The wellness mindset, better-for-you trend and increasing number of consumers adopting a flexitarian diet are driving forces in the rise of the alt milk market.
Soy milk is well established and has been for decades, with almond, coconut, oat and other options becoming more popular in recent years.
Global market research and insights company Mintel’s Global Food and Drink category manager Jodie Minotto said new formulations made from tofu, roasted rice and mung beans are entering the rapidly growing market. Established alternatives like soy being infused with flavours such as ginseng and other plant-based milks that taste like cheese are also on the rise.
Minotto said: “The sky is the limit for manufacturers. Customers want brands to not only introduce new flavour combinations and protein sources, but also offer further benefits, including improved sustainability.
“Brands need to explain the benefits of their products, such as whether they’re good for gut health, to stand out from the crowd and meet this health demand.”
Victor Leeman owns Melbourne café Coffee & Soul. He said almost a quarter of customers now order a plant-based milk with their coffee. “We offer four different varieties, which has grown from when soy was the only option for years.
“It seems as though more people are going non-dairy for health and allergy reasons. A lot of customers seem to think a plant milk agrees with their systems a lot better,” Leeman said.
Minotto said Leeman’s experience is universal. “Whether consumers are lactose-intolerant, vegan or just want to add more plant-based products to their diet, there is no end to the opportunities for brands to celebrate the tastiness and health benefits of plant-based dairy ingredients.
She said Mintel is predicting a surge in popularity of newer styles of plant-based milks, yoghurts and ice-creams.
“While the Asia-Pacific region is a leader in plant-based drinks (89 per cent), it lags behind the rest of the world when it comes to yoghurt and ice-cream innovation. We have already welcomed everything from almond-based yoghurts and avocado smoothie ice-cream in Asia. The demand in Australia and New Zealand is there, and consumers want to see more of this innovation.”
Minotto said trust is key, with consumers wanting assurance plant-based alternatives are providing essential nutrients.
“If you take the Australia brand Impressed, it launched a plant milk with a nutritional profile like dairy milk,” Minotto said.
“The nutrient table shows how its tagline ‘Plants Answer To Milk’ and regular dairy milk provide identical protein, fat and calcium per serving while being significantly lower in sugar.”
Minotto said the time was right for brands to do more to celebrate the nutritional and ecological benefits of plant-based dairy.
