© Christy Moyer

Flavor and function

Costco sauerkraut supplier Wildbrine hits the mark with taste and nutrition

by Randi Donahue

Mother Nature is a key element behind the sauerkraut from Costco supplier Wildbrine. The Santa Rosa, California-based company sources organic cabbage via partnerships with local California farmers, chasing the sun to ensure they can use the freshest produce year-round.

“Once it arrives, we inspect each head of cabbage before hand-processing it to remove the outer leaves and core,” says Hannah Lewis, Costco member and chief marketing officer for Fermented Food Holdings, which took ownership of Wildbrine in 2021. “We then shred and salt the cabbage, mixing in garlic before we begin the fermentation process in our small-batch bins where the naturally occurring cultures do their magic over 15 to 30 days.”

The “magic” is lacto-fermentation—a process that breaks down natural sugars, forming lactic acid—to nix harmful bacteria, but keep beneficial bacteria alive.

“When the fermentation is complete, you have a sauerkraut that contains a wide variety of probiotic organisms,” says Wildbrine co-founder and Costco member Chris Glab. “They are healthy and thriving. Then we create an environment to foster the guys we want—the lactobacillus probiotic organisms—and exclude the spoilage organisms like yeasts and molds.”

The result is a versatile and tangy raw cabbage with a long shelf life. It’s also chock-full of natural probiotics that, when consumed regularly, may contribute to a balanced gut, and facilitate better overall health, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Wildbrine came to life in 2011. Having already created and sold a prepared-foods company, business partners Glab and Rick Goldberg were presented with an opportunity to team up again, taking a local nonprofit’s sauerkraut-making operation (with which Goldberg was involved) to market. When the nonprofit’s executive director approached them about taking it over completely, Wildbrine was born.

After a decade in the market and thinking long term, in 2021, Goldberg and Glab sold Wildbrine to Fermented Food Holdings (FFH). Glab became FFH’s chief innovation officer.

Wildbrine now produces sauerkrauts of various flavors, but one of its most popular and versatile—the Raw Organic Sauerkraut (sold at Costco)—contains just three original ingredients: cabbage, sea salt and garlic. The sauerkraut can enhance anything from avocado toast to grilled meat, but is zesty and flavorful enough to be enjoyed all by itself.