Costco Adds “Vegan” Label to New Salad Option

Bulk-retail chain Costco added a “vegan” label to its El Pastor Salad, a new item that recently replaced polish hot dogs on its food-court menu nationwide. The Mexican-inspired vegan salad is made with soy-based meatless chicken, chopped romaine lettuce, black beans, and “banh mi” vegetables and dressing—which the chain reformulated to be fully vegan by removing eggs. “This new plant-based protein salad, I know that excites you,” Costco CEO W. Craig Jelinek said to investors during a recent shareholder meeting. “But it is healthy. And, uh, actually, it tastes pretty good, if you like those kind of things. I tried it once.” In June, Costco added a vegan açaí bowl ($4.99) to its food-court menu, which features blueberries, strawberries, banana chips, Kirkland signature granola, and Sambazon’s açaí mix—which replaced a dairy-based option in the soft-serve dispenser at several locations.