppers of their other favorite brand items. Take for instance, Kirkland Signature Organic Peanut Butter which has been compared to two Trader Joe's peanut butters: Its Creamy Salted Peanut Butter and Organic Creamy Peanut Butter Salted Valencia. 

With similar taste, consistency, and ingredients, it's a toss-up which peanut butter reigns supreme, Kirkland's or Trader Joe's. Keeping in mind prices may vary per location, Trader Joe's Creamy Salted Peanut Butter costs $2.49 for 16 ounces ($0.16 per ounce) while the Organic Salted Valencia is priced at $4.49 per 16 ounces ($0.28 per ounce). Like most Costco items, Kirkland's Organic Peanut Butter comes in a multi-pack — customers can buy two 28-ounce jars for $12.99 ($0.23 per ounce). 

If you like simple, natural peanut butter, you'll love Kirkland and Trader Joe's limited-ingredient peanut butters. All three comparable peanut butters contain just two ingredients: Peanuts and salt. Kirkland's contains dry-roasted organic Valencia peanuts and sea salt, TJ's Creamy Salted consists of dry-roasted peanuts and salt, and TJ's Organic Salted Valencia has organic Valencia peanuts and sea salt. 

Valencia peanuts are sweeter than other types of peanuts commonly used in peanut butters, making them a prime choice for natural peanut butters that don't contain added sugar. Grown primarily in Texas and New Mexico, Valencia peanuts make up less than 1% of the peanuts grown in the U.S. The peanut variety more commonly used in peanut butter are called runners and account for over 80% of peanuts grown in the U.S. 

Peanuts are often roasted before being ground up for peanut butter to deepen the flavor, enhancing the nutty richness of the peanuts, while also pulling out the oils to make them easier to blend into peanut butter. Peanuts can be roasted in oil or dry roasted, which doesn't involve any oil, just heat to roast them. 

As for the salt, sea salt, which is made from evaporated sea water, is considered more natural and less processed than regular table salt (which is typically derived from underground mines and processed to remove other traces of minerals). Sea salt isn't necessarily a healthier option but some people prefer the taste over table salt. 

Kirkland's organic peanut butter isn't the only Costco dupe that shoppers enjoy. If you've experienced the tastiness of grass-fed butter, you might consider trying the Costco butter that doubles as a Kerrygold dupe. Many people swear by Kerrygold Irish Butter for its superior, rich taste and smooth texture, but it does cost more than typical butter. Kirkland Signature's Grass-Fed Butter has been compared to the premium, extra-creamy Irish butter, but with a lower price tag as a bonus. 

Kirkland also makes a wide variety of affordable, quality liquor dupes, like its Kirkland Signature Spiced Rum which has been compared to Captain Morgan. Or, its Kirkland Signature Vodka which is extremely similar to Grey Goose, according to some. On its website, Grey Goose even sets the record straight regarding the rumor that Kirkland Vodka is made by the company, proclaiming this hearsay to be entirely false. 

Other Costco dupes include Kirkland Signature Nut Bars (compared to KIND bars), Kirkland Signature Hazelnut Spread (compared to Nutella), and Kirkland Signature House Blend Whole Bean Coffee (compared to Starbucks). You might not prefer all of the Kirkland brand products compared to their brand-name counterparts but you'll at least save some money on a quality product.