This Costco Juice Used To Be A Fan-Favorite, But Shoppers Changed Their Tune

Something's different about the Kirkland orange juice lately, and people are talking. It's a Costco product with a longstanding fan club, seen in almost every cart in the store alongside Kirkland-branded Extra Virgin Olive Oil and basil pesto. And there's a reason why it's a favorite product, as it's made from fresh-squeezed, organic Valencia oranges, and contains no preservatives or additives. Sold in 59 fluid ounce bottles that come in packs of two for $7.99 or three for just under $10, it's been a dream come true for orange juice lovers. But fans are saying the taste, color, and quality of the last few Kirkland orange juice batches has changed and they aren't happy.

Shoppers say orange juice now tastes strongly of licorice and seems to be watered down. They also point to changes in packaging, noting that the plastic fastener that usually holds the set of bottles together has been changed to cardboard. Customers started complaining in January of 2025 and, alas, it's not just confined to one location. Complaints about the orange juice have come all the way from Hawaii Costco to the warehouses in California and Washington.

Kirkland Signature, Costco's private label brand, makes or brands around 350 products sold at Costco warehouses worldwide, and shoppers are noticing changes in a few other products alongside the famous Kirkland orange juice. People have reported a drop in quality in other Kirkland products like the toilet paper, disposable wipes, and diapers, as well as in raw meat, eggs, and the fruits and vegetables.

This isn't the first time Costco shoppers have taken to the internet to complain about the Kirkland orange juice, either. While it usually gets glowing reviews from customers, occasionally, a batch seemingly goes wrong. It's not a scenario in which Costco is issuing a recall, like the 2024 Kirkland smoked salmon recall, prompted by listeria contamination. When it comes to the beloved Kirkland orange juice at Costco, it has just been a few customers sounding the alarm on something tasting off in the juice, not the brand or the store. Disgruntled customers took to the internet in 2023 and then again in 2024 about the juice fermenting, even though customers were storing it in the fridge. Only time will tell if the wholesale giant can get the orange juice back to what it once was.