Introduction
Kirkland is a private label brand owned and produced by Costco. The Kirkland dog food line was launched in the early 2000s when Costco began developing premium private label products to sell under the Kirkland brand. Kirkland dog food is manufactured by Diamond Pet Foods in its facilities in the United States. Kirkland offers both dry dog food and canned dog food, and their formulas include both grain-free and grain-inclusive recipes.
This article will provide an overview of any recalls issued for Kirkland brand dog food. Recalls are an important part of oversight and quality control in the pet food industry, and it’s essential dog owners are informed about any safety issues or contamination related to their chosen brand of dog food. We’ll cover the details of any past Kirkland recalls, looking at when they occurred, what caused them, how many products/batches were affected, and the response from Kirkland/Costco.
History of Kirkland Brand
The Kirkland brand is owned by Costco, the American membership-only warehouse club. Costco introduced the Kirkland Signature line in 1992 to offer premium private label products to its members. The idea was to provide high-quality items at a lower cost compared to national brands.
Kirkland products are manufactured by various third-party companies and made according to Costco’s specifications. Costco sources ingredients from trusted suppliers around the world. For example, Kirkland dog food is produced by Diamond Pet Foods in several manufacturing facilities across the United States. Diamond gets ingredients like chicken, lamb, rice, and vegetables from global suppliers to create Kirkland pet food formulas.
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Kirkland Dog Food Recalls
There have been two recalls of Kirkland dog food over the years, with the most recent one occurring in 2012. In March 2007, there was a voluntary recall of various wet dog food products due to potential melamine contamination (Class et al). Melamine was an industrial chemical that had contaminated wheat gluten and rice protein from China, and it caused kidney problems in dogs. The affected Kirkland products were part of a massive recall affecting over 100 brands.
The more significant Kirkland recall came in May 2012, when Diamond Pet Foods announced a voluntary recall of Kirkland Signature Dog Food produced at one of its facilities. This recall involved several Kirkland dry dog food formulas that had potential Salmonella contamination. Salmonella can cause serious infections in dogs, with symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, and fever. Over two dozen people also got sick after handling the contaminated pet food. The FDA found Salmonella during an inspection of the Diamond facility in South Carolina, which prompted the precautionary recall.
The likely factors leading to Salmonella contamination included issues at the Diamond plant like improper handling and sanitation protocols. Diamond Pet Foods were linked to multiple recalls around this time due to similar contamination at its facilities. The large-scale production and risk of cross-contamination at major manufacturing plants can increase the risk of bacterial growth if proper safety processes are not rigorously followed.
2007 Recall
In March 2007, Kirkland Signature Super Premium Adult Dog Lamb, Rice and Vegetable Formula dry dog food produced by Diamond Pet Foods was recalled due to potential melamine contamination (https://tlcpetsitter.com/possible-recall-for-kirkland-pet-food/).
Melamine is a chemical commonly used to manufacture plastics that was illegally added to wheat gluten and rice protein imported from China. The melamine contamination triggered a massive recall affecting over 100 brands of cat and dog foods (https://truthaboutpetfood.com/reports-of-possible-problems-with-kirkland-dog-food/).
The recall affected over 60 million packages of wet and dry dog and cat foods produced by Diamond Pet Foods at facilities in Gaston, South Carolina; New York; and California. No numbers were provided on how many Kirkland Signature packages were affected. The recall included all Kirkland Signature Super Premium Adult Dog Lamb, Rice and Vegetable Formula dated prior to March 7, 2007 (https://tlcpetsitter.com/possible-recall-for-kirkland-pet-food/).
Melamine toxicity caused kidney failure in thousands of dogs and cats and is estimated to have killed hundreds to thousands of pets before the contamination was discovered and foods were recalled (https://truthaboutpetfood.com/reports-of-possible-problems-with-kirkland-dog-food/).
2012 Recall
On May 4, 2012, Diamond Pet Foods announced a voluntary recall of three Kirkland Signature dog food formulas due to potential salmonella contamination (https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-recall/kirkland-dog-food-recall/). The recalled products were:
- Kirkland Signature Super Premium Adult Dog Lamb, Rice & Vegetable Formula (Best Before December 9, 2012 through January 31, 2013)
- Kirkland Signature Super Premium Adult Dog Chicken, Rice & Vegetable Formula (Best Before December 9, 2012 through January 31, 2013)
- Kirkland Signature Super Premium Mature Dog Chicken, Rice & Egg Formula (Best Before December 9, 2012 through January 31, 2013)
The recall was issued after Diamond Pet Foods detected salmonella in its Gaston, South Carolina manufacturing facility. Kirkland dog food is manufactured by Diamond Pet Foods, so several Kirkland products were affected (https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-recall/kirkland-dog-food-recall/).
