10 International Costco Kirkland Products We Wish Were In The US

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Have you ever wondered what it might be like cruising the aisles of a Costco abroad in search of Kirkland food items that can't be found domestically? Naturally, the warehouse offers a broad selection of locally-sourced items that fit the regional palate. You're also likely to find international Kirkland items in the U.S., everything from grass-fed New Zealand butter to imported French Brie. It makes enjoying a taste of the world's table easy for shoppers in the U.S., and it's cheaper than booking a flight across the pond.

But few products found in Costco locations outside the States are offered under the Kirkland Signature label. Searching around online reveals several options at international Costco stores that can only be purchased in-country or online. Some of the items like Kirkland semi-sweet chocolate chips are coveted creations that U.S. shoppers have seen disappear from their stores. Others, like fresh deli-packed paella, are specialty offerings that celebrate the heritage and ingredients of the region — in other words, Costco finds you won't see on shelves in the U.S.

We did a little digging to find the international Kirkland items we'd love to see stocked in U.S. Costco someday, even if only for a limited time. Many of these purchases are part of the U.K. catalog and appear on the Costco U.K. website, making them available to a host of countries all at once. Maybe someday they'll join the U.S. portfolio to expand the Kirkland line for domestic shoppers. Fingers crossed.

They're not the kind of crêpes you cook in a frying pan, but they promise to be just as delicious and a whole lot easier to enjoy. Imagine having a box of milk chocolate covered crisps waiting in your pantry, tempting you every time you reach in for something healthier to snack on. Sounds decadent, right? The lucky shoppers at Costco U.K. can indulge whenever they like; U.S. shoppers have to gaze in envy through the glass. Drat.

These teatime biscuits are made in the Brittany region in France from a recipe that's been in use for more than 100 years. They're coated in Belgian chocolate, pulling together some of the finest European elements for a treat that transcends simple cookies. It wouldn't take much for sweet snack fans in the U.S. to discover how sumptuous the combination is, if only we could be so lucky as to have these U.K. and Europe-only Kirkland goodies appear in our Costco locations someday.

The ever-elusive semi-sweet chocolate chips that disappeared from U.S. Costco locations appear to be available in stores in the U.K. and France. It's a long way to travel just to pick up a few bags of this highly popular Kirkland item that Costco stopped selling in America and may never sell again. Knowing how fervent shoppers' love for the oversized bag of candy mix-ins is, it might not be out of the question for gourmet tourists to plan excursions abroad simply to pick up a few bags. The odds are low, but never entirely zero.

Just as sure as you find Kirkland items being re-sold on Amazon in America, you can find Kirkland Signature chocolate chips available on Amazon.eu, suggesting that third-party providers know the value of these sweet bits. While overseas shoppers are snatching up creamy chocolate morsels by the bagful, we domestic shoppers eagerly await the day when we can do the same again.

It seems like a no-brainer that Kirkland Signature would have introduced a version of Nutella to capture members' hearts and shopping dollars. Even if the idea hasn't arrived on domestic shores, U.K. Costco carries a house label hazelnut chocolate spread that rivals the name-brand version. It comes in a 2.2-pound jar and uses rapeseed oil instead of palm oil, an ingredient found in the American version of classic Nutella.

The fact that Nutella was a European product originally created in Italy makes the prospect of Costco offering a self-branded version a truly capitalist move. Why wouldn't the company duplicate the formula to rake in more money in a market that has loved original Nutella for generations? The big mystery is why the company wouldn't do something similar in the U.S., where the hazelnut spread has taken on its own culinary mythology in the past several years. This could be a Kirkland item that tastes better than the original and comes at a sweeter price, too.

Should Costco shift practices and bring its hazelnut chocolate spread to the States, it would be another win for a company that knows how to keep its customers satisfied with its boutique label offerings. For now, we make do with real Nutella and hope the company sees fit to "spread" the love with its stateside stores.

In Japan, the Costco food court shows off a specialty item you can't get anywhere else, in the form of the bulgogi bake. It's the equivalent of the chicken bake, but with tender beef, cheese, and green onions for zesty flavor. It's a natural substitute for the beloved U.S. version, but with an Asian twist that makes sense for local diners.

Shoppers who've given the bulgogi bake a try say it's a must-have item. Based on the Instagram review videos, it looks like a wrapped take on a steak sandwich, something that's sure to go over like gangbusters with Americans. It would provide an alternative for Costco diners who favor a beefier take on the tube sandwich, a major draw for the warehouse's hot food operation. Should someone start a petition to get Costco moving in the bulgogi bake direction, or would a write-in campaign be a better idea?

When you've worked your way through all the beef jerky brands on the market and you're ready for something a little more deluxe, Kirkland Signature steak strips are the next-level snack you're craving. It's a shame you can only get them in U.K. locations; these beefy bits would be a perfect addition to the snack section of Costcos in the U.S.

