The brewing success of plant milks

The popularity of plant-based milks continues. They’re taking up more space on supermarket shelves and are increasingly the accompaniment of choice with coffees Australia-wide. 

The most recent industry report from IBISworld showed plant milks are expected to continue to grow at an annualised 6.8% over the five years through 2020-21. And this change in consumer preference is leading to a major windfall for plant-based milk suppliers. 

One such example is The Alternative Dairy Co, which experienced the strongest sales on record for its home-grown range of barista plant milks in the first quarter of FY21 compared to the last quarter of FY20. A growth that has been fuelled by a clear shift in consumer preference towards locally made products and a fast-growing taste for plant milks by Australia’s sophisticated coffee drinkers – 55% of whom prefer their morning brew at their local café and overwhelmingly want their coffee white^[1].

Almond milk officially overtook soy as the most requested dairy alternative in 2019^[2], and its popularity is tipped to continue to grow. However it is oat milk’s dairy-like taste and creamy texture that has industry pundits predicting it’s the plant milk to watch over the next five years.

According to Steve Beams, Sanitarium Health Food Company, General Manager - Sales, the reason people are increasingly turning to plant milks is two-fold.

“People have long been attracted to the health benefits of plant milks, but a growing number of socially conscious consumers are now also seeking food and drinks with stronger sustainability credentials. In coffee, the decision to switch from dairy to a plant milk is now easy too, because it no longer represents a compromise on the coffee experience,” said Mr Beams. 

While this trend is adding momentum to the uptake in plant milks, Mr Beams explains it has also given The Alternative Dairy Co, which sources its Australian almonds from the Murray-Darling region from a supplier committed to sustainable agriculture and uses locally-grown oats, a strong market advantage, particularly in competing with some of the global dairy free milk brands.

“Using Australian ingredients is a win-win because we’re getting the best quality raw ingredients while supporting Australian agriculture. Plus, we make all our milks on the New South Wales Central Coast,” he said.

The Alternative Dairy Co first entered the café scene in 2018 with its soy and almond barista milks. Keen to build on this success the brand launched oat milk in 2019 to create a strong trio of high-performance plant milks expertly crafted for Australian baristas and latte lovers.

“There’s a whole lot of science behind getting plant milks right for coffee and we take great pride in how our plant milks taste and perform in coffee. We have had great feedback from both baristas and coffee lovers about how delicious the range is – the positive word-of-mouth is really starting to pay off,” said Mr Beams.

“The Alternative Dairy Co is playing in a hugely competitive marketplace, but the brand’s recent growth during what has been an incredibly tough time for the café and hospitality industry gives us confidence that it’s got the right mix of ingredients for long-term success,” said Mr Beams. 

For more information about The Alternative Dairy Co’s barista milks, visit www.altdairyco.com/barista-hub.