New data shows Australian coffee lovers are increasingly opting for plant-based milks in their cups, according to West Australian drive-thru coffee business MuzzBuzz.
Company Executive Chairman Warren Reynolds, reports an unabating trend as more people turn to the #nodairy options.
“We’re seeing year-on-year growth in alternative milks being ordered, with usage up more than 20 percent in the past financial year, and up more than 250 percent over the last five years.”
Warren Reynolds says his customers are preferring dairy-free alternatives due to an increasing awareness of health and environment issues.
“We also know our customers are educated and have opinions on
consuming animal products and are choosing to switch to plant-based milks.”
Five years ago, the popular coffee drive-thru in Australia and New Zealand offered three types of alternative milks, and used around 71,000 litres in total. The business now offers four alternatives, and in the last year creamed more than 110,000 litres of almond milk alone.
One of the key drivers has also been drastic changes to the quality and versatility of dairy-free milks available for coffee making.
“Since we started offering soy as the first alternative milk almost 20 years ago, the quality of products has increased exponentially. The colour, taste and even the ability to froth an alternative milk has all improved over the years – to the benefit of the consumer", says Warren Reynolds.
The four dairy free alternatives currently being offered are;
· Oat Milk: Dairy-free, oat milk is an option for vegans, those who are allergic to cow’s milk or are lactose intolerant. Growth in oat milk usage has exploded in recent years.
· Almond Milk: Also vegan friendly, un-sweetened almond milk is naturally low in kilojoules, and is currently the most popular option among customers.
· Soy Milk: The first alternative milk to be offered by Muzz Buzz, soy milk has fallen behind oat and almond milk in terms of sales, but remains a popular alternative to cow’s milk.
· Lactose Free Milk: An alternative for those who are lactose-intolerant, this milk is widely considered to have almost the same taste and texture as regular cow’s milk.
According to Sealanes the pre-eminent West Australian food and beverage supplier, their combined sales of oat, almond and soy milk have quadrupled in the last three to five years, increasing to nearly 500 percent over the past decade.
“This market is only going to continue to evolve and expand, with new dairy-free milk suppliers entering the Australian market providing an increasing number of health driven options" says a company spokesman.
MuzzBuzz says it prides itself in responding to patrons needs and demands.
“A key element of our business is being receptive to our patron's needs, and as we continue to see a better-educated and more health-conscious population, I would expect we’ll continue to see growth in these plant-based dairy-free milk alternatives.”
ENDS
Images: MuzzBuzz Supplied
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