Where Do Costco's Kirkland Signature Nuts Actually Come From?

Amongst the wide, brightly lit aisles of Costco await a wide variety of nuts of all shapes, sizes, colors, and added flavors. From roasted almonds to butter toffee cashews, Costco Kirkland Signature nuts come in a range of options, nine of which we have ranked ourselves. But given Costco's bulk quantities and massive popularity of most of its items, you might be wondering exactly where Costco sources those various nuts from. As it turns out, Kirkland Signature sources its nuts from more than 20 countries from around the globe. 

Given the sheer volume of nuts Costco must source for its Kirkland Signature nut-based products, it's easy to guess those nuts couldn't possibly come from just one place. According to Reddit, a bag of Kirkland Signature mixed nuts lists the following countries: Australia, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, India, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Malawi, Mexico, Mozambique, Nigeria, Peru, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, USA, and Vietnam. But another Redditor pointed out that it's unlikely the mixed nuts came from every country mentioned — that the manufacturer is probably covering its bases as the nuts in the bag could come from a few of the countries listed, which may differ from batch to batch.

Costco explains Kirkland Signature's pecans are sourced from Mexico, and its pistachios, almonds, walnuts, and macadamia nuts are sourced from the United States. Given the U.S. produces the most almonds, it's logical Costco sources them from California. But with such a widespread reach and high demand for nuts, Costco actually aids local farmers and brings an economic lift to the communities that it sources nuts from.

Costco claims having so many different countries as suppliers helps to keep the supply chain flexible and steady, in case there is a supplier that can't fulfill a certain nut quota due to unforeseen issues, such as climate change disrupting California's Central Valley crops, droughts, or flooding. Costco buyers also make trips around the world to visit suppliers, provide support, and make sure those suppliers have safe working conditions for its farmers, as well as helping implement proper manufacturing processes. 

In the same spirit, Costco helps with sustainability training for nut farmers so they may continue to yield healthy crops for years to come. Costco also strives to aid in community health by assisting in building infrastructure to bring clean water to places that have none. It's great to see Costco recognizes that without farming communities and the wellness of the people that produce the nuts, it wouldn't have such a diverse and quality array of nuts to sell in the long term.