Costco is surprisingly packed with vegan foods. Here are some of the best options. (COST)

Business Insider/Jessica Tyler

• Costco is a surprisingly great place to shop if you're vegan.
• Veganism is becoming increasingly popular, with the plant-based food industry currently generating over $13 billion in annual sales.
• Because of the growing demand, many retailers are adding more options, like Costco's al pastor salad, which replaced the Polish hot dog on food-court menus this summer.
• Even if products aren't specifically labeled as vegan, many of them are if you read the ingredients.

Costco, home of the $1.50 hot dog, is a surprisingly great place to shop if you're vegan.

Costco's products may not always be labeled as vegan, but many of the bulk products it carries — granola, baking products, and instant meals, for example — are surprisingly perfect for vegans. While the products carried from store to store may differ based on what's in stock regionally, many products are available online. 

Veganism is becoming more and more popular. A study by the Plant Based Foods Association shows that the plant-based food industry — which includes meat and dairy alternatives, tofu, egg replacements, and other animal-product alternatives — generates over $13 billion in sales annually throughout the US economy. And according to a study by market-research firm GlobalData, the number of Americans who choose to follow a vegan diet has increased from 1% to 6% since 2014.

So it's no surprise that mainstream retailers like Costco are carrying more and more vegan options. Costco even went as far as removing the beloved Polish hot dog from its food court menu to make room for vegan meals. 

Here are some surprisingly vegan products you can buy at Costco: 

Al pastor salad from the food court

Acai bowl from the food court

See our review of the acai bowl »

Kirkland Signature Almond Butter

Source: Costco

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SEE ALSO: Costco replaced a beloved food-court menu item with new vegan options. Here's how they taste.