Costco Connection - January 2011

Kirkland Signature’s new lineup of canned fruits and vegetables are Grade A goodness at a great value.

clocked the process—from ;eld to can took less than ;ve hours.

I found the Kirkland Signature corn cannery exceptionally clean and modern. It pleases me to know all of the cannery’s quality-assur-ance personnel were retrained by USDA trainers to ensure that Costco’s tough standards are consistently met and that all Kirkland Signature products are held a minimum of ;ve days a;er canning to recon;rm quality.

on canning. A packing liquid is necessary when canning raw produce: It ;lls in air pockets for greater shelf life. ;e USDA speci;es the minimum and maximum allowable ;ll rates. Costco opts for less ;ll and more product. (Other brands are not so generous.)

Fewer ingredients, better taste

Ingredients in the Kirkland Signature lineup are intentionally few and sparingly used. At the corn facility, only whole-kernel sweet corn, water and sea salt are added to each 15.25-ounce can. Sugar, which I found listed on another brand, is not allowed.

Costco has also reduced the sodium in both the corn and green beans by 50 percent, compared to national brands. ;e team tried zero salt, but the ;avor was bland. Sea salt, even though more expensive than table salt, is added because of its naturally lower sodium content, trace minerals and lack of a metallic a;ertaste. All products are certi;ed kosher.

Costco assistant buyer Troy Kozen hands me a list of ingredients for the rest of the line: ;e Kirkland Signature green beans, o;ered in 14.5-ounce cans, include only green beans, water and sea salt. Blue Lake variety green beans have a naturally deep green color and were chosen exclusively for their smaller seeds, fuller flavor and thicker pod walls, serving up a more satisfying bite.

Green beans dull down a little in color after cooking. An additive can be applied prior to canning to help them retain their green color, but Costco opts to not go this direction, and I am glad.

Costco buyer Jay Tilley gave me a lesson

Peachy perfection

;e 15-ounce can of Sliced Yellow Cling Peaches lists peaches, peach juice, water and sugar. ;e larger, 24-ounce glass jar includes peaches, water and sugar; ascorbic acid ( vitamin C), to protect color; and citric acid, a natural preservative. (Note: Jarred peaches have a shorter shelf life because of light penetration.)

“A common practice in the industry is to add peach essence to jarred peaches,” Troy says. “If your peaches are fresh and top grade, you don’t need the addition of this somewhat cloying perfume scent. So we took it out.”

The Costco Connection assistant editor Stephanie Ponder visited the California peach program and con;rms Troy’s information.

All peaches are hand-picked. Sugar is also reduced. For jarred peaches, the extra-light syrup contains approximately 15 percent less sugar than traditional light syrup peaches. For the canned peaches, there is approximately 25 percent less sugar than light syrup peaches and 45 percent less sugar than heavy syrup cans.

Stephanie notes the jarred peaches are exceptionally fresh tasting. I love the pop of the jar when they are ;rst opened; it reminds me of my grandma’s traditional canning. And, yes, I’m hooked on both the canned and jarred Kirkland Signature peaches.

Lip-smackin’ value
HOW DO KIRKLAND SIGNATURE
canned fruits and vegetables stack up
next to national brands? Costco buyer
Jay Tilley talks value: “We average over
40 percent savings to retail’s everyday-
priced national brands in comparison to
our Kirkland Signature canned corn,
green beans and peaches.”
I found savings of almost 70 percent
when I shopped Costco’s canned corn
versus that at my local grocery store last
October. (The hubby’s comments are
included in italics.)

National brand A

$1.99*/15.25 ounces ( 5. 5 ounces liquid, 9 ounces corn**)

“This corn looks dirty gray.”

National brand B

$1.75*/15.25 ounces ( 5. 5 ounces liquid, 9 ounces corn**)

“What’s all that little stuff floating around?”

National brand C

$1.69*/15 ounces ( 5. 5 ounces liquid, 9. 5 ounces corn**)

“This tastes disgusting.”

Private label A

$1.29*/15.25 ounces ( 5. 5 ounces liquid, 9. 5 ounces corn**)

“Yuck, it’s mushy.”

Kirkland Signature Golden Sweet Corn

60 cents* ( 12 cans at $7.19*)/15.25 ounces ( 5 ounces liquid, 10 ounces of corn**)

“The corn tastes fresh and crisp, with a natural color. Did you say 60 cents a can? Costco is incredible.”

My sentiments exactly.—PV

* Prices may vary due to shipping. **Measurements are not exact. Tests were conducted using a kitchen scale.

Can-venience

Cooked, recipe-ready canned fruits and
vegetables are timesaving, convenient and
shelf stable. ;ey’re the shortcut heroes of
last-minute meals and emergencies. Just open
and serve, or combine them with other ingre-
dients for a quick meal. (Recipes are provided
on the Kirkland Signature cartons.)