Why Some Costco Customers Aren't Feeling This High-Protein Kirkland Snack

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Dried beef sticks are a perfectly portable snack. But the price of the on-the-go goodie is known for being as high as its protein content. It stands to reason that quality store-bought beef jerky is expensive, but dried beef sticks are getting up there in price too. Popular brands like Chomps and Archers cost a couple of dollars per ounce, on average, which is what makes Costco's Kirkland Signature Grass-Fed Beef Sticks such an appealing choice. Each stick has 10 grams of protein, zero sugar, and at $14.99 for 12 sticks, is a more reasonable price than many comparable products. And many reviewers are down for the savings.

The Kirkland Signature Grass-Fed Beef Sticks get an average rating of 3.8 stars out of 5 on the Costco site, and the majority of reviewers have positive things to say about the flavor of the product. "Great taste, good size, and best price on the market," one reviewer says. "Favorite new jerky. Not greasy/fatty and chew level is great, not over-salted. Spice level is on milder side," says another reviewer. On Reddit, reviewers say the sticks are their new favorite. "Chomps were a staple in our house until these landed in our warehouse two weeks ago. I'm 100% sold," comments a buyer.

But it turns out Costco shoppers aren't necessarily in agreement that these beef sticks are as good as the competitors' brands. And the main themes seem to be the texture and flavor profile.

A number of reviewers have complaints about the texture of the Kirkland Signature Grass-fed Beef Sticks. "The beef sticks were VERY DRY and hard. I almost choked on them due to them being so dry! Will not buy again," a reviewer says. Another shopper comments " Very disappointing, dry, hard and chewy... back to Chomps or Archer." 

Other shoppers were also disappointed with the flavor profile. "It's the most horrible thing I ever tried in Costco. I am honestly shocked that anyone can eat it, it's hardly chewable and has no flavor," a buyer complains. "The flavor was bland but also left a weird aftertaste. I actually had to double check the packaging to make sure these weren't made for dogs," comments a shopper. Ouch. 

Fortunately, there are alternatives to Kirkland Signature Grass-Fed Beef Sticks that also feature a reasonable price per stick. Target's Good & Gather Beef Sticks are made with grass-fed beef and come in a pack of eight for $13.59, which is pricier than Kirkland's but less costly than some comparable options. "The quality of the beef stick was delicious overall," says a buyer of the 4.4-star Target option. Of course, considering that Costco has such great deals on beef, another idea is to DIY homemade beef jerky in the air fryer or make beef jerky in the oven.