Costco's Heard Your Complaints — Its New Bakery Sourdough Loaf Doesn't Hold Back On Berries

There's one Costco department where the quality can be hit or miss: the bakery. While Costco's sheet cakes are iconic, not every bakery item is a fan favorite. If social media buzz is any indication, though, the new sourdough bread is worth a try. The 2-pound loaf includes dried blueberries and is priced at $8.99.

Historically, Costco's bakery has had a bad reputation with blueberry fans. Customers have called out the bakery for selling blueberry bagels made with "simulated blueberries," that is, "blueberries" made from artificially flavored cranberries, or skipping the actual fruit altogether. As for Costco's blueberry muffins, they contain actual fruit — but just barely. When a disgruntled customer posted on Reddit that their muffins contained very few berries, one commenter joked, "Twoberry muffin." 

Blueberries are not an issue with this fruit-studded sourdough, though, and it already has its fans. According to one satisfied customer on the r/Costco subreddit, the bread "doesn't skimp on the berries." "Guess this is where all the blueberries in the muffins went," another Redditor commented under the post.

Costco's blueberry sourdough loaf can add a creative touch to standard sandwiches. Pair it with savory toppings, coat it in sweet cheeses, or experiment with using sourdough instead of milk bread that's typically used for Japanese sandos. So far, most Costco shoppers have kept it simple, though. Fans say the bread makes for a great French toast. "I made French toast with it for breakfast today. It was fantastic," raved one Redditor. Another noted, "Butter and syrup [are] optional, but not needed!"

However, not everyone is so enthused. While the bread contains actual berries, the fruit is "infused" with natural flavor and added sugar. The sourdough loaf also contains some of those infamous "blueberry flavored bits," too — though they come second to real fruit. Still, these hidden ingredients are enough to keep additive-adverse shoppers away. Sourdough purists should note that the bread contains a small amount of yeast in addition to the traditional sourdough culture.

If you're still interested in getting your hands on the new bakery item, check back if you can't find it in your store. Costco inventory tends to vary from store to store, and locations are having trouble keeping it in stock. Let's hope Costco will learn from the bread's success: Customers like real berries, and lots of them.