Culture
Food History
The Costco Peanut Butter Recall That Bankrupted The Brand That Made It By Tiffany Betts Sept. 22, 2025 6:09 pm EST
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It's unfortunate, but food recalls happen frequently and for various reasons. There were 65 recalls in 2023 and according to the USDA , the most common reasons were an import violation and undeclared allergen. The 2012 recall of Sunland brand peanut butter sold at Costco and other stores, though, was more serious because of contamination with Salmonella. This might not be one of the food recalls that will always haunt Costco — like when plastic was found in Foster Farms chicken patties in 2022 — but it's one of the peanut butter recalls that everyone should know about . After all, it led to Sunland, Inc. fili