Costco Connection - January 2006

them a perfect solution for sack lunches, hik- betacarotene and thought to help prevent ing trips and busy people on the go. cancer and heart disease and boost immu- Costco’s organic food line nity—are in 5-pound bags in the coolers. includes a variety of fruits Salad fixings and more I enjoy using these carrots raw as part of a and vegetables, peanut The organic darling of the fresh green or potato salad, coleslaw or pasta top- butter and milk from food department is ping. Additionally, I’ve been told that juicers some very special cows. still Costco’s are passionate about these orange jewels. USDA-certi- And don’t forget that these carrots make the fied organic perfect snack, especially when paired with IRIDIO S p r i n g Kirkland Signature Organic Peanut Butter. ^PHOTOGRAPHYMix. Many These are just a few of the organic prod-members will ucts showing up at Costco. Check your local Milk and other staples recall the buzz warehouse for regional organic specialties. One product I’m very interested in (be- created by this product when it was intro- Costco’s Heather Shavey sums up the cause it’s an excellent source of protein) duced a few years back. Its quality and price story of Costco organics this way: “Organic is Kirkland Signature Organic Soymilk. are still heads above the competition. Each produce is very exciting, and we’re anxiously Kirkland Signature vanilla-flavored or- bag contains an average of 12 different U.S. researching new items to add to our line. We ganic soymilk comes in a case of 12 32-ounce Grade No. 1 organic lettuces and greens (based are incredibly particular about growing prac-cartons. Soymilk, made from pressed, pro- on the season) at a ratio of 50 percent baby tices and pricing, looking for high-quality tein-rich soybeans, is thought to play a posi- lettuces, 30 percent salad greens and 20 per- organic items at a great value.” tive role in health. Members will be pleased cent endive. What’s not to like about organic foods? to learn that this product is already such Organic peeled mini carrots—rich in Absolutely nothing … now! C a hit that an unflavored version is in the works for spring. Another product I’m wild about (I can’t get enough whiffs of its real peanut aroma) is Kirkland Signature Organic Peanut Butter. This protein-rich product, which comes in a two pack of 28-ounce jars, is made from peanuts grown on pesticide-free land and tastes like creamy, clean-roasted peanuts. No refrigeration or blending is required. On the fruits and vegetables side of the aisle, Jeff Lyons, Costco‘s dairy queens Costco’s senior vice president of fresh foods, enthusiastically reports, “Produce is the number-one organic category in the country. Costco’s aggressive involvement in this arena translates into great savings for members.” I am pleased to report that many of my favorite USDA Washington state apples (Cameo, Pink Lady and Gala) have been selected for Costco’s organic sliced-apple program. These hearty-flavored, good-for-you, crisp apples are pre-cored and cut into wedges for ease of eating, then sealed in an all-natural preservative of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and calcium carbonate to prevent browning (similar to my home remedy of dipping fruit slices in lemon juice). Equally nice is the fact that these organic apples are packed in one-cup, single-serving portions (eight 6- ounce bags that total 3 pounds), making

The cows on the farm have quite the life. They feed on a balanced organic vegan diet and have access to organic pastures for grazing. They have their own veterinarian, nutritionists and even a physical-therapy pool. Sandy Custer, the Costco buyer who accompanied me on my visit, notes, ing and bottling is certified organic and done

WHEN I WAS ASKED by Costco to learn about organic products, one question I had was “What makes organic milk so special?” To answer this, I visited one of the farms that produces Costco’s Kirkland Signature organic milk.

FRANCE FREEMAN

“There are a lot of farmers who do a great right on the farm.” job with their animals and farms. Organic Costco organic milk, boxed as three half farmers take it one step further. They take gallons, offers savings that range from 66 extra care of their animals to keep them cents to $1.66 per half gallon. healthy—which means greater quality and Good job, ladies. Great job, Costco.—PV quantities of milk without the need for antibiotics and additional hormones. All process-