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Nut and cereal milks have joined soy in the plant-based challenge to traditional dairy, according to research from Innova Market Insights.
Despite dairy alternatives accounting for just 6% of global dairy launches, in 2015 the market saw continuing penetration outside of the Asian market, where it has traditionally been most successful. This is reflected in stagnant launch numbers for the region, Innova said, while rising activity in Europe has taken its global share up from 30% to 38%.
Soy milks traditionally dominated the sector and still featured in over 60% of dairy alternative drinks launches globally in 2015, either as a main or secondary ingredient, although this has fallen from nearly three-quarters in 2011. Almond milks, which have seen dynamic growth in recent years, have increased their share to more than 28% of launches – ahead of rice, coconut and oat milks.
“The non-dairy milk drinks market has seen considerable development in recent years in the light of rising interest in lactose and dairy-free options,” said Innova director of innovation Lu Ann Williams. “Its initial spread from traditional markets in Asia to the West was via specialist health food outlets, but in recent years it has moved more squarely into the mainstream and grown beyond its reliance on soy to a whole range of other plant-based foods, led by nuts and grains.”
The other notable feature of market development has been the stronger move of dairy alternative drinks out of the white milks sub-category and into flavoured variants, with brands increasingly introducing upmarket and complex flavours and blends in line with the wider milk drinks market, Innova reported.
There has also been a strong move into fashionable milk-based coffee drinks in line with the rest of the milks market.
Soy milk has traditionally been marketed on its health benefits and its newer, plant-based competition has continued this trend. Over 90% of dairy alternative drinks launched in 2015 were marketed on a health platform of some kind.
The most popular individual claim was lactose-free, used in over 47% of introductions and up from about one-third in 2011. Lactose-free’s popularity was probably a result of improved allergen labelling, as well as growing awareness of lactose intolerance and interest in free-from foods in general.
Interest in clean labelling appears to have boosted the use of natural and additive/preservative-free claims, Innova said. These were used on 36% of launches, rising to nearly 64% if organic claims are also included.
There is also rising use of non-GMO claims despite legislation in many markets, including the EU, where non-GMO claims featured on 11% of new products, that means genetically modified ingredients have to be declared anyway. The US has seen growing levels of concern in recent years, with nearly half of dairy alternative drinks launched in the country in 2015 carrying non-GMO claims, compared with just under a quarter globally.
Williams continued: “The dairy alternative drinks market is booming and further growth is expected with growing interest in dairy-free and lactose-free products as a lifestyle choice, rather than simply an option for those with allergies and intolerances. In the move to offer something new, we are also starting to see not only a wide variety of increasingly sophisticated flavour options, but also blends of milks from different sources.”
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