One of the most important elements in your regular diet is protein. Proteins are made up of chemical “building blocks” known as amino acids. Amino acids are used by your body to build and repair muscles and bones and also to make hormones and enzymes. In addition to this, they can be used as an energy source. Protein bars can be a good way to add minerals, protein, carbs and vitamins into your diet. As well as this they can also reduce your appetite, power a workout, and assist muscle repair after exercise. Having said that, they won’t replace the quality and nutrient composition of whole foods.
Kirkland Protein bars can be a great choice for a Protein bar. But you want to know who makes Kirkland Protein Bars first right? In this article, we will learn about their manufacturer and also check what other nutritional value this protein bar offers.
We will check out if these protein bars are healthy or not and many more questions that you may be searching for the answer for.
About The Manufacturer
Costco is an American multinational company and retailer, known for its chain of membership in big-box retail shops. Costco has manufacturing and distribution rights to the Kirkland Protein Bars. As of 2022 Costco was the fifth largest retailer in the world according to wikipedia.
Costco is known as Costco wholesale corporation and it has its headquarters in Issaquah, Washington. On the other hand, the Kirkland Signature brand started its journey in Kirkland, Washington. Thus the big brand name. Eventually, the Kirkland Signature Brand moved to Issaquah as well.
The Costco wholesale corporation is a huge business. Costco has about 804 warehouses all around the world and turns over in excess of $120 billion per year.
The Kirkland Signature Brand
Costco was selling other companies’ products for a while but then decided to start manufacturing products of its own. This is where the Costco Wholesale Corporation started the journey of the Kirkland Signature brand. It is the private label of Costco.
Costco introduced the Kirkland Signature Brand in 1995. Since then the Kirkland Signature Brand has been a game-changer for the Costco Wholesale retailer and it is challenging big brand manufacturers hoping to earn or retain their precious spot at the warehouse retailer. Costco has used its Kirkland product ranges to bring in shoppers en masse, all the while building a reputation for quality and low prices on kitchen towels, toilet paper, t-shirts, butter and even golf clubs bearing the subtle red logo.
Kirkland Signature brand is also responsible for one-third of the profit margin for Costco.
Who makes Kirkland Protein Bars then?
Our inside sources have stated that Kirkland Protein Bars are made by Leclerc Foods USA, which is owned by Leclerc Group, a Canadian manufacturer. Leclerc Foods operate out of premises totaling over 1.8 million sq ft and state on their website that they make over 4 billion bars per year, 2,721,605 kg of crackers per year and a whopping 21,364,050 kg of cookies per year! They make over 800 skus for over 50 (big) customers worldwide. An SKU stands for a stock-keeping unit (basically a product). Groupe Leclerc was founded in 1905 and is a family-owned business. They are a very experienced and reputable manufacturer of crackers, cookies and bars.
Inside The Kirkland Protein Bar
Before you think about buying you probably want to know what’s inside them. To help with this we have listed the ingredients and the nutritional value of the Kirkland Protein Bras below. Here’s what the Kirkland protein bar offers.
🔷 Ingredients
According to Costco’s website, Kirkland Protein Bar ingredients are below:
- Made with Real Chocolate
- 10 grams of Fiber
- 21 grams of Protein
- 10 grams Net Carbs
- 2 grams of Sugar
- Certified Kosher
- Certified Gluten Free
- Contains Milk and Cashews
- Allergen Information: Processed on equipment that also packages products that may contain peanuts, other tree nuts, soy, wheat and eggs
🔷 Nutrition
A protein bar is not worth buying if the nutritional value is not up to spec. Kirkland Protein Bars contain a total of 190 calories per bar. The nutritional values are given below according to the Kirkland protein bar packaging(in 2.1 oz per bar).
