What Brand Is Behind Costco's Kirkland Bottled Water?

Costco has built a cult following with its Kirkland Signature brand. Kirkland products have yielded $56 billion in revenue, almost a quarter of the members-only, buy-in-bulk warehouse's total business. The items sold under this store label may cost less, but they are often made by other high-end manufacturers. Kirkland Signature water is produced by the family-owned Niagara Bottling, a big player in the private-label bottled water industry. Niagara has been in business since 1963. 

Headquartered in Diamond Bar, California, the company provides purified water, spring water, sparkling water, protein drinks, vitamin enhanced water, and teas to many retailers, including 7-Eleven and Kroger. Still, Costco notes on its website that what makes its purified bottled water unique from expensive bottled water brands is a proprietary mineral blend that is added as well as the fact that it's made using "state-of-the-art purification, filtration, and reverse osmosis technologies" and is "bottled using the highest quality certifications in the industry." If you are a bottled water drinker, the price point may have you stocking up.

Kirkland Signature bottled water, which is sold in 16.9-fluid-ounce bottles in 40-count cases, will set you back about $4.67, depending on your Costco location. That's roughly 12 cents per bottle. If you are buying for a big bash or for the office, you can even purchase a 48-case pallet online to keep guests or employees hydrated. Is it a good deal? Sam's Club sells a 32-count case of 16.9-ounce bottles of Aquafina for $5.68. That's about 18 cents per bottle. So, Costco's bottled water is a great deal. But is it a big seller? 

David and Susan Schwartz wrote in their book, "The Joy of Costco," (via Fortune) that in 2022, Costco's Kirkland brand bottled water accounted for $730 million in sales, only outperformed by its toilet paper, which raked in $1.4 billion, and its paper towels, which brought in $1.2 billion. If you are looking for other quality items to fill your cart, some of the big brands behind popular Costco products include Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, which makes the wholesaler's K-cup coffee pods, and Corporate Distillery Santa Lucia, S.A. de C.V., the maker of Costco's Kirkland brand tequila.