What Happens To Costco's Leftover Bakery Items?

There are many unique features that separate Costco from other grocery chains, from its popular store-exclusive Kirkland Signature brand to the frequently evolving layout of the store. While these practices affect the experience of shoppers, Costco also strives to help people who might never step foot into one of its locations. When it comes to the chain's popular baked goods, including bread, cookies, Danishes, pies, croissants, muffins, and cakes, Costco donates leftover items to food banks and pantries through a charity called Feeding America. The store also donates other perishable goods from its stock once they reach or surpass the best-buy date.

According to Feeding America, Costco has the distinction of being one of the charity's Visionary Partners. To receive that designation, a business or organization must donate a minimum of $4 million to the charity or provide a minimum of 40 million pounds of food-slash-groceries to Feeding America entities. Visionary Partner status can also be earned by donating a combined gift equivalent to a minimum of $2 million and a minimum of 20 million pounds of food and other grocery items. Conscientious consumers can also do their part to make the most of Costco's baked goods. If you have some stale items, such as muffins, kicking around your home, consider repurposing them into a tasty dessert (for example, it's is one of many ways you can take homemade bread pudding to the next level).

Although we live in a society full of modern marvels, technological advancements, and seemingly countless billionaires, people continue to go hungry in so many parts of the world. And many consumers have become fed up with food waste on the corporate level, as illustrated by a TikTok dumpster diving video involving Whole Foods, which made it appear that the store was tossing perfectly good items that could potentially go to people in need. According to the Food Research & Action Center, 47 million people in the U.S. had difficulty accessing affordable, nutrient-rich foods in 2023. On a global scale, the World Food Programme estimates that 319 million people in 67 nations experience "acute hunger," meaning that lack of access to sufficient food has endangered lives and employment.

It may seem like there isn't a lot you can do on an individual level, but where you spend your money sends a message. It's at least plausible that patronizing businesses which take a real stand against American food insecurity could influence others to do the same. In the case of Costco, the warehouse retail giant also continues to support its equality initiatives and devotes itself to charitable causes beyond Feeding America (including the American Red Cross and its own Volunteer Reading Program).