- Total fat 7g(11%)
- Saturated fat 2.5g(13%)
- Cholesterol 5mg(2%)
- Sodium 190 mg(8%)
- Potassium 0mg
- Total carbohydrate 22g(7%)
- Dietary Fiber 15gm(60%)
- Sugar 1gm
- Protein 21gm(42%)
🔷 Taste
How do Kirkland Protein Bars taste is the next big question we need to answer? As with many things in life taste is a subjective matter but Kirkland seems to be nailing it with 4.5 stars out of 5 stars for 5200 reviews on the Costco website.
Kirkland protein bars have 3 different flavors: peanut butter, chocolate brownie, and chocolate chip cookie dough. Costco has claimed the Kirkland Protein bar to be 100% real chocolate. The majority of people prefer the chocolate brownie and the chocolate chip cookie dough to the peanut butter one looking at the reviews.
Kirkland Protein Bars Review
These days protein bars are one of the most profitable businesses out there. So, almost everyone is trying to get a piece of the pie. Now the question is how well is the Kirkland protein bar doing in this race.
🔷 What Makes a Protein Bar Good?
According to Men’s Health magazine, a protein bar should follow the below criteria
- It cannot have more than 300 calories.
- It must have low sugar.
- A minimum of 5 grams of fiber is necessary
- At least 20 grams of protein.
🔷 Does The Kirkland Protein Bar Follow These Criteria?
Costco Kirkland Signature Protein bar does indeed beat this benchmark. It contains 2 grams of sugar, 21 grams of protein, and 10 grams of fiber. This is a big tick for the Kirkland Protein Bar.
🔷 Pricing
Another important factor is the pricing. No one really wants to break the bank by buying protein bars. The good news is that Kirkland protein bars are very well priced and offer a significant saving on the competition. Although pricing is subject to change!
🔷 Reviews summary
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough flavour bars currently have over 5000 reviews with an average 4.5 star rating. Positive reviews (4-5 star) talk about great taste, “outstanding protein bars” and “cookie dough is my favourite flavour” while the inevitable 1-3 star reviews complain about a recipe change several years ago, “Less carbs and better before fda change in ingredients” and also complaints about price increases.
FAQs
How many calories does Kirkland Protein bar have?
190 Calories per bar(2.1 oz)
Are Kirkland Protein bars healthy?
Yes, Kirkland Protein bars are healthy. They are considered to be a great source of protein despite having flavors like chocolate chip cookies.
Are Kirkland Protein bars Gluten-free?
Yes, all the Kirkland protein bars are certified Gluten-free.
Are Kirkland Protein bars vegan?
Yes, Kirkland protein bars are vegan. They are 100% Soy and Dairy-free and also non-GMO.
What brand are Kirkland Protein bars?
Kirkland Signature brand. Costco’s privately owned brand.
Are Kirkland Protein Bars Good for Weight Loss?
The research done by women’s health mag here confirms that Kirkland type protein bars are a good help with weight loss as they can act as meal replacements, suppress appetite and provide a variety of nutrients. With that said they should only ever be part of a balanced diet.
Kirkland Protein Bars vs Quest
Our research team compared the two bars and here is the verdict,
Kirkland Protein Bars- Price $1 per bar (only available in large boxes), Taste – Superb, especially Cookie Dough (my favorite!), Texture-A little chewy, but not hard, Flavour Options- Only 4 flavors are available.
Quest Protein Bars-Price $2.30 av retail price, can buy single bars, Taste – Pleasant with that distinctive “Quest” flavor, TExture – Slightly chewy, but softer than Kirkland Protein Bars, Flavour Options – Over 20 Flavours available. Nutrition and Ingredients wise the bars compare very closely. If you want a single bar, Quest may be the way but for us, the Kirkland Bars win out overall.
Conclusion
Protein bars can be a good source of calcium,iron, fiber, vitamin B and potassium. They can assist in growing muscle mass and can also promote weight loss. Another cool factor, protein bars can be a good meal replacement or post-workout snack!
The Whomakehub team thinks Kirkland Protein bars offer a great deal at their current price point and lots of people love the product too which says a lot. You can really trust Costco with its great track record and so it’s a thumbs up from us on the Kirkland Protein Bars!
