The German Company That Makes Costco's Kirkland Brand Greek Yogurt

In our latest edition of digging into which brands are behind your favorite Costco products, we're turning our attention to a breakfast staple: Greek yogurt. We've already illuminated the source that's behind Costco's boxed wine, Kirkland Signature chocolate-covered almonds, and food court pizza dough, but when it comes to our favorite protein and probiotic-packed dairy product, we have a key suspect for its source.

Thanks to the book "Disciplined Growth Strategies," we have some insight from author Peter S. Cohan about who may supply Costco's Kirkland Signature Organic Greek Nonfat Yogurt. It may come from Ehrmann, a German dairy company that's been around since 1920. While this link hasn't been confirmed by Costco, Cohan names the company as a private label manufacturer for the membership-based warehouse chain, along with a few other brands like Green Mountain Creamery and Liebe. 

In 2019, Ehrmann was bought by the Lactalis Group of France, a dairy mega-business that owns major brands like Stonyfield Organic and Siggi's. Today, Ehrmann has locations all over the world (including ones in Brazil, China, and Poland), although none in the U.S.

If Green Mountain Creamery's Greek Nonfat Yogurt is, in fact, the same as Costco's Kirkland brand version, here are a few extra factoids we know about this dairy product. It's made sans artificial flavors and preservatives, with rBST-free Grade A milk. It contains quite a few live cultures typical of Greek yogurt, including S. thermophilus, which is a variety of "good" bacteria for your gut. And of course, it's high in protein, as a 150-gram serving boasts 15 grams of the nutrient.

Aside from its plain, nonfat Greek yogurt, Ehrmann offers a wide variety of delicious-sounding dairy products that we don't often see in the U.S. Its Almighurt selection, which comes in cute glass jars, is made using Allgäu milk from its family-run farm — which is located in Allgäu, a German region famous for its brown cattle and high-quality meat and dairy. You'll find classic flavors like strawberry, raspberry, and lemon, but also tasty alternatives like kiwi-gooseberry, Russian cheesecake, poppy seed marzipan, and stracciatella. 

In addition, the company sells high protein mousses in flavors like salted caramel, pistachio, and passionfruit, along with puddings, beverages, and skyr. Ehrmann also makes quark, a soft cheese that's typically eaten with a spoon. So while Costco's Greek yogurt is delicious, it's really the tip of the iceberg for the rest of the offerings from its alleged source.