Costco is quietly discontinuing two Kirkland Signature craft beers, including an award-winning brew fans have called “one of the best lagers on the market.”

The move will end sales of the highly prized Kirkland Signature Helles Lager and Kirkland Signature Vintage Ale, according to Craft Business Daily (CBD).

The beers were co-branded with Oregon-based craft brewery Deschutes Brewery. CEO Peter Skrbek announced the decision in an early July note to distributors, according to the outlet.

Production is slated to scale back as soon as this month, with the beers expected to disappear from most warehouse locations by September or October, according to VinePair. The wholesale warehouse will continue selling its already-brewed inventory until supplies run out, the outlet added.

COSTCO CEO SAYS 1 ITEM IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVERYTHING ELSE SOLD IN THE STORE

Cases of Kirkland Signature Helles-Style Lager are displayed at a Costco Wholesale store on May 15, 2026, in San Diego, California. (Kevin Carter / Getty Images)

No official reason was given for the end of the two-year partnership. The two Deschutes-brewed products are the only beers in Costco’s current private-label portfolio. 

According to VinePair, the beers were first launched in December 2024 and each sold in 12-packs for $13.99.  

WHY COSTCO HOT DOGS HAVE KEPT $1.50 PRICE TAG SINCE 1985

Cases of beer sit stacked on pallets at a Costco Wholesale Corp. store in San Antonio, Texas, U.S., on Wednesday, May 30, 2018.  (Callaghan O’Hare/Bloomberg / Getty Images)

Both products quickly became fan favorites, with shoppers praising their quality and low price point. 

The World Beer Cup, one of the most respected beer competitions in the world, awarded Kirkland Signature Helles Lager a silver medal in 2025 and a bronze medal in 2026. 

“This is one of the best lagers on the market, especially at the price and I’m going to miss it,” one Reddit user said on Monday. 

Shoppers enter and exit a Costco warehouse location during business hours. (Joe Raedle / Getty Images)

GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE

According to VinePair, the Costco-Deschutes deal helped the brewery recover from an 11% decline in sales volume in 2023. After launching the partnership, Deschutes saw a 9% increase in volume.  

By 2025, Deschutes ranked as the 10th-largest craft brewery in the U.S., according to the Brewers Association.

Deschutes later fell within the top 25 grocery store vendors despite year-to-date dollar sales increasing 8.3% and volume rising 9.3% compared with last year, according to VinePair, citing Circana market data. 

FOX Business reached out to Costco and Deschutes Brewery for more information. 

Brent crude futures rose ‌78 cents, ⁠or 1% ⁠to $78.8 a barrel by 0054 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures were up 74 cents, or 1.01%, at $74.26 a barrel.

Both crude benchmarks, WTI and Brent, rose more than a dollar in post-settlement trade on Wednesday after the U.S. military began launching fresh strikes on Iran.

Before that, the benchmarks had settled at their highest in over two ⁠weeks after ‌U.S. President Donald Trump threatened fresh strikes against Iran as soon as Wednesday night.

The U.S. military said it was ⁠launching fresh strikes on Iran aimed at keeping the critical Strait of Hormuz open to traffic, hours after President Donald Trump declared that an interim agreement to end the war was “over”.

Live Events

The rush of oil that passed through the strait in recent weeks is over for now, with shipowners expected to take a more cautious stance, IG analyst Tony Sycamore said in a ‌note.
The U.S. said its latest round of attacks was in response to Tuesday’s assault on three tankers transiting the strait. The U.S. attacks rattled ⁠several cities along Iran’s southern coast and left some areas without power. Iran said on Wednesday it attacked U.S. military sites in Bahrain and Kuwait in response to earlier U.S. strikes on infrastructure.

Some war underwriters have advised shipping companies to pause voyages through the Strait of Hormuz, and others are reviewing their policy terms after Iran’s renewed vessel attacks, insurance industry sources said on Wednesday.

In the Nifty200 pack, 9 stocks’ closing prices crossed below their 200 DMA (Daily Moving Averages) on July 8, according to stockedge.com‘s technical scan data. Trading below the 200 DMA is considered a negative signal because it indicates that the stock’s price is below its long-term trend line. Traders use the 200 DMA as a key indicator to determine the overall trend in a particular stock. Take a look:​

This article was written by

Follow

Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Seeking Alpha’s Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

Costco rolled out a new change to its payment system, allowing customers to use their phones to make checkout times faster.

The warehouse club has expanded its digital wallet feature that now enables members to link any Visa card to the Costco app and use their phones during checkout.

“Costco is pleased to announce the latest enhancement to our Digital Membership Card — a fast and efficient form of payment! For your convenience, you can now add any Visa card to your Digital Membership Card for easy check out at Costco warehouses,” Costco said on its website.

COSTCO QUIETLY DISCONTINUES AWARD-WINNING KIRKLAND ITEM FANS CALL ‘ONE OF THE BEST’ IN THE MARKET

The warehouse club has expanded its digital wallet feature that now enables members to link any Visa card to the Costco app and use their phones during checkout. (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg / Getty Images)

“No more searching for your wallet, or wondering if you remembered to bring your credit card — simply pull up your card on your phone, and you’re ready to check out. It’s that easy!”

According to Costco, benefits of a Digital Costco Visa Card include fast and efficient checkouts, eliminating the need to carry another form of payment, no longer having to search through a wallet or purse for a credit or debit card, being able to view and manage Visa Card information through the Digital Membership Card and enjoying cash rewards on purchases made with the Visa Card.

