Where Is Kirkland Energy Drink Made? — Behind the Supply Chain

How the Kirkland Signature Brand Works

Kirkland Signature is Costco’s private-label brand, but “private label” doesn’t mean Costco runs factories. It means Costco contracts with established manufacturers — often the same companies that produce name-brand products — to create products to Costco’s specifications, which are then sold under the Kirkland Signature label.

This is a well-documented and widely-practiced model. Kirkland Signature vodka is produced by the same distillery that makes Grey Goose. Kirkland olive oil has been linked to Aceites Toledo, a major Spanish producer. Kirkland batteries are manufactured by Duracell. The pattern is consistent: find a best-in-class manufacturer, have them produce to spec, strip the premium branding, and pass the savings to the consumer.

What We Know About the Energy Drink Manufacturer

Costco has not publicly disclosed the co-manufacturer for Kirkland Signature Sparkling Energy Drink, which is standard practice — the manufacturer relationship is typically considered proprietary information. However, several things are visible from the can itself and from the broader beverage industry:

Does It Matter Who Makes It?

For many consumers, the manufacturer mystery creates unease. “If they won’t tell me who makes it, is something being hidden?” This is a reasonable instinct, but it misreads how the private-label industry works. Confidentiality about the manufacturer is standard practice that protects both Costco and the manufacturer from competitive exposure — not from quality scrutiny.

More meaningful signals of quality:

• FDA regulation: U.S.-manufactured energy drinks must comply with FDA food safety rules. Ingredients must be GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) or food-additive approved. The caffeine content is subject to labeling requirements.
• Consistency across batches: Consumer reports of Kirkland energy drink quality have been consistently positive over multiple years of production. Wildly inconsistent private-label products tend to generate visible feedback; Kirkland hasn’t shown that pattern.
• Kirkland’s track record: Costco has built a reputation over decades that depends on Kirkland products being genuinely good. The brand is a meaningful portion of Costco’s revenue and is central to member retention. The incentive to cut corners on quality is low; the incentive to maintain it is very high.

The Aluminum Can: Supply Chain Detail That Matters

The slim 12oz can format Kirkland uses is the same format used by Celsius, Reign, C4, and most of the major zero-sugar energy drink brands. This isn’t coincidence — the slim can has become the category standard because it conveys a “premium” feel relative to the traditional wider energy drink can associated with Monster and Red Bull.

Can manufacturing for beverages is dominated by Ball Corporation and Crown Holdings, two major suppliers. The aluminum supply chain for virtually all U.S. energy drinks runs through the same handful of can manufacturers. This is another place where the distinction between “Kirkland” and “premium brand” effectively disappears at a component level.

What This Means for Consistency

One legitimate concern about private-label products: what happens if Costco changes manufacturers? The formula could shift slightly. The taste could drift. Premium brands own their formulas and production relationships, which provides more continuity.

This is a real but low-probability risk. Costco has maintained Kirkland Signature products in their core categories for years without meaningful formula changes. The energy drink has been consistent since launch. And if Costco ever did shift manufacturers, Kirkland’s brand equity demands that the replacement product meet the same quality bar — otherwise members will notice and complain.

“Costco’s entire value proposition rests on Kirkland being genuinely excellent. They can’t afford to have it be bad.”

The Broader Costco Supply Chain Philosophy

Costco’s approach to private label is fundamentally different from the discount retailer model. When Walmart makes a Great Value product, the priority is often price minimization with acceptable quality. When Costco makes a Kirkland product, the stated goal is to match or exceed the premium alternative at a lower price point.

This philosophy is visible in how Costco tests Kirkland products before launch. New SKUs undergo internal testing, often comparative to the leading name brand, before they appear on shelves. Products that don’t pass the internal benchmark don’t become Kirkland items. The energy drink is a product that passed that bar — which is itself a quality signal.