Costco Just Discontinued a Fan-Favorite Item, and Shoppers are Riled Up
At Costco, when a Kirkland Signature product does well, it tends to stick around for a while. The popular discount retailer has more top-performing products under one roof than you can count on two hands, and the releases just don’t seem to have any end in sight. And as much as we love a good Kirkland Signature original product, it’s always a sad day when a fan-favorite gets abruptly discontinued.
Such is the case for fans of Kirkland Signature Chocolate Chips, as it has recently been discovered that Costco warehouses have begun to fully replace the beloved chocolate pieces with the Nestle brand. Word of the unpopular switch up hit the internet in a hurry, with one shopper taking to the Costco subreddit to spread the word.
“They completely replaced the chocolate chips with Nestle,” the author of the Reddit post exclaims, to which dozens of commenters responded in disappointment.
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For many, the Kirkland Signature chocolate chip alternative was a welcomed change from big name brands such as Nestle. Some pointed out that Kirkland brand not only tastes better, but is also dairy free, coconut free and kosher parve.
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“Well, I for one would cheerfully rather pay an extra buck fifty to buy Kirkland instead of Nestle, but I guess they've made their point,” one defeated commenter shared.
An official explanation of the chocolate chip switch up was graciously provided by Costco recently, and offers up some much needed information on the change. According to Costco officials, the decision comes in light of the recently “rising costs of cocoa” across the globe. The statement details Kirkland Signature Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (red bag) and Kirkland Signature Semi-Sweet 51% Chocolate Chips (blue bag).
Related: Costco Is Selling a Huge Grazing Board for a Wildly Low Price, and It's Already Flying Off Shelves
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Compared to last year, cocoa costs have risen nearly 200-percent. This has made it so that in terms of chocolate chips, Costco is no longer able to uphold its standard of “equal or better quality” for its in-house brand. Costco can get a much better deal with Nestle and still produce “quality” chocolate chips for its customers.
In terms of price, Nestle Chocolate Chips will retail for $12.79 for a 72-ounce bag while Kirkland Signature Chocolate Chips usually cost about $1.50 more. Additionally, Costco admits that they will be taking a long break from Kirkland Signature Chocolate Chips, however, a long term plan is in place to offer the item again in the future.
No matter which way you look at it, it's a numbers game for Costco. Nestle Toll House may not be the fan-favorite amongst all shoppers, but the brand can offer an affordable product in a time of a falling market. There are at least other alternatives to choose from if Nestle isn't the right fit for you. Unfortunately, those options might not be available at your local Costco for the time being.
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