The non-dairy milk market goes pea-shaped

When it comes to non-dairy milk, there is more choice than ever from retailers. Most of these dairy-free drinks are made of nuts or soy so those who suffer from dairy, nut and soy allergies don’t have any other suitable alternative.

In 2016, US-based Ripple launched the first ever pea milk. In just one year, Ripple has sold 2.5 million bottles of pea milk and generated $20m in revenue. This reflects how big the demand is for dairy-free alternatives. This success has attracted another American company, Bolthouse Farms, to enter the niche market for pea milk. Both manufacturers offer their non-dairy milk products with different flavours, such as chocolate and vanilla, to make their products more appealing.

The drink is made of yellow split peas which are milled into flour, then that flour is processed to separate the pea protein from the fibre and starch. The pea protein gets blended together with water and sunflower oil, sea salt and vitamins.

According to GlobalData consumer survey (from Q3 2016), 18% of consumers in the US try to limit their dairy intake and 6% avoid this ingredient entirely. As such, manufacturers are developing new dairy-free products to target those who avoid dairy for health reasons or as a lifestyle choice.

In recent years, we have witnessed the launch of many plant-based products to tap into consumers’ increasing concerns about not only their own health but also animal welfare.

Consumers now have a wide range of animal-free products to choose from, such as plant-based burgers, cookies, drinks and snacks. These innovative products offer alternatives to meet shoppers’ health or lifestyle demands.

Manufacturers that are interested in tapping into this niche market need to take a highly innovative approach towards developing new free-from products by using ingredients known for their health benefits and good taste.

Related links

https://www.globaldata.com/store/report/cs1706ct–top-trends-in-dairy-2017-exploring-the-milk-cheese-and-yogurt-categories/