In previous years, soy, coconut, and almond milks have been the most popular dairy alternatives in the UK. But that changed in 2020, as oat milk grew by 104 percent year-on-year to become the country’s favourite milk alternative.
Oat milk now has a 32 percent share in the milk alternatives market, bigger than any other type. Within the oat milk category, Swedish brand Oatly has the largest share at 64 percent, beating out other brands like Alpro. According to the company, it is responsible for 51 percent of growth within the category.
With its tongue-in-cheek ad campaigns and vocal political stances, there’s no doubt that Oatly has been a huge driver of the increasing popularity of oat milk. But the brand hasn’t been without its controversy. In August of this year, the company sold a stake to the Blackstone Group, which has been implicated in deforestation in the Amazon rainforest.
Many customers vowed to boycott Oatly, but the company seemed unfazed. In a statement, it said the investment “steers capital that would’ve otherwise gone into another commercial investment into sustainability instead.” It added, “If we just shut out the companies that may make less sustainable choices, we won’t give them the chance to improve and make more sustainable choices.”
For better or worse, the controversy doesn’t seem to have hurt Oatly. The company has reported universal demand, with growth figures up by over 100 percent in every UK region. And significantly, it’s no longer just young people who find it appealing — a large number of “post-family” shoppers are buying it too.
Meanwhile, Waitrose reported a huge 113 percent surge in oat milk sales in 2020, and a 210 percent increase in searches for the product on its website. For barista-style oat milk that doesn’t curdle in coffee, the increase in searches was even higher at 1,517 percent.
David Peters, former head of Oatly, argues that the rising popularity of oat milk is partly because it has the most similar taste and texture to cow’s milk. Additionally, it is one of the most sustainable plant milks, and oats have a reputation as a health food.
“The signs are that the longer-term trend towards oat milk will continue, providing opportunities for both established and emerging brands alike,” he says.
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October 05, 2020 at 12:00PM
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The Rise of Oat Milk in the UK - is 2020 the Year of the Oat? - vegconomist - the vegan business magazine
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