Costco Shoppers Are Having a Hard Time Finding One of Their Favorite Snacks—Here's Why
Costco fans have a bone to pick with the big-box retailer and for once, it's not about food sample-induced traffic jams. It's not even about membership card sharing, which Costco cracked down on this summer. Instead, it's because fans are searching for an irresistible item that that can't seem to find anywhere: the Kirkland Signature Peanut Butter Pretzel Nuggets.
A primer for the unfamiliar (you've been missing out!): The Kirkland Signature Peanut Butter Pretzels come in mega-tubs that are 3-pounds, 7-ounces and full of bite-sized goodness. In previous stan threads, they've been likened to the devil, and there have been calls to make them illegal.
But...did those calls sort of work in an unexpected way?
A recent Redditor took to the Costco subreddit to sound the alarm about their disappearance.
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"Peanut Butter Pretzels recalled?" asked u/ZealousidealAnt7835 in the Costco subreddit. "On Friday, my hubby went to purchase his favorite snack in the whole world: a tub of Kirkland Peanut Butter Pretzels. None were on the floor, but he spotted a pallet on a lower shelf. He patiently waited for the staff to unwrap a pallet to procure two tubs for him. When he got to the register, a staff member told him that the pretzels were recalled and they were unable to sell it to him."
Cue the blaring alarm bells. Now, the OP isn't just turning to Reddit. After the Costco haul gone wrong, they kicked things into high gear and began doing an awful lot of sleuthing but came up empty.
"I have checked the recall section of Costco.com and the Consumer Product Safety Commission website, but neither website mentions peanut butter pretzels," the person said. "I have emailed HK Anderson, who I believe makes the pretzels, to inquire about this but have not received an answer."
So, like a good Olivia Benson-trained detective, the Redditor opted to turn to the internet for clues.
"Do y’all know anything? Are you able to purchase these at your location?" the person asked.
"I have a mouthful of these right now," wrote one.
Unfortunately though, that may not be a good thing. In fact, one Redditor was in a similar situation and commented, "Puts down a handful of pb-filled pretzels to respond to this post."
OK, but seriously, what's the deal? Should you ditch your stockpile of the Kirkland Signature Peanut Butter Pretzels?
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Are the Kirkland Signature Peanut Butter Pretzel Recalled?
Costco has issued some recalls on favorite products lately, so it's understandable fans are on high alert. One Redditor claims to have some intel.
"We got a pull and hold notice at my Costco because the seals aren’t holding on the jars, so they are showing up stale," the person said. "It’s a quality issue."
Another Redditor heard the same.
"I was told by a merchandising manager on 9/18 that they were a pull and hold," the commenter said.
In August, Costco did a voluntary recall and recall initiative on its Kirkland Signature American Vodka. This initiative also involved a pull-and-hold. If the same is happening with its beloved peanut butter pretzels, Costco would likely be looking into the quality issue by investigating Utz and H.K. Anderson, who make the product (Utz purchased H.K. Anderson in 2020). In the case of the vodka, members who bought the vodka got a letter with the lot codes affected and were offered a refund.
Right now, it's all hearsay and speculation. Costco hasn't issued a recall or refund. In the meantime, you can snag an Utz-brand tub of peanut butter-filled morsels online. Or, grin and bear it as you "buy a small tub from Kroger for the same price as the big tub from Costco," as one sad Redditor did.
Another idea? Give the brand-new, salty-sweet Costco snack — the Rolling Pin Co. Sea Salt Caramel Pretzel Bark — a try. It's become a fast favorite.
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