Are Costco's New Egg Bites a True Starbucks Dupe? I Tried Both

Out of all the tools that Costco uses to provide exceptional value to its members, its line of Kirkland Signature products is undoubtedly one of the most important. The private-label grocery brand features a wide array of food, household, and other items that are beloved for their consistent quality and affordable prices, from the $4.99 rotisserie chicken to the $5.99 pumpkin pie. The Kirkland line is constantly expanding, too, since Costco often develops new private-label products when it believes it can't provide the absolute best value with certain name-brand items.

As Costco CFO Gary Millerchip noted in a May 2024 earnings call: "If we are unsuccessful in delivering ultimate value with branded goods, we evaluate the potential for new high-quality Kirkland Signature items with a goal of providing at least 20% value versus what we would sell the national brand item."

One of the newest and most buzzworthy Kirkland Signature items to hit shelves recently is sous vide egg bites, a refrigerated item first spotted this past June. The Kirkland Signature Egg Bites appear to be the warehouse club's version of the sous vide egg bites that have been sold in Starbucks stores for years. The retailer also previously sold frozen Starbucks-brand egg bites, but in true Costco fashion, it has stopped offering the Starbucks brand now that it has a lower-priced Kirkland version on the market.

According to some shoppers, Costco's attempt to replicate Starbucks' iteration was a complete success. Several have already declared the Kirkland Signature egg bites an exact replica of the Starbucks bites. (For the record, customers have said the frozen Starbucks bites sold at Costco tasted "exactly like" the ones available in Starbucks stores.)

"Kirkland Egg Bites are Starbucks," one shopper asserted in a recent Reddit post. "You won't convince me otherwise."

Others, however, disagree and say the Kirkland iteration's taste, texture, and quality are a far cry from the original. So, to determine whether or not the new Kirkland egg bites live up to Starbucks' version amid all of this discord, I recently sampled both in a tasting showdown.

The Method

To get the most accurate picture of how the Kirkland Signature and Starbucks egg bites stack up, I made sure to try every flavor I could find from both brands. The Kirkland line includes uncured bacon and gouda egg bites, as well as an egg white variety with cheese and roasted red peppers. Meanwhile, Starbucks stores offer Bacon & Gruyère Egg Bites, Egg White & Roasted Red Pepper Egg Bites, and Kale & Mushroom Egg Bites.

I heated up both Kirkland Signature varieties in a toaster oven per the package instructions after picking up all three Starbucks flavors, then compared the flavor, texture, and appearance of both brands. The importance of such a comparison? Well, if the Kirkland Signature bites are actually just as good as Starbucks', shoppers could potentially save tons of money by grabbing a box at Costco instead of hitting up their local Starbucks store.

Each 10-pack of Kirkland bites sells for just $11.99, which is significantly lower than what it would cost to order 10 egg bites at my local Starbucks in central New Jersey right now ($29.06). The Kirkland bites are also slightly more affordable than the frozen Starbucks egg bites previously sold at Costco ($14.79), though customers on social media have reported that the Starbucks version is being phased out at many warehouses right now.

Read on for my reviews of both egg bite options, followed by my verdict on whether the Kirkland iteration truly rivals Starbucks'.

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Starbucks

Starbucks offers a few varieites of its eggs bites, all of which are made with cage-free eggs and cooked using the French sous vide technique, which involves preparing vaccum-sealed food in a temperature controlled water bath. Choose from Bacon & Gruyère, Egg White & Roasted Red Pepper, and Kale & Mushroom. A two-count order of each flavor cost me $5.45, totaling $17.43 after tax.

The look: All of the Starbucks egg bites were large enough to offer at least a couple mouthfuls of food, making them filling enough to be enjoyed as breakfast or a snack. The Bacon & Gruyère bites had a decent portion of bacon on top, though it wasn't very well distributed. The egg white variety was studded with bits of pepper and spinach, while the Kale & Mushroom Egg Bites had an eye-catching light green tint from the kale.

The taste: The Bacon & Gruyère Egg Bites were packed with an impressive amount of flavor from the bits of salty pork and the sharp, slightly funky cheese, while the Kale & Mushroom Egg Bites were earthy and savory thanks to the veggies and Monterey Jack (though a little lacking in terms of seasoning). Though I'm not a huge fan of egg whites on most occasions, I genuinely enjoyed the pepper, spinach, and cheese flavors in the Egg White & Roasted Red Pepper Egg Bites. Coupled with the smooth, slightly firm texture created during the sous vide process, I found these to be a unique, decently tasty, and undeniably convenient option at Starbucks.

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Kirkland Signature

Like Starbucks' version, the Kirkland Signature Uncured Bacon and Gouda Egg Bites are made with cage-free eggs and the sous vide cooking technique. Meanwhile, the Kirkland Signature Egg White Bites are also similar to Starbucks' recipe, featuring roasted red peppers, spinach, Monterey Jack, and cottage cheese. The main difference is that Kirkland adds parmesan. As previously noted, each 10-count box sells for $11.99.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

The look: Identical in size to the Starbucks egg bites—and pretty darn close in appearance as well. The Kirkland Signature Uncured Bacon and Gouda Egg Bites had about the same amount of bacon as Starbucks' version, though it was concealed more by the egg. Meanwhile, the Kirkland Signature Egg White Bites were practically identical to the ones available as Starbucks, as both were speckled with green and red bits of spinach and peppers.

The taste: Both Kirkland egg bite varieties were slightly underseasoned compared to their Starbucks counterparts, but had the same base flavors. I tasted the savory cheese and smoky bacon flavors in the Kirkland version, though these notes weren't as prominent as they were in Starbucks' iteration. Similarly, the Kirkland Signature Egg White Bites do taste of peppers, spinach, and cheese, but the overall flavor is more subtle and underwhelming.

My biggest critique of all, however, has to do with the texture. While the Starbucks bites were smooth and firm, the Kirkland bites were slightly wet and spongy. This didn't completely ruin the experience, but they just didn't have the consistency I expected from something prepared via sous vide.

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The Verdict

The weaker flavor and spongier texture of the new Kirkland Signature egg bites means, unfortunately, that they are not an exact replica of the Starbucks egg bites. That being said, the differences are minimal enough that I see how enticing the Kirkland Signature egg bites could be to someone who already frequently purchases Starbucks' egg bites. Kirkland's flavors are still enjoyable despite being weak, and the value is exceptional. The Kirkland egg bites cost just about $2.40 per two-pack versus $5.45 for a two-pack at Starbucks. Sure, they don't taste or feel exactly like the ones you can score at the coffee giant, but I suspect that they'd be vastly improved with some salt, pepper, hot sauce, and a longer cooking time.

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