Where Costco's Kirkland Batteries Are Made (& The Brand Name Behind Them)

Costco Wholesale shoppers will likely be very familiar with Kirkland Signature, Costco's in-house brand. The superstore sells all sorts of items under the label, from Kirkland brand sheets to toilet paper and coffee. The in-house brand is quite the powerhouse, too, having generated more revenue than both Nike and Coca-Cola! The mystery and beauty of Kirkland is that Costco does not have its own manufacturing. Instead, Costco sells inexpensive home goods items, food, and other products manufactured by third parties under the Kirkland brand, and consumers aren't always entirely clued in on where those goods come from. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, though. Often, Kirkland goods are manufactured by premium brands, with the only difference being that the products have a much lower price tag and the Kirkland Signature red and white label. One of those items includes Kirkland batteries, which are manufactured by Duracell.

Kirkland batteries are very popular, in large part thanks to their low price point, reliability, and longevity. As consumers have been increasingly prioritizing buying products purchased in the United States, shoppers may be happy to learn that Kirkland batteries appear to be manufactured in the USA. However, not all Duracell batteries are made in the U.S. — some are manufactured in China and shipped overseas.

In 2016, the Costco CEO revealed during an interview with Atlanta station WSB-TV that Duracell produces Kirkland Signature batteries. This isn't the first time a premium brand has been revealed as the manufacturer behind Kirkland Signature. The maker of Huggies makes Kirkland Brand diapers, Keurig produces Kirkland K-cups, and Costco's brand of aluminum foil is made by Reynolds. Under the Kirkland Signature label, all of these products are sold at a significantly lower price, too. 

Interestingly enough, Costco actually sells Duracell batteries alongside their Kirkland batteries! A 48-pack of Kirkland Signature AA Batteries costs $15.99, which works out to about 33 cents per battery. Meanwhile, a 40-pack of Duracell Coppertop Alkaline AA batteries costs $20.99, or about 52 cents per battery. Given that Kirkland Signature batteries are manufactured by Duracell, the Kirkland brand appears to be quite the deal!

Duracell makes very high-quality batteries, which is good news for fans of the Kirkland Signature batteries. According to Consumer Search, Duracell batteries are the best overall batteries on the market. However, they're likely not the exact same battery in different packaging. When comparing Kirkland batteries versus name-brand Duracell batteries, Duracell still comes out on top. In a test run by NBS12, the Duracell brand batteries outlasted the Kirkland batteries despite both being manufactured by Duracell.

While Duracell is an American company headquartered in Connecticut, not all Duracell batteries are manufactured in the USA. Duracell manufactures all over the United States, including in Georgia, and is expanding its manufacturing operations to Cleveland, Tennessee, to meet demand for the batteries. Kirkland batteries seem to be included in Duracell's USA manufacturing, as many consumers have reported that the packaging does state the product is made in the USA.

In addition to the United States, Duracell also manufactures batteries in China and Belgium. While batteries made overseas, particularly in China, are often less expensive than batteries manufactured domestically, many consumers in the United States prefer products made domestically due to perceived differences in quality and the desire to support the local economy and job market. While Costco's Kirkland batteries currently appear to be manufactured in the United States, the best way to ensure you're buying a product made in the USA is to check the manufacturing label.