In addition to Costco having their own meat processing plant, they also source some of their meats from other suppliers. So, where does Costco meat come from? This post will take you through all the sources of the various meats Costco sells in its outlets.
Costco gets most of its meat from US farms, although they also have foreign sources for some products. Foreign producers from Southeast Asia, Australia, and Canada supply certain fish, lamb, shellfish, and beef products. Costco also has a factory on their private farm in Nebraska where they rear and process chicken ensuring fresh and quality products.
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Where Does Costco Get Its Beef?
Costco gets its beef from dozens of suppliers, but most of it comes from San Joaquin Valley farmers in California. The meat is United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) graded and certified. All suppliers must meet Costco’s third-party auditing standards, which include humane treatment of animals, food safety, and sustainable farming practices.
The retail chain sources its organic beef from several California ranches. Costco also relies on foreign producers from Australia and Canada to meet their organic beef demand. All the foreign beef is organic, grass-fed
Costco requires all its beef to be free of antibiotics or added hormones. The animals must also be slaughtered and processed at USDA-inspected facilities compliant with the American Meat Institute’s recommended animal handling guidelines. Costco also requires their beef to undergo testing for harmful bacteria and pathogens, including E.coli 0157:H7.
Where Does Costco Get Its Veal?
Costco gets its veal from Atlantic Veal & Lamb Inc. The company is in Brooklyn, New York, and it provides products such as bone-in veal legs, chopettes, chop-ready racks, and blade chucks. Atlantic Veal & Lamb buys their meat from 120 farms in the US, including Buckeye Veal Farm, Ohio.
All the veal sold at Costco is traceable at the farm level. The company has animal welfare auditors who make sure their suppliers adhere fully to the quality and welfare requirements. The auditors check farm compliance with barn requirements, inspections, veterinary cycles, diets, and so on.
Where Does Costco Get Its Chicken?
Costco has its own chicken farm and processing facility in Fremont, Nebraska. The farm supplies all its chicken requirements and has been the sole producer since 2019. It is a vertically integrated farm with buildings, equipment, warehouses, and chicken handling programs to ensure maximum animal welfare standards.
In February 2021, Costco’s chicken farming practices came under scrutiny following reports of animal cruelty. In a report published by Mercy for Animals, the organization uncovered terrible conditions for chickens at one of Costco’s suppliers in Nebraska.
The Costco supplier, owned by Lincoln Premium Poultry, raises chickens for the company, then sold as Kirkland Signature organic rotisserie chickens. The report claimed that the chickens could not fully spread their wings or lie down in their cages. This was primarily due to overcrowded, filthy sheds, with dead day-old chicks and some birds having open wounds.
Where Does Costco Get Its Pork?
The leading supplier of Costco pork products is JBS Swift USA, based in Indiana. The company is the second-largest pig farming and slaughterhouse in the US. Other suppliers of Costco’s pork products include Perdue and Tyson.
Costco ensures the quality of its pork products by enhancing the Pork Quality Assurance Program. The program addresses pig food safety and quality, animal well-being, workers’ safety, and the general public and community health.
Costco’s pork is antibiotics-free. The company has an agreement with its suppliers that prohibits using antibiotics for growth promotion. However, it’s acceptable for the suppliers to use antibiotics for disease prevention.
Where Does Costco Get Its Lamb?
Costco gets its lamb from Australian farms. They have a robust animal welfare program that ensures animals are treated humanely at all stages of production up until slaughter.
The lamb that Costco sources from Australia are exclusively grass-fed and raised for tenderness. Since they don’t receive any hormones or antibiotics, the lambs have a much more natural flavor.
Where Does Costco Get Its Fish?
Costco sources its fish from various sources — both local and international. Costco primarily deals with suppliers from multiple areas worldwide, with natural populations of different types of fish. This ensures a constant supply of fresh and high-quality fish.
Some of the international suppliers of Costco fish include fisheries in Norway, Costa Rica, Southeast Asia, South America, and Latin America.
Costco keeps an updated list of fish species described as endangered. With this list, they don’t sell any of those species or deal with fisheries that use prohibited fishing equipment that harms such species.
Where Does Costco Get Its Seafood?
Costco’s seafood comes from various commercial sources. The company’s suppliers get their catches from the coast of Maine or in the Atlantic region near Canada.
Costco’s other suppliers of shrimp and lobster are mainly from South East Asia and Latin America. Its regulatory body makes sure that all imported seafood meets its stringent quality requirements and remains fresh.
Does Costco Have Good Quality Meat?
Costco is known for having high-quality meat. They also have a wide variety of meat products and constantly add new items to their stores. Costco has an excellent reputation for having fresh meats and produce.
According to reviews, customers like the meat and the way it tastes. They also like the fact that Costco has excellent prices on most of their meat. However, some customers complained about the packaging with some canned beef delivered in dented cans.
FAQs
What grade is Costco’s meat?
Costco meat – specifically their Kirkland Signature brand – is prime-grade beef. Prime grade is best for steakhouses, resorts, and high-end grocery stores.
Does Costco inject their rotisserie chickens?
Costco injects its rotisserie chickens with a special saline solution to add flavor. The solution is injected into the chicken when it’s raw, keeping it moist and seasoned for days.
Is meat cheaper at Costco?
Generally, Costco meat prices are lower than speciality butcher shops and grocery stores like Whole Foods and ALDI. However, for some meats, Walmart has lower prices than Costco.
Does Costco meat come from China?
Costco meat doesn’t come from China, and the majority of the beef sold by Costco is from the US. Costco imports some of its beef from Australia and Canada. The company’s chicken comes from suppliers in the United States, including Tyson and Perdue Farms.
Does Costco have halal meat?
Most of Costco’s meat section products are certified as halal. Costco adheres to the Islamic dietary laws of halal and haram. For example, all fresh beef sold at Costco is from cattle that have been slaughtered in compliance with halal standards.
Does Costco sell Kosher meat?
Costco offers a wide range of Kosher products in most warehouses, including fresh and frozen beef, chicken, and lamb.
Does Costco sell vegan meat?
Costco sells a wide variety of meat alternatives. For example, the wholesale store carries meat substitute hot dogs and gardein beefless tips.
Conclusion
A majority of Costco’s meat comes from local suppliers in the US. Costco’s chicken comes from a private farm and processing plant in Nebraska.
Other Costco meats such as beef come from private farms in the United States. They also have suppliers in Australia, Canada, Southeast Asia, and Latin America for certain shellfish, lamb, fish, and other beef products.
