Who Makes Costco's Kirkland Hard Seltzers?

Costco's line of Kirkland Signature products has become a genuine cultural phenomenon, generating $56 billion in 2023 — a whopping 23% of Costco's overall sales (per Motley Fool Money). As a private-label brand, Kirkland products are outsourced to other producers, often massively popular name brands — Keurig makes Kirkland Signature coffee pods, and Duracell manufactures its batteries, for example. So, there's often a lot of excitement when it comes to uncovering the producer of a Kirkland product — and Kirkland Signature Hard Seltzer is no exception. This one doesn't require too much detective work, though; it's written right there on the label: "Brewed by Patco Brands" in Hood River, Oregon.

You've probably never even heard of Patco Brands, so what else does it make? It's the company behind Kyla Hard Kombucha, also available at many Costco warehouses, as well as Rancho La Gloria tequilas and pre-mixed margaritas. On the non-alcoholic side, Patco produces Miracle Seltzer, with exclusive flavors available at 7-Eleven.

On its website, Patco lists Costco and other retail giants it works with. "Alongside our National Brands, we are a leader in private label beverage development and production." So, it's likely behind a number of other private-label beverages beyond Kirkland Signature Hard Seltzer, although they may not always be explicitly identified on the label.

While often lumped into the same category as their liquor-based cousins, hard seltzers aren't just bottled or canned vodka sodas. Kirkland Signature Hard Seltzer and other popular offerings, like Topo Chico Hard Seltzer and White Claw, are brewed much like a beer, using a malt and/or sugar base and typically clocking in between 4% and 6% alcohol by volume. Other "spiked seltzers" or canned cocktails, like High Noon or Sunboy, do, however, start with a spirit base — often vodka. These are then flavored with seltzer water and other ingredients and are usually higher in alcohol content. The terms hard seltzer, spiked seltzer, and canned cocktail are often used interchangeably, but the distinction is clear: hard seltzers are brewed, while the others are mixed — alcohol base plus flavored seltzer.

While the hard seltzer revolution may feel like a recent phenomenon, Coors is largely recognized as the company that introduced hard seltzers to the world decades ago. In 1993, Coors launched Zima, a bottled lemon-lime malt brew that initially enjoyed huge success, but fizzled out by the mid-2000s. Today, White Claw dominates the U.S. hard seltzer market, raking in just under $2 billion in 2023 sales, followed by Truly at $739 million (per Statista).

Whatever your hard seltzer preference, there's no shortage of choices. Kirkland's variety packs, for example, typically include mango, grapefruit, black cherry, and lime. So once you find your favorite flavor, you might want to bury it at the bottom of the cooler to keep it safe — until you're ready to dig up another.