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Almond, Soy, Oat! What every Cafe needs to know about….
Alternative Milks
Each month we interview a barista from one of our fantastic customers and ask the question about what’s new and trending in the industry. The response always contains a mention of the growth in alternate milks.
Our friends at MILKLAB have been kind to share some data with us from their customer base. The key callout is that this trend has no sign of slowing down so your business will need to embrace this, f you haven’t already. Whether it is increasing your range or investing in milk automation. If you don’t have a milk jug rinser yet, put it to the top of your list so you can remove all those extra jugs from the bench and also reduce customer wait times and barista stress levels.
Looking at the below graph, you can see that Almond is the most popular alternate milk with sales remaining constant over a 3-year period, Oat Milk has been growing rapidly in popularity but is stealing share from Soy milk which has been steadily declining in popularity. Lactose free milk is steadily growing in popularity.
Need versus want
You only need to walk down the aisle in your local supermarket to see how much this category is growing. You will see more brands on the shelves which is leading to more consumer awareness and brand loyalty. Having a consistent supply of quality alternate milks will also help build and maintain a loyal customer base.
When choosing alternative milks for your café, firstly you need to decide what you would like to range, we suggest a minimum of Almond, Oat and Soy, plus a lactose free option in most cases. These and other milks can be a great addition to your ‘Signature Drink’.
Mix and Match
The most popular brands of these are MILKLAB for Almond, Alternative Dairy Co for Oat and Bonsoy is still the market leader for Soy.
Our nutty blends, Foundation and Classic pair well with MILKLAB Almond which is the market leader.
Source with its fruity taste notes pairs well with oat milk. Alternative Dairy Co is the market leader here while MILKLAB and Oatly also tastes great.
The muted acidity in our darker roasted Four Three Eight blend make it a good match for soy milk and although Bonsoy is still the market leader, we prefer Happy Happy Soy Boy, MILKLAB or Alternative Dairy Co for taste and texture.
Talk to us!
The Alternate milk companies are constantly evolving their products to suit consumer preferences, so we encourage you to shop around and see what works for your venue. Work with your suppliers to see what they range, do your own research to see what tastes best in your coffee and of course, speak to your Grinders Territory Manager or Coffee Specialist for advice.
