Costco's rotisserie bird is glaring exception to Kirkland Signature label's quality claims

ADDED SALT, SUGAR AND SODIUM PHOSPHATE: The label of Costco Wholesale's wildly popular Kirkland Signature Seasoned Rotisserie Chicken, above, lists salt, sugar and sodium phosphate as ingredients. Sodium phosphate also is given to people undergoing a colonoscopy.

JUST OUT OF THE ROTISSERIE: A little after 9 a.m. on a Tuesday, when the Costco warehouse in Teterboro, N.J., opens for seniors, whole chickens fill shelves and rotisserie cases, above and below.

 

Story on private label omits

wildly popular low-quality chicken

 

Editor's note: This post includes a link describing Costco Wholesale's rotisserie chicken as good dog food, as well as more than 100 comments from Costco members describing their experiences eating the chicken and giving it to pets. 

 

By VICTOR E. SASSON

EDITOR

HACKENSACK, N.J. -- The Kirkland Signature Seasoned Rotisserie Chicken is missing from a cover story in the Costco Connection magazine praising products sold under the warehouse giant's private label.

Writing about Kirkland Signature products in the September issue, Editorial Director Tim Talevich says:

"We stand behind the quality of an item, that we feel proud of it, that it's trustworthy."

But this past April, The Humane League reported:

"In 2020 alone, Costco sold more than 100 million of its rotisserie chickens. That’s close to 300,000 chickens, on average, every single day. Its suspiciously cheap price tag of just $4.99 tells a deeper story—one that would ruffle the feathers of anyone who is opposed to the abuse of animals—dog, cat, cow, or chicken. You see, behind the low cost of this cheap meat, is a big cost—the painful suffering of smart, cuddly, and curious chickens. These abuses are among the worst in the poultry industry."

Salty chicken

In August, Consumer Reports said:

"But while roasted rotisserie chickens are convenient, tasty, and easy on your wallet, they’re often not so good for your health. As CR previously reported, a salt solution is often injected into the cooked chickens to enhance flavor and tenderness. 

"Costco’s rotisserie chicken has 460 mg of sodium per 3-ounce serving. That’s one-fifth of the maximum amount of sodium adults should consume in a day (2,300 mg). ShopRite’s Bowl & Basket chicken has even more sodium, with 490 mg per 3-ounce serving."

Antibiotics?

The label on Costco's Seasoned Rotisserie Chicken doesn't mention whether the birds are raised on antibiotics that are harmful to humans or fed a vegetarian diet.

So, you can assume the worst -- that they are raised with antibiotics and fed animal by-products -- bits of dead animals.

One of the ingredients listed on the label is sodium phosphate, which is also used to treat constipation in humans and clean the bowels before a colonoscopy.

'A label of quality'

The cover story in the September issue of the Costco Connection lists many high quality items sold under the Kirkland Signature label, including wine from Italy, health and beauty products, and even the 18-inch pizza that goes for only $9.95 at Costco's food courts.

I am a big fan of Kirkland Signature French Champagne, available at the Costco warehouse in Wayne, N.J., for about half the price of French brands, as well as Kirkland Signature XO French Cognac.

Kirkland Signature Bath Soap and Kirkland Signature Moisturizing Shampoo produce more lather than competitive brands for less money.

Officials of Costco have never explained what prompted them to slap the respected Kirkland Signature label on a low-quality rotisserie chicken that makes great dog food, not good human food, as I reported in Do You Really Know What You're Eating?

My message to Costco: At least offer a better quality, healthier rotisserie chicken as an alternative at a higher price, one that is raised humanely.  

READ: Costco members see red

 in bloody, undercooked chickens

MORE FROM KIRKLAND SIGNATURE: You can find Kirkland Signature products throughout Costco, and the vast majority of them are better than competing national brands and are sold at a lower price, including organic quinoa, above; California almonds, organic brown eggs, Italian Basil Pesto and water filter cartridges (see photos below).

PRICE HIKE: Costco's Kirkland Signature Free Range Organic Brown Eggs are $6.49 for two dozen, the first price increase I've seen since they were introduced at $5.99 a couple of years ago.