No exact number of dogs impacted was provided, but the recall covered dog food produced during a nearly 2 month period from December 2011 through January 2012. The products were sold in Costco stores so likely reached tens of thousands of customers across the United States and Canada.
Preventing Future Recalls
After the recalls in 2007 and 2012, Kirkland brand made several changes to prevent future issues. They implemented more stringent quality control protocols and testing procedures at their manufacturing facilities.
Kirkland now has strict quality control measures in place to ensure product consistency and safety (https://fastercapital.com/keyword/strict-quality-control-measures.html). This includes extensive testing of raw ingredients, in process monitoring, and final product inspections. All Kirkland products go through quality checks at multiple points throughout production.
They also utilize advanced instrumentation and technology for quality control per food industry recommendations (https://www.cheesemarketnews.com/articlearch/2017/04_07_17.pdf). This allows them to closely analyze the chemical and microbial composition of their pet foods. If any irregularities are detected, the product batch can be flagged before distribution.
These stringent protocols help ensure that Kirkland maintains high standards for safety and quality. They allow issues to be identified and addressed quickly, before they lead to widespread product recalls.
Kirkland Recall Frequency
Despite a handful of recalls over the years, Kirkland dog food has a relatively low recall frequency compared to other major pet food brands. According to Truthaboutpetfood.com, there were only 45 pet food recalls excluding Salmonella, Listeria, and E. coli between 2007 and 2017 – an average of just 4-5 recalls per year across the entire pet food industry. With only two voluntary recalls in that 10-year period, Kirkland’s recall rate is below the industry average.
An analysis by Petful.com comparing Kirkland to other popular brands like Purina, Iams, and Blue Buffalo showed Kirkland tied for the second lowest number of recalls. This suggests Kirkland has good quality control and manufacturing processes in place to minimize the chance of contaminated ingredients or production issues necessitating a recall.
While any recall indicates room for improvement, Kirkland’s infrequent recalls compared to large competitors demonstrate their commitment to pet safety and nutrition. Pet owners can feel confident that Kirkland dog food meets high safety and quality standards with limited risk of future recalls.
Customer Impacts
The recalls of Kirkland dog food in 2007 and 2012 caused concern and alarm among many customers. Some customers reported their dogs becoming ill after eating the recalled products, experiencing symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, and lethargy (Source).
Many customers lost trust in the Kirkland brand after the recalls. Some felt the company was not transparent enough about the reasons behind the recalls and details of affected products (Source). Others switched to different dog food brands they perceived as higher quality and less prone to recalls.
In response, Kirkland emphasized that the recalls affected only a small portion of products and stated that they take all customer concerns seriously. The company said they improved quality control measures to help prevent future recalls (Source). However, some customers remained skeptical of Kirkland’s commitments to quality and transparency.
Industry Comparison
When compared to other major dog food brands, Kirkland has had relatively few recalls. According to The Top 5 Manufacturers of Recalled Pet Food, brands like Smucker and Purina have had significantly more recalls than Kirkland. For example, Smucker had 78 recalls in 2007-2008 alone. Other brands like Purina, Pedigree, and Iams have also had numerous recalls over the years.
Kirkland only had two significant recalls in 2007 and 2012. This suggests their manufacturing and quality control processes may be better than some competitors. As noted by Dog Food Advisor, Kirkland has not had any recalls since 2012. Many other brands continue to have periodic recalls up to the present day.
The lower frequency of recalls indicates Kirkland dog food may have higher safety and quality standards compared to brands that have had numerous or recent recalls. Consumers looking for dog foods with strong safety records may have more confidence purchasing Kirkland based on their recall history.
Conclusion
In summary, Kirkland dog food has had two major recalls in its history in 2007 and 2012. Both were related to potential salmonella contamination. While any recall is concerning, having only two isolated incidents over more than two decades shows Kirkland’s strong commitment to pet safety. Their swift and thorough actions during the recalls prevented any known pet illnesses.
For pet owners, Kirkland offers quality nutrition at an affordable price point. Their rigorous supplier standards and in-house testing give confidence in their products. While vigilance is always wise when choosing pet foods, Kirkland’s track record inspires trust.
Based on their historical commitment to quality and safety, Kirkland remains a recommended brand for dog owners. While isolated recalls are possible in any brand, Kirkland’s full transparency and responsible handling of past issues is reassuring. There are no perfect pet food manufacturers, but Kirkland continues to be a leading choice.