These extra thick slabs are 98% fat free and contain no gluten, which makes them a perfect snack or supplement for anyone on a high protein or a keto eating plan. With a warning about ordering limitations due to popularity on the website, there's no question that Costco has a hit on its hands. This could be a signal that someday the company will expand production into the U.S. market to give Slim Jim fans more premium Kirkland options. Differing food standards between the U.S. and the U.K. suggest that these strips could be a Costco Kirkland food item that tastes different than our palates are used to — which might be a good thing.

What better way to represent the tasty continental traditions than with a contemporary Kirkland signature version of classic tea cakes? This array comes pre-made, saving you mess and labor and getting you straight to the sweet, relaxing afternoon break you need. Naturally, this sumptuous spread is a U.K. product, honoring the truest spirit of tea time in affordable fashion. And that's not to mention how fancy and adorable your table would look displaying a host of half-sized confections.

In this miniaturized pastry collection, you get five each of chocolate eclairs, finger donuts, fruit scones, Black Forest muffins, carrot cake, chocolate brownies, custard slices, and cheesecake slices. Whew. It's like a doll-sized pastry shop situation with enough confections to keep you and your guests well-fed. This would be just the thing America needs to introduce the concept of tea time to the domestic crowd that goes for hours-old coffee and vending machine snacks when the afternoon munchies hit.

Imagine how elegant your weekend party or celebratory shower would be if you had a platter of finger sandwiches prepared ahead of time by Costco deli? If you're located in the U.K., you can do just that. This charming arrangement is a tasty alternative to making your own finger sandwiches that lets customers grab a complete selection of small bites on the way to their special occasion.

The selection includes 24 strip-like sandwich slivers filled with ham and cheese, egg and mayonnaise, salmon and cream cheese, and coronation chicken, a curry-based filling originally created in 1953 to celebrate the ascendance of Queen Elizabeth II to the throne. It's an array of perfectly British tastes akin to American options like egg salad and chicken salad, prepared in a form that aligns with the culinary preferences of an English audience. But plenty of Americans would be happy to display these posh bites on a party table to show just how global our sensibilities are when it comes to celebratory fare.

There's a rich heritage behind paella, the classic combination of meats, seafood, and vegetables slow-cooked over rice that caramelizes as the flavors blend. At Costco locations in Mexico, customers can find a Kirkland Signature take on the timeless dish in the heat-and-eat section of the warehouse that gets paella on the table in short order. You don't even need to know how the recipe is supposed to go in order to enjoy this regional favorite.

The Kirkland prepared food version of paella features shrimp alongside sizable chunks of chicken and mini-sausages, a mixed bag of all the best things a proper paella should have. It all comes on a bed of rice, likely to be seasoned with saffron, if Kirkland follows the tradition to the letter. And it's one of those assembled dishes that simply needs a little time in the oven in order to be ready to dig in to. It would be a savory way to bring the flavors of Euro-Mediterranean heritage a little closer to home, if only we didn't have to travel south of the border in order to grab a few packages. We'll keep an eye out for it in the prepared meal section of our Costco locations to see if it washes up on local shores.

Victoria sandwiches consist of two buttery layers of cake sponge with a sweet jam and cream spread inside, sometimes with a layer of strawberries in the center. These old-fashioned treats are a natural fit for the bakery sections in European Costco locales and can be found in Iceland and U.K. warehouses, helping keep a tasty tradition alive.

A six-pack of these generous cakes runs for about $9 in U.S. currency. Rather than offering a full-size, Costco swaps the sponge for a cupcake-sized bake but keeps the cream filling and jam intact. The result is a single-serving version of a vintage bake that goes perfectly with a cup of coffee or tea. Consider them a winsome English-style step-up from the usual muffins, which some Costco shoppers think have changed for the worse. If we had mini Victoria sandwiches on hand as an alternative, we could sidestep the troublesome muffins without having to leave the bakery section empty handed. Maybe someday.

If chocolate and vanilla soft serve sound a little overdone on the U.S. Costco snack bar dessert menu, bringing matcha soft serve from Costco Japan might provide a much-needed shake-up. The chain offers this vibrant green version of its standard ice cream stand-in as a dessert option at the Costco café, available in cup or cone. If reviewers like Only in Japan can be believed, the matcha flavor is as mighty as the vivid green color. There's a bit of surprise involved in the taste test, thanks to the low price of 300 yen, or about $1.88 in U.S. dollars — a bargain similar to the usual soft serve options.

Clever Americans have shared a handy hack for making your own Costco matcha soft serve, in case the company never brings the option across the Pacific. It's a simple mix of a matcha powder served in the warehouse mixed into a cup of soft serve — voilà, a homemade take on a Costco Japan selection without having to cash in your miles.