Why Costco's Kirkland Mango Smoothie Was A Total Flop - Tasting Table

"The mango smoothie first hit food courts in June 2023 - a summer-appropriate flavor that debuted in the Australian circuit before expanding to Hawaii warehouses and finally Costcos in Oklahoma, California, and Washington. According to a TikTok by @costcobuys, Costco's mango smoothie packed four servings of fruit and "no added sugar, additives, or preservatives" for a price tag of $2.99. That's notably a killer price for a large smoothie that size ... or, it would be, if it tasted good."

"The TikTok's abysmal comments section reads, "It's a nope!! Tasted like carrots," "Tried it yesterday. I didn't like it at all and I love mango," and "Love you Costco but that is just plain disgusting." An overwhelming number of turned-off testimonials likened both the taste and texture to baby food. Elsewhere online, a Reddit thread dedicated to Costco's food court mango smoothie describes "a tamarind flavor that heavily overpowers the mango." Other Redditors theorize that the "off" flavor is the result of using overripe, turned mangoes: "Like overripe to the point of the fruit is starting to brown and taste sickly sweet and off.""

Costco's food court introduced a mango smoothie in June 2023, debuting in Australia before expanding to Hawaii and select U.S. warehouses. The smoothie was marketed as containing four servings of fruit with "no added sugar, additives, or preservatives" and sold for $2.99. Many customers reported a strongly off flavor and texture, comparing it to baby food, tamarind, carrots, or overripe mango. Social posts and Reddit threads described tastes like sickly-sweet or browning fruit. Some commenters speculated the smoothie used overripe or unsellable mango stock, which likely contributed to the widespread negative reception.

Read at Tasting Table