The Big Brand Behind Costco's Kirkland Signature Cranberry Juice

The United States is the country that produces more cranberries than any other in the world. Not only that, but according to The Wall Street Journal, 65% of cranberries distributed worldwide are produced by a single American company — Ocean Spray. The brand's very first product was actually the famous (or infamous, depending on which camp you're in) jellied cranberry sauce introduced in 1930. Today, the company makes a wide variety of cranberry products, including Kirkland Signature Cranberry Juice Blend.

The brands behind your favorite Costco Kirkland products are often kept hush-hush, but sometimes, Costco recognizes the weight of a big household name and chooses to co-brand. Ocean Spray's name and logo are therefore proudly displayed on the label of the juice blend, right under Kirkland's standard branding. Costco carries another Kirkland Signature cranberry juice as well called Organic Cranberry Juice Cocktail, which is not co-branded with Ocean Spray, though the same company may or may not still manufacture it. There's a sweet difference between cranberry juice and cranberry cocktail that goes beyond what's written on the label — the cocktail comes sweetened, while the juice is only made of fruit.

Costco sells the two Kirkland Signature cranberry drinks alongside the name-branded Ocean Spray one, and you might be wondering what's the difference between the three. The co-branded cranberry juice is actually a blend of cranberry, apple, and grape juice. It's made from concentrate and doesn't have any added sugar. Kirkland's cranberry cocktail that's not co-branded only includes cranberries on the fruit front, comes with added sugar, is certified organic, and isn't made from concentrate. Finally, the name-branded Ocean Spray cranberry juice is also labeled as a sweetened cocktail. It doesn't contain any other fruits and comes from concentrate.

Price-wise, the two Kirkland Signature products are slightly cheaper. At $10 for two massive 96-ounce jugs, you're paying $0.05 per ounce. In comparison, Ocean Spray's cranberry juice sells for $15 and comes in a 12-pack, where each bottle holds about 15 ounces. This comes out to around $0.08 per ounce, or $1.25 per bottle. That said, the smaller bottles are more convenient if you're taking them on the go or don't intend to use up a large amount of juice in a short amount of time.