Private label liquor sales surge at Costco

Sales of Costco Wholesale’s Kirkland Signature-branded liquors have soared, noted a Bloomberg News article posted last week on Bloomberg.com. The article attributed a 46 percent increase in alcohol sales over the past five years in part to the “cult status” of Costco’s Kirkland Signature-branded wine and spirits.

“Many customers swear by the private label products, and some are even convinced that the spirits actually are top-shelf liquors such as Grey Goose and Tanqueray, hidden behind Costco packaging,” the article stated.

In the latest fiscal year, alcohol brought in $3.8 billion for Issaquah, Wash.-based Costco, with wine sales making up nearly half of the total. The retailer introduced Kirkland Signature wine in 2003, followed by spirits in 2007. The company also has a line of private brand craft beers.

To read the article, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-03-16/costco-s-private-label-booze-helps-warm-spirits-during-dry-spell.