Costco’s latest offering, Kirkland Signature Olive and Rosemary Sourdough Bread, is getting a lot of attention from shoppers, but it’s also stirring up questions about what truly qualifies as sourdough.
The Real Bread Campaign states that for bread to be recognized as sourdough, it should be solely produced using live sourdough cultures, with no commercial yeast or other additives like vinegar that can falsely replicate the sourdough flavor.
Chris Young, the coordinator for the Real Bread Campaign, introduced the term “sourdough” back in 2015 to address products branded as sourdough that include various additives or alternative leavening agents in addition to, or instead of, a true sourdough starter.
Social media influencer @costcohotfinds shared a glowing review of the new bread with her 3.5 million followers on Instagram. Laura Jayne Lamb, the creator behind the account, proclaimed, “I can’t stop eating this bread. It’s amazing, especially with kalamata and green olives!”
But not everyone is convinced. One user pushed back, claiming, “That’s not true. Real sourdough contains flour, water, and salt, and this has way too many ingredients to be called ‘sourdough.’” Another commenter chimed in, stating that their spouse makes sourdough at home, reinforcing that they won’t buy the Costco version due to its extra ingredients.
Some users went so far as to call for support of local bakeries instead of opting for Costco’s bread. “Once you taste it, you can’t go back to commercial options,” one urged.
Concerns about ingredients often center on the inclusion of yeast and other substances in Costco’s loaf. These ingredients are commonly found in commercial baking and lean it towards being “not far off” from authentic sourdough, according to reports.
This isn’t the first time Costco has ignited such discussions; earlier this year, the introduction of a sourdough bread bowl met similar skepticism about its ingredients.
Kate Freeburn, a sourdough recipe creator, emphasized that store-bought sourdough frequently isn’t the real deal since it often still utilizes commercial yeast.
Despite the debate, many on social media have given a thumbs up to the olive and rosemary sourdough, with one user declaring, “I’m a happy woman with warm olive and rosemary sourdough bread with butter!”
Another user admitted, “This bread is my weakness! It’s so delicious!” and even acknowledged the ongoing ingredient debate with, “It may not be real sourdough, but it sure is delicious!”
In light of the varied opinions, it seems that while the authenticity of the sourdough may be in question, its taste is winning people over.
Costco has yet to respond to requests for comments on the situation.
