The Brand Behind Costco's Kirkland Hard Seltzers

Costco strives to sell customers the highest-quality merchandise for the lowest price possible, but it doesn't do it alone. To keep costs down, the membership warehouse outsources production of its Kirkland Signature commodities to various manufacturers — sometimes to well-known, big-name companies. Folks have figured out the brand behind Costco's iconic tequila and the supplier of Kirkland vodka, but the real producer behind Kirkland Hard Seltzer has remained a mystery to many.

A YouTube video by Steven M took a peek at the label on the back of a box of Kirkland Hard Seltzer, revealing that Patco Brands is responsible for supplying Costco's fizzy alcoholic beverages. While the company might not be as recognizable as the popular brand behind Costco's coffee, it is a behemoth in its own right. Patco Brands produces Kirkland Hard Seltzer in Hood River, Oregon, where it also manufactures several other spirited products for its own national brands, as well as additional retailers seeking private-label drinks.

The supplier of Costco's bubbly alcoholic drinks doesn't make tasty beverages solely for the warehouse retailer. Patco Brands generates several national brands of beer, wine, and spirit-based products. Its Rancho La Gloria banner sells Ranch Water hard seltzers made with blue agave in various flavors, as well as infused tequilas, wines, canned cocktails, and more. The company's Big Sipz brand produces hard iced teas, lemonades, and ready-to-drink cocktails. Other national trademarks run by Patco include Kyla Hard Kombucha, Miracle Seltzer, and Dough Ball Whiskey — featuring intriguingly sweet cookie dough and birthday cake-flavored whiskeys.

Patco also works with retailers like Kroger, Safeway, Target, Whole Foods, Walmart, Aldi, and more, manufacturing quality concoctions for their private-label brands. With its fingers in so many pies, there is a good chance you have sampled one of the company's offerings — maybe without ever knowing it. It's a feather in Patco's cap to be the one who makes Kirkland Hard Seltzer for Costco, but that effervescent product is just a small portion of the company's extensive beverage portfolio.