The Italian Brand That Makes Costco's Kirkland Signature Aged Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese

You can find Costco's Kirkland Signature label just about everywhere throughout the membership warehouse store. Although it's not always easy to determine which company manufactures each product, you won't have a problem finding out who makes Costco's Kirkland Signature Aged Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. The company name, Zanetti S.P.A., is on the package label, along with the two seals that guarantee the cheese is genuine Parmigiano Reggiano from a Protected Designation of Origin, or PDO (DOP in Italian, for Denominazione d'Origine Protetta).

The concept behind the European Union's PDO designation is that location influences taste and quality, just as locally sourced ingredients and traditional production methods do. Think about how terroir matters for coffee beans and winemaking because it affects each product's flavor, and this idea will make sense. Costco has long stressed its commitment to selling products under its Kirkland Signature brand that are "designed to be of equal or better quality than national brands," according to the company profile on the Costco website. It follows logically that the retail giant would partner with Zanetti, Italy's largest exporter of Parmigiano Reggiano, to bring high-quality, value-priced cheese to its store shelves under the Kirkland label.

Italy's Consorzio del Formaggio Parmigiano Reggiano, or Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese Consortium, sets production and labeling standards, and inspects the mature wheels of cheese before they are sold. These standards ensure that every wedge or 72-pound wheel you buy at Costco will be the tasty, high-quality Italian cheese you expect. Customers and reviewers agree that the Kirkland Signature Parmigiano Reggiano cheese is a top-notch product. America's Test Kitchen gave it a thumbs-up for taste and value. And popular YouTubers Jessi & Alessio compared Parmigiano Reggiano from Costco and Whole Foods, and declared Costco's cheese the winner.

You can also find rave reviews from obsessed fans everywhere from Reddit to Pitmaster Club where initial poster MBMorgan calls the cheese "about [as] good as it gets ... and at a MUCH lower price point than you'll find elsewhere." It's true that Costco's offering is very competitively priced. As of August 2024, the price of Kirkland Signature Parmigiano Reggiano was $10.99 per pound, with a 72-pound wheel going for $949.99.