The digital payment option can only be used by members for Costco warehouse purchases, excluding the food court, the company said.

The digital payment option can only be used by members for Costco warehouse purchases, excluding the food court. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images / Getty Images)

Earlier this year, Costco CEO Ron Vachris explained some of the changes the company has made to its app.

“The enhancements we have made include improvements to the mobile wallet, the introduction of a digital membership card with quick access on the Costco app and the rollout of our shopping cart prescan tool internationally,” he said during an earnings call.

These changes enable Costco members to use the Costco app for both membership verification and payment, making checkout faster and reducing the need to carry physical cards.

SURPRISE RIVAL KNOCKS COSTCO’S FAMOUS ROTISSERIE CHICKEN OFF ITS PERCH AS BEST BIRD

Costco members can use the Costco app for both membership verification and payment. (Lindsey Nicholson/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images / Getty Images)

GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE

The company already allows customers to link their Digital Costco Visa Card to their digital membership card in the app. This allows customers to let cashiers scan the QR code in the app once, which automatically links the membership ID and the credit card information for easy payment.

The first Freedom Fuel gas station has opened in Philadelphia as part of a broader initiative to offer drivers discounted gasoline, the White House announced.

Motorists at the station can purchase gas for $3.47 per gallon, about 50 cents below Pennsylvania’s statewide average.

“The FIRST Freedom Fuel Network gas station has LANDED in Philadelphia, lowering the price at the pump to $3.47 for our 47th President,” the White House said in a post on X. 

“President Trump is leading the charge to lower gas prices this summer — putting more money in your pocket.”

TRUMP PROMISES PHILADELPHIA GAS DISCOUNTS AHEAD OF JULY 4, CLAIMS OIL PRICES ARE ‘PLUMMETING’

American flags decorate the landscaping outside a Freedom Fuel Network convenience store storefront in Pennsylvania. (White House / Fox News)

The White House also shared a video featuring customers praising the lower prices.

“Right now, we’re in a difficult time in this world, but it’s nice to see some stability that we can enjoy,” one person said in the video. 

The launch comes after President Donald Trump pledged to lower gas prices through the Freedom Fuel Network, which includes 25 stations across the greater Philadelphia area, with most located in Pennsylvania and several in New Jersey.

BESSENT WARNS GAS STATIONS ‘WE’RE WATCHING’ AS TRUMP DEMANDS IMMEDIATE PRICE CUTS

A motorist waits near a pricing billboard displaying cash and credit rates at a Freedom Fuel Network station in Pennsylvania. (White House / Fox News)

The White House indicated that the network is operated by a retailer that branded its stations as Freedom Fuel to align with Trump’s push for lower energy costs.

“This Retailer is taking the lead, and others should follow,” Trump previously said. 

A White House spokesperson said the company that owns the 25 stations is not affiliated with the Trump administration and is not receiving federal subsidies, according to CBS News. Instead, the stations are reportedly lowering prices by accepting smaller profit margins.

FOX Business reached out to the White House for more information.

TRUMP ALLEGES GAS PRICE GOUGING, CALLS FOR DOJ INVESTIGATION

According to the Freedom Fuel Network’s website, the 25 stations are located in the following areas: 

New Jersey: 

• Egg Harbor Township, NJ — 6501 Delilah Rd
• Egg Harbor Township, NJ — 6801 Tilton Rd
• Little Egg Harbor Township, NJ — 1520 County Rd 539
• Marlton, NJ — 160 NJ-73
• West Berlin, NJ — 898 NJ-73

Pennsylvania:

• Bensalem, PA — 1360 Street Rd
• Boothwyn, PA — 610 Conchester Hwy
• Bristol, PA — 905 Bristol Pike
• Brookhaven, PA — 3919 Edgmont Ave
• Brookhaven, PA — 4612 Edgmont Ave
• Camp Hill, PA — 3811 Hartzdale Dr
• Dresher, PA — 1400 Dreshertown Rd
• Eagleville, PA — 3201 Ridge Pike
• Lansdowne, PA — 6800 E Baltimore Ave
• Millbourne, PA — 6601 Market St
• Philadelphia, PA — 100 Byberry Rd
• Philadelphia, PA — 2200 Island Ave
• Philadelphia, PA — 3101 N Broad St
• Philadelphia, PA — 4043 Germantown Ave
• Philadelphia, PA — 6243 Chestnut St
• Philadelphia, PA — 10960 Bustleton Ave
• Pottstown, PA — 1453 S Hanover St
• Southampton, PA — 17 Street Rd
• Springfield, PA — 400 Baltimore Pike
• Warminster Township, PA — 299 E Street Rd

Commuters refuel their vehicles under a canopy at a Freedom Fuel Network location in Pennsylvania. (White House / Fox News)

BESSENT WARNS GAS STATIONS ‘WE’RE WATCHING’ AS TRUMP DEMANDS IMMEDIATE PRICE CUTS

The rollout follows Trump’s call for gas retailers to immediately lower prices at the pump, arguing consumers should be paying less as crude oil futures retreated to levels seen before the recent U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran.

Although the national average hovered around $3 per gallon, Trump urged retailers to target prices closer to $2.50 per gallon. 

He also accused some companies of price gouging and warned that the federal government could investigate if prices remained elevated. 